'Lilo & Stitch' co-creator Chris Sanders to direct live-action sequel

Chris Sanders, the co-creator and voice of Stitch, has been tapped to direct Disney's upcoming live-action sequel, Lilo & Stitch 2.

The announcement came after the live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch became Hollywood's first billion-dollar film of 2026. Variety reported that released theatrically after originally being developed for Disney+, the film generated a record-breaking $183 million during the Memorial Day weekend box office.

Chris Sanders Returns to Lead Sequel

Sanders, who co-directed the original animated Lilo & Stitch in 2002 and voiced the iconic blue alien, will now take charge of the sequel as sole director. He has also written the screenplay for the follow-up film.

Producer Jonathan Eirich is returning for the project, which Disney officially announced in development in June 2025. The announcement date, June 26, was a nod to Stitch's official designation as Experiment 626.

Disney Veteran Behind Beloved Animated Hits

Sanders is widely known for co-directing animated hits including Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon and The Croods. His directing credits also include The Call of the Wild, starring Harrison Ford, and DreamWorks' Oscar-nominated animated feature The Wild Robot.

His relationship with Disney stretches back to 1987 when he joined the studio's visual development department. Before creating Lilo & Stitch, Sanders worked as a writer and story artist on acclaimed Disney films including The Lion King and Mulan.

Sequel Follows Billion-Dollar Success

The live-action remake, directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, exceeded expectations at the global box office after Disney shifted the project from a planned streaming release to a theatrical debut.

With Sanders now returning to direct, Disney is bringing one of the franchise's original creative forces back to guide the next chapter of Lilo & Stitch on the big screen.