Everything is coming up Stitch.
Following last summer’s $1 billion-grossing live-action adaptation of the original film, Walt Disney Animation Studios is readying a new animated “Lilo & Stitch” short (this time entitled “Lilo & Scratch”) that will accompany the theatrical exhibition of their new animated feature “Hexed.” Both will be in theaters on November 25.
The announcement was made at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where directors Fawn Veerasunthorn and Malcon Pierce were on hand to present a small snippet of the new short, which will feature Chris Sanders returning to voice Stitch. Sanders, of course, directed the original 2002 film (with Dean DeBlois) and has voiced the character pretty much ever since – including in last summer’s $1 billion-grossing live-action adaptation. (Sanders will return to write and direct the sequel to the live-action film.)
What makes “Lilo & Scratch” super exciting is that the team attempted to approximate the look of the original film, which was traditional hand-drawn animation against watercolor backgrounds (a technique that, at the time, hadn’t been utilized in an animated feature since the 1940’s). For the new short, they used a combination of techniques – there is traditional animation in there, and watercolor backgrounds, plus fascimilies of both using computer technology.
At one point Veerasunthorn and Pierce put up six backgrounds from the short – only two were actual watercolors; you could not tell the difference. At another point they showed a shot from the original film, one that they tried to copy exactly. Side-by-side the two shots looked identical, but then the new shot started to rotate and you realized that both Lilo and Stitch were 3D models. It was actually incredible and perhaps the greatest, most seamless approximation of hand-drawn animation that we’ve ever seen.
Another test showed Stitch interacting with Scratch, the new cat that Lilo has decided to adopt. Scratch is, of course, another alien, and starts shooting lasers out of her eyes. What made the test so remarkable is that Stitch was a 3D character and Scratch was a 2D character, and they both looked perfect together, interacting in the same frame. At one point a prop that Stitch is holding even goes from 3D to 2D. You cannot tell.
It is also worth mentioning that Maia Kealoha, who played Lilo in the 2025 remake, returns to voice Lilo here. Daveigh Chase, who voiced the character in the original animated film, sadly passed away 10 days ago.
Veerasunthorn and Pierce then showed off two minutes of the short, which were really very fun. Basically Lilo brings home Scratch, who then proceeds to attempt to eat Pudge, the fish that controls the weather, who has now joined Lilo & Stitch at home, in a fishbowl. (The short takes place immediately following the events of the film.) Time and time again Stitch is trying to save Pudge from Scratch’s advances, until finally they start to fight in the kitchen. Stitch reverts back to his alien form – with antennae and four arms; only Scratch out-aliens him, with similar antennae and even more arms. Then the short cut off.
The only way to see “Lilo & Scratch” will be to show up for Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 65th animated feature “Hexed” on November 25.
