Lilo & Sтιтch is one of the biggest moves of the year — and for good reason! It features an adorable blue dog-like alien with a charming personality, a little girl with a love for chaos, and a family-friendly message in a movie that both children and adults can enjoy. It also happens to be an adaptation of the beloved 2002 Lilo & Sтιтch movie that parents first saw when they were children. That nostalgia has contributed to the movie grossing over $900 million globally. While the attention is now on How To Train Your Dragon, Lilo & Sтιтch is quietly climbing to $1 billion.
After the disappointment that was Snow White, Lilo & Sтιтch is a much-needed win for Disney. Even before How To Train Your Dragon shattered expectations, this outing was proof that live-action remakes are not yet ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, despite flagging interest in some projects. However, it has also been the subject of ample criticism. The surprising ending angered audiences, who hoped to see Lilo (Maia Kealoha) remain in Nani’s (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong) custody. As much as it was a painful ending, Pixar’s newest movie can serve as a fitting companion.
Elio And Lilo & Sтιтch Have A Lot In Common
Their Stories Share Similar Themes
Pixar’s latest movie, Elio, has been struggling to break through the crowded box office. It purports to tell the story of Elio (Yonas Kibreab), an 11-year-old who dreams of being abducted by aliens. Though little more than an ordinary and lonely human child, who has lost both parents and is being raised by a relative, he is eventually discovered by those aliens and quickly befriends them. In the process, he learns more about himself and his own family, while forging bonds that will undoubtedly last a lifetime. In essence, Elio has a lot in common with Lilo & Sтιтch.
Both franchises started as original animated movies, focusing on children who feel out of place in an increasingly difficult world. While the most recent adaptation changed Lilo & Sтιтch‘s story, Elio clings to the themes of connection with others, fighting loneliness through relationships, and always striving to learn more about people, no matter how alien they might be. Elio and Lilo might be different children, but these remarkably similar and touching themes hold true for both movies.
Elio was originally directed solely by Adrian Molina but was later re-imagined when he was replaced by Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi.
Unfortunately, Elio has struggled to match Lilo & Sтιтch‘s astounding box office performance. It opened to a brutal debut with just $21 million domestically and $35 million globally, per Variety. Given that these two films are both family-friendly productions that are seemingly in conversation with one another, it is worth considering seeing both of them, as their shared themes are surprisingly stark and increasingly relevant to each other.
Elio Flips Lilo & Sтιтch’s Premise Around
And Becomes Its Own Story In The Process
There are major differences between these two movies, and Elio ties more into the original Lilo & Sтιтch than it does the modern reimagining. One major distinction is that Elio revolves around a human going to space, rather than aliens coming to Earth, essentially flipping Lilo & Sтιтch‘s narrative. While Lilo & Sтιтch partially takes place in outer space, the majority of the story is set on Earthly soil. Sтιтch comes to live with Lilo in her home, while Elio is taken to space to meet with the Communiverse, an otherworldly organization devoted to interspecies communication.
Elio has much loftier ambitions and a more active role in the narrative, while Lilo is unaware of many of the otherworldly shenanigans.
Furthermore, Lilo’s general mission in Lilo & Sтιтch is to keep her family together and to reform Sтιтch by teaching him the meaning of Ohana. Elio’s, however, is to save the Communiverse from a villainous warlord, to fit into the Communiverse, and to make his aunt understand him. Elio has much loftier ambitions and a more active role in the narrative, while Lilo is unaware of many of the otherworldly shenanigans. In that sense, the stakes are extremely different, as Elio is more aware of the dangers.
The theme of Ohana is another distinction. Lilo & Sтιтch focuses on the importance of family, even if they are not necessarily blood-related. Sтιтch is not Lilo’s sibling, but she still views him as a member of her family on the same level as Nani or her parents. Elio, meanwhile, focuses on the broader concept of friendship, as Elio befriends Glordon (Remy Edgerly), the son of the warlord. It also considers a sense of connectivity with the universe and fighting loneliness through friendship and unity.
Elio And Lilo & Sтιтch Are Two Of Disney’s Best 2025 Movies
They Could Be The Perfect Match For A Double Feature
As Pixar is owned by Disney, the company is certainly proud of its two acclaimed releases. Elio has received positive reviews with ScreenRant‘s Rachel Labonte calling it “more emotionally satisfying than anything I could’ve dreamt up.” It holds an 84% Tomatometer score and a 91% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes. Lilo & Sтιтch has earned similar renown, with a 71% Tomatometer score and a 93% Popcornmeter score. While critics have been colder than audiences for both movies, general viewers have almost nothing but praise for the performances, visuals, and the heart of each movie.
These two movies have the highest Rotten Tomatoes scores of Disney’s movies this year, after Thunderbolts* and Predator: Killer of Killers. Yet Elio is not projected to do especially well financially. With a $150 million budget, it will take immense effort just to achieve profitability. Still, there is a chance for success, and Lilo & Sтιтch can offer a perfect opportunity. Anyone looking for a similar story or general atmosphere after reviewing the $900 million movie could turn to Elio. Both of these movies should be successful, and they both deserve to be.
