Disney fans have threatened to ‘boycott’ the new Lilo & Stitch live-action remake after a shocking new detail emerged.
The new film is set to hit theaters on May 23 – nearly 23 years after the beloved animate classic captured the globe.
Fans of the original 2002 film were incensed when the director of the remake confessed to excluding one of the most beloved scenes.
In fact, many fans have now announced that they won’t go see the upcoming film in theaters thanks to the change.
Lilo & Stitch follows an alien monster who accidentally ends up on Earth after escaping from his creator.
Two aliens named Jumba and Pleakley head to Earth to hunt him down, while a Hawaiian girl name Lilo adopts him believing that he’s a dog.
Stitch naturally causes mayhem for Lilo and her older sister, Nani, all while Jumba and Pleakley are always hilariously one step behind him.
During their mission to retrieve Stitch, Jumba and Pleakley are compelled to don disguises to appear human. In the original, Pleakley humorously chooses to wear a dress and a woman’s wig.
Disney fans have threatened to ‘boycott’ the new Lilo & Stitch live-action remake after a shocking new detail emerged
The new film is set to hit theaters on May 23 – nearly 23 years after the beloved animate classic captured the globe
Fans of the original 2002 film were incensed when the director of the remake confessed to excluding one of the most beloved scenes
But in the trailer for the new version, many were quick to notice that Pleakley was disguised as a man rather than a woman.
Now, in a new video shared to TikTok, director Dean Fleischer Camp confirmed that Pleakley does not dress as a female in the live-action remake.
His admission came while he was responding to some of the comments that were left on the trailer for the live-action Lilo & Stitch.
When one fan asked why Pleakley wasn’t seen in his iconic dress, he explained, ‘I have had people message me saying, ‘Why is Pleakley not wearing the dress?”
‘And I just want to say, I tried,’ the director added, as he looked angrily at the camera.
An image of his original concepts for the film then flashed across the screen, which showed Pleakley indeed wearing women’s clothing and a long-haired red wig.
But Dean’s confirmation that Pleakley will not dress as a woman in the new movie left fans all across the globe outraged, and they rushed to the comment section to slam Disney over it.
‘Baby when he said he tried, he means Disney said no. Given the political climate – it’s not shocking Disney wanted no part,’ one user theorized. ‘Sad, but I won’t blame the director. I’ll blame Disney.
During the movie, characters Jumba and Pleakley wear disguises in an attempt to try to look human – and in the original, Pleakley opts to wear a dress and women’s wig
But in the trailer for the new version, many were quick to notice that Pleakley was disguised as a man rather than a woman
Now, in a new video shared to TikTok, director Dean Fleischer Camp confirmed that Pleakley does not dress as a female in the live-action remake
When one fan asked why Pleakley wasn’t seen in his iconic dress, he responded, ‘I tried.’ An image of his original concepts for the film then flashed across the screen, which showed Pleakley indeed wearing women’s clothing and a long-haired red wig
Someone else replied to that comment, ‘And not see the movie, right? If Disney is afraid to include drag, and you recognize that as shameful, why go?
‘If you wait you can still appreciate it without paying ticket prices.’
‘If you give money to the movie, you are rewarding the company for behavior and choices like this,’ another user added.
‘Disney are such cowards if they don’t include Pleakley in a wig and dress… no way a movie made for an audience 20 plus years ago had a more accepting climate than current times, we’re really regressing,’ scathed a different viewer.
‘I’m glad to hear you tried but still really disappointed in the decision,’ a fifth comment read.
A sixth said, ‘I don’t blame you, but I won’t be watching this simply because Disney has been making horrible choices lately that are too conservative.’
‘Dean tell me exact who told you ‘no’ on the Pleakley dress I just wanna have a few words,’ someone else commented.
‘Why would you revealed the Pleakley [news] before the movie came out? You just gave everyone a reason not to go,’ said another user.
‘I’m going to skip this one in theaters because they changed Pleakley… I fear the soul of this movie has been lost and [that’s a] warning sign of it,’ announced a different person.
Dean’s confirmation that Pleakley will not dress as a woman in the new movie left fans all across the globe outraged, and some said they were not going to see it in theaters because of it
Upset fans also flooded X, formerly Twitter, with one writing, ‘I’m so serious when I say boycott Lilo & Stitch if Disney didn’t put Pleakley in a bob and a dress.
‘It’s crystal clear catering to the fascist and anti-trans rhetoric plaguing the world right now. F**k Disney.’
‘GIVE ME PLEAKLEY IN A DRESS OR CANCEL THE MOVIE,’ another angry user said.
DailyMail.com has contacted Disney for comment.
Disney has taken numerous strides to become more inclusive in recent years, but some people have felt that the company has gone too far in its ‘woke’ decision making as of late.
Its recent live-action remake of Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler was marred in controversy, facing immense backlash over a series of changes it made from the original – including reimagining the Seven Dwarfs as a diverse group of ‘magical creatures’ of all heights, gender and race.
