Deadline reports that newcomer Maia Kealoha has been cast as Lilo in Disney+'s upcoming live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch.
We know Disney has been searching Hawaii for a young actress to bring the iconic character to life in this movie, and Kealoha's acting career looks set to kick off in a big way with this project. While she does have an IMDb page, the only project listed on there right now is Lilo & Stitch!
This echoes how Disney went about casting the title character in 2016's Moana, with then-newcomer Auli'i Cravalho landing the role of a lifetime and becoming a huge star in the process.
Funnily enough, Cravalho remains a fan-favourite choice to play Nani, Lilo's older sister, and we're also hoping that eventually becomes a reality.
The only confirmed cast member right now is Zach Galifianakis as Pleakley, a role which will likely be motion-capture or voiceover. Beyond that, there are tonnes of roles that still need to be cast, and with multiple actors voicing Stitch over the years, we're guessing Disney will potentially look to cast an A-Lister.
Lilo & Stitch spawned several sequels and small screen spin-offs and you can't go into any Disney-related store without seeing tonnes of merchandise based on the loveable alien.
With that in mind, we wouldn't be shocked if this movie eventually pivots to a theatrical release, especially with returning Disney CEO Bob Iger looking to spend less on streaming titles. Nothing has been confirmed on that front yet, though, and this latest report once again mentions plans for a Disney+ debut.
Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On) is directing Disney+'s Lilo & Stitch, while Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders, and Mike Van Waes are all expected to receive writing credits. Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich of Rideback (Aladdin) are attached to produce the project.
As of right now, Lilo & Stitch doesn't have an official release date.