Sanders co-directed the Oscar-nominated animated movie, 2002's "Lilo & Stitch."
“Lilo & Stitch” co-creator Chris Sanders, who also voices Stitch, will take the reins and direct the forthcoming live-action sequel.
Last year, Disney’s live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch” delivered the biggest Memorial Day weekend opening in box office history ($183 million) and went on to become Hollywood’s first billion-dollar-grossing movie of the year. Dean Fleischer Camp directed the film, which was originally meant to stream on Disney+, but fortuitously, things changed and, in 2024, the film was given a theatrical release. Disney announced that a sequel to the PG adventure was in development last June — on 6/26, a reference to the wild blue alien’s government name, Experiment 626. Sanders also penned the screenplay for the sequel, with Jonathan Eirich returning as producer.
Sanders is an Academy Award–nominated director, writer, animator and voice actor best known for creating and voicing Stitch, and for co-directing the original animated feature, 2002’s “Lilo & Stitch,” as well as “How to Train Your Dragon” and “The Croods.” His first solo directorial effort was “The Call of the Wild,” starring Harrison Ford, and he most recently directed the Oscar-nominated animated film “The Wild Robot” for DreamWorks.
However, Sanders’ history with Disney dates back to 1987, when he was hired to work in the visual development department. Before “Lilo & Stitch,” he worked as a writer and story artist on Disney classics such as “The Lion King” and “Mulan.”
The Hollywood Reporter first reporterd Sanders’ role as sole director. He is represented by WME and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Feldman, Rogal, Shikora & Clark.
