Disney has a long run of creating beloved movies that have brought whimsy and imagination to audiences around the globe. Previously, most Disney movies would be book adaptations or original storylines. However there’s been a change in Disney’s strategy. Currently, Disney is focusing on remaking previous animated films and converting them into live action movies for newer generations. Most recently, Disney remade the 2002 Lilo and Stitch and released the live action version in May 2025.
Remakes such as the 2025 Lilo and Stitch have garnered controversy for its mishandling of messages that were central to the original movie. It’s also made people question whether or not Disney is running out of ideas and is resorting to nostalgia bait.
So has Disney run dry and are resorting to nostalgia to draw in viewers, or are they remaking movies for new audience members?
Disney has stated that remaking their beloved films allows for movies to be updated and allows new generations to enjoy the stories and characters that previous generations enjoyed, however, audiences are split over whether or not these remakes are a negative or a positive thing. Some students at West Springfield High School agree with Disney and believe that live actions allow new audiences to enjoy the same movies we grew up watching.
“I feel like it’s to engage younger audiences cause I feel like older generations grew up
with that type of film, like cartoons, and younger audiences like to watch real people in real time,” said sophomore Emily Horak.
While remaking movies can grab the attention of new generations, when Disney copy and pastes the storylines from their originals to live actions, some believe it falls flat and it leaves the impression that Disney is just doing this so they can make a few extra bucks.
“They’re basically copying the same message from the originals to the live action just so they can make a profit,” said junior Heba Kedir.
Nostalgia can be a powerful tool. Many students can remember sitting in front of the TV as a little kid, feeling a sense of joy as they watched their favorite Disney movie. Disney has recognized this, and is capitalizing on people’s nostalgia to generate more revenue. This is why despite the reused storyline of the live action Lilo and Stitch, it still made $1 billion in worldwide box office revenue.
“When people see the remakes of movies they really liked as a kid, they tend to have that nostalgic feeling which makes them want to watch it, which will bring a lot of bank to the company,” said junior Rebecca Samuel.
While live action movies often mirror the cartoon, Disney still likes to make some changes to certain plot points. In the 2025 Lilo and Stitch, aspects of Nani’s (Lilo’s older sister’s) character altered her relationship with Lilo.
“In the animated movie Lilo and Nani, they were of course flawed but Nani was really sympathetic towards Lilo because she knew that she was just a child. But in the live action movie, it felt like Nani really wanted Lilo to just grow up,” said junior Ayanna Funkhouser.
Moreover, the 2025 Lilo and Stitch sanitized the original’s criticism of tourism in Hawaii. The original displayed how tourism in Hawaii negatively affects native peoples, however the remake removed this and only focused on the positive aspects.
“They got rid of a lot of commentary. I think in the animated film they had a lot of commentary on the tourism in Hawaii and in the live action, the film felt like a whole advertisement for tourism in Hawaii,” said Funkhouser.
There is a prominent consensus that Disney’s old films are better than their live action remakes. To reflect this, Disney could go back to their roots and use the source material that they used for their older films.
“I’d rather see the original movies, although a lot of the original content is pulled from fairy tales and stuff so I still feel like there’s a lot to pull from even if they have run out of ideas,” said English 9 and film studies teacher Alyssa Rubio.
