Theme Park Scope

Ohana means family…and Disney is bringing one of the franchise’s most important family members back for the sequel.

Disney has officially found its director for Lilo & Stitch 2, and it’s someone fans of the franchise know very well.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chris Sanders, the co-creator, co-writer, co-director, and longtime voice of Stitch, has signed on to direct Disney’s upcoming live-action sequel. The move marks a major creative reunion for one of Disney’s most beloved modern franchises.

For many fans, Sanders’ involvement is particularly significant because he was instrumental in creating the original animated Lilo & Stitch released in 2002. In addition to co-directing and co-writing the film alongside Dean DeBlois, Sanders also designed and voiced Stitch, a role he has continued to perform for more than two decades.

Sanders was already attached to the sequel as a writer, with Disney previously bringing him back to develop the screenplay for the follow-up to the live-action hit. Now, he is taking on directing duties as well.

The new appointment means Sanders will have an even larger creative influence on the project, guiding the next chapter of the story both behind the camera and through his continued performance as Stitch.

He replaces Dean Fleischer Camp, who directed the 2025 live-action adaptation.

Disney’s decision comes after the enormous success of the live-action Lilo & Stitch film.

The movie became one of Disney’s biggest recent theatrical hits, earning more than $1 billion worldwide at the box office and becoming the first Hollywood release of the year to reach that milestone.

The success prompted Disney to quickly move forward with a sequel, which was officially announced on June 26, 2025 — also known to fans as “626 Day,” a reference to Stitch’s experiment number.

What We Know About Lilo & Stitch 2

While Disney has not revealed plot details, reports indicate that the sequel will tell a brand-new story rather than directly adapting one of the animated sequels or television series.

Producer Jonathan Eirich, who produced the live-action remake, is expected to return for the sequel, while Ryan Halprin will serve as executive producer.

Disney has already set a release date for the film, with Lilo & Stitch 2 scheduled to arrive in theaters on May 26, 2028.

Few people are more closely tied to Lilo & Stitch than Chris Sanders.

Not only did he help create the original film, but he has remained one of the franchise’s most recognizable creative voices through multiple movies, television series, and the live-action adaptation. Bringing him back to direct gives Disney an opportunity to reconnect the sequel with the creative vision that made audiences fall in love with Stitch in the first place.

While fans will have to wait a bit longer to learn exactly what adventure awaits Lilo and Stitch next, Disney’s latest announcement is already generating excitement for what could become one of the studio’s most anticipated sequels of the next few years.

Stay tuned to Theme Park Scope for more Disney movie news, entertainment updates, casting announcements, and everything coming next from Walt Disney Studios.