With Lilo & Stitch‘s journey to live-action, at least one character didn’t return from the original 2002 Disney animated film.
Director Dean Fleischer Camp recently explained he had to “free up real estate” in his new remake, now playing in theaters, which is why Captain Gantu of the Galactic Federation doesn’t appear in his remake.
“Gantu was one of those things that just didn’t work so well in live action,” he told Cinema Blend. “We explored it a bit, but ultimately we had to make the decision.”
Camp added, “And also, I do stand by the decision, ’cause I feel like a lot of the things that, in trying to ground these characters more and tell a story with a little more emotional depth, especially between the sisters, I feel like you have to free up real estate to allow that breathing room to do those things.”
In Lilo & Stitch (2002), Kevin Michael Richardson voiced Captain Gantu, Stitch/Experiment 626’s biggest rival who will stop at nothing to apprehend the escaped creature.
Camp previously spoke to Deadline about what he could and couldn’t include from the original. “I think we were all coming from a place of real love for the original. It’s always been my favorite Disney movie,” he explained. “And so, I think there were a lot of those, and sometimes you have to let go and kill your darlings and it just doesn’t work out for one reason or another.
“But I think the main things that we were really focused on, we got, and I’m proud that we nailed it. I think the character design of Stitch and his personality really coming through was one. I think that bringing back so much of the original Ohana that made the first one special like Chris Sanders and Tia Carrere [who voiced Nani in the 2002 film] and consulting with a lot of the original animation team were just super important to us and lucky enough that they worked out,” added Camp.
The post ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Director Explains Why One Character Isn’t In Live-Action Remake: “Just Didn’t Work” appeared first on Deadline.
