Warning: Contains SPOILERS for the live-action Lilo & Sтιтch!
2025’s live-action Lilo & Sтιтch remake has received a lot of criticism for the many changes that it made to its characters, and while most of them were bad, the film actually did improve one character from the animated movie. Jumba, Nani, Cobra Bubbles, and more Lilo & Sтιтch characters were subject to mᴀssive changes in Disney’s newest take on the classic animated movie, and many of these changes were for the worse. However, many viewers have ignored the changes to one character, as they actually improve on his 2002 Lilo & Sтιтch counterpart.
Jumba is the Lilo & Sтιтch character who underwent the most negative changes, with him losing much of his personality and becoming the main antagonist of the film, replacing Captain Gantu. Nani also underwent a lot of controversial changes, with her being focused on her dreams of becoming a marine biologist to the point that she gives Lilo away to her neighbors at the end of Lilo & Sтιтch. Similarly, Cobra Bubbles was completely changed, with him being an undercover CIA agent rather than a social worker who worked on the Roswell case. However, there is one more character who was significantly changed.
Pleakley Has A Bigger & Better Role In Lilo & Sтιтch’s Live-Action Remake
He Is A Much more Significant Character
As it turns out, Pleakley has a bigger and better role in the live-action Lilo & Sтιтch remake. Firstly, Pleakley is a much more important figure within the United Galactic Federation. In the original film, Cobra Bubbles is the one who is behind the UGF declaring Earth a wildlife preserve thanks to the “endangered” mosquito population. The remake changes this, however, with Pleakley being the one to do this. This means that he has much more influence, with him shifting UGF policy rather than just being an expert on Earth.
Pleakley is also the only villain who switches sides by the end of the film in the remake. In the 2002 movie, Pleakley and Jumba both start out as antagonists before becoming protagonists. They decide to help Sтιтch save Lilo from Gantu, with them eventually becoming accepted into Lilo’s family. In the remake, however, Jumba remains a villain. This means that Pleakley is the sole alien to switch sides, with him helping the family defeat Gantu. Pleakley is later accepted into their family, this time without Jumba.
Billy Magnussen’s Performance Helped Make Pleakley Hilarious
Thanks To His Human Form
On top of his bigger role in the remake, Pleakley also stands out thanks to the performance by Billy Magnussen. In the original Lilo & Sтιтch, Kevin McDonald voices Pleakley, and he does a fantastic job. Billy Magnussen’s take on Pleakley in the remake is very different, thanks to him mostly portraying the character in human form throughout the film. However, he does an equally great job, bringing most of the film’s comedy.
Billy Magnussen especially stands out when compared to his frequent scene partner, Zach Galifianakis. Galifianakis’ take on Jumba isn’t the best, with him losing the character’s iconic accent and warm heart. Jumba is much more of a generic mad scientist in the remake, making the more interesting take on Pleakley stand out.
Pleakley’s Improvements In Lilo & Sтιтch Came At A Cost
The Changes Hurt Jumba
While Pleakley is fantastic in the remake, many of his improvements in the remake came at a cost to Jumba. Pleakley is only able to have a larger role at the end of the live-action Lilo & Sтιтch because Jumba stays a villain. While Pleakley would have had a smaller role if Jumba switched sides as he did in the original, doing so would have been better for the overall story.
Similarly, the benefits that Magnussen’s physical comedy brings to Pleakley are detrimental to Jumba. Galifianakis’ physical comedy just isn’t as funny as Magnussen’s in the remake, and it would have been better to keep Jumba in his alien form. However, either both characters had to stay aliens, or they both had to become humans. Thus, Pleakley’s improvements in 2025’s Lilo & Sтιтch are a monkey’s paw.
