Lilo & Stitch Trailer Causes Controversy as Fans Angry Over Pleakley & Jumba’s Human Forms

The live-action Lilo & Stitch trailer is proving to be divisive among fans of the original movie.

The first full-length trailer for the live-action Lilo & Stitch movie was released earlier this week. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, the remake will be released in theaters this coming May and stars Maia Kealoha as Lilo, Sydney Elizabeth Agudong as Nani, and Chris Sanders as the voice of Stitch.

View the trailer below (watch more trailers and clips):

Why are fans angry at the live-action Lilo & Stitch trailer?

In the original animated Lilo & Stitch movie, Agent Pleakley and Dr. Jumba Jookiba, both of whom are aliens, are sent to Earth to try to capture Stitch after he escapes from custody. They don costumes that don’t necessarily hide the fact that they are aliens all too well; rather, Jumba looks like he grabbed whatever human clothes he could find and quickly threw them on, while Pleakley often cross-dresses and wears elaborate dresses and other outfits.

Jumba and Pleakley are played by Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen in the new movie. While they only appear for a couple of seconds in the trailer, it seems that, rather than “disguising” themselves in human clothes, they have the ability to change their look to make them appear completely human.

The change has left many fans of the original animated movie angry. View some reactions below:

Look what they’ve done to our diva https://t.co/ZMC2tyEMPX pic.twitter.com/xGlZBrmGnD

— Tom Zohar (@TomZohar) March 12, 2025

Pleakley having a human form and not crossdressing is a sign of rising fascism btw https://t.co/2psxodQprp

— darzipan (@fuckyeats) March 12, 2025

Erasing Pleakley’s drag and substituting it for human suits is bad because Disney wants to appease transphobes. But it’s also bad because it completely misses the joke! I get it’s probably a budget thing, but the whole point is that Jumba and Pleakley’s disguises are terrible! https://t.co/Y54yTeXruq

— ?Val? (@Angel_Valderie) March 12, 2025

You’re telling me we won’t be seeing the original Queen of Drag Pleakley serving looks all the time! RuPaul was shook! https://t.co/pznGUCG30W pic.twitter.com/EBa6U29JZs

— Meh (@Spilling_The_T) March 12, 2025

Copping out by making Jumba and Pleakley wear digital human skins is so stupid. Like isn’t it a whole joke that they’re obviously aliens in cheap disguises https://t.co/nzLHK88yIR

— smosher ☆ (@ThatOnePoes) March 12, 2025

The original Lilo & Stitch movie is currently available to stream on Disney+. That film was followed by three sequels — 2003’s Stitch! The Movie, 2005’s Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch, and 2006’s Leroy & Stitch — as well as a television series.

The new remake also stars Kaipo Dudoit as David Kawena, Tia Carrere as Mrs. Kekoa, Coutrney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles, and Hannah Waddingham as the voice of the Grand Councilwoman. The film will be released in United States theaters on May 23, 2025, from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.