The first look at Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch remake has dropped, and reactions are flooding in. While many are praising the film’s visual style and its seemingly faithful approach to the beloved 2002 original, there’s one character redesign that’s stirred up a storm online: Pleakley.
Over two decades since Lilo & Stitch first hit screens, the story remains a standout in Disney’s catalog. It veered away from the classic fairytale formula, centering on Lilo, a lonely girl in Hawaii, who unknowingly adopts an alien designed for destruction known as Experiment 626 (or, as she names him, Stitch).
The live-action trailer hints at an incredibly loyal adaptation of the original material. Yet, fans have zeroed in on one significant change — Pleakley, one of the aliens sent to capture Stitch, no longer seems to embrace his signature flair for women’s clothing.
What Happened to Pleakley?
In the animated classic, Pleakley and his partner Jumba disguise themselves as humans in their quest to track down Stitch. The disguises were hilariously unconvincing — part of the charm was how obvious it was that these were aliens poorly passing as regular people.
Pleakley, in particular, stood out for his love of traditionally feminine fashion. There’s a memorable scene where he tries on a wig and shouts at Jumba, “You’re just jealous because I’m pretty!”
But in the live-action version, Billy Magnussen’s Pleakley is shown alongside Zach Galifianakis’ Jumba dressed in standard male clothing, blending in far too seamlessly. While the alien aspect is still present — there’s a brief shot of Pleakley in his non-human form — the flamboyant outfits are notably absent.
Fans haven’t taken this lightly. One user on X (formerly Twitter) lamented, “Look what they’ve done to our diva.” Another added, “They gave Pleakley normal human disguises instead of their girly dress ups? CHOPP.”
Look what they’ve done to our diva
Look what they’ve done to our diva https://t.co/ZMC2tyEMPX pic.twitter.com/xGlZBrmGnD
— Tom Zohar (@TomZohar) March 12, 2025
The consensus is clear: the new Pleakley feels muted.
Is Disney Backtracking on Inclusivity?
The reaction has reignited a broader conversation about Disney’s stance on representation. While the company has made strides in recent years — casting more diverse leads and embracing inclusive narratives — some believe they’re now pulling back.
The recent Disney+ series Win or Lose reportedly scrapped a transgender storyline, fueling speculation that Disney is attempting to cater to more conservative audiences.
“Disney can and will cater to the Right if they think it’ll help the bottom line,” one X user claimed, with others pointing to Pleakley’s toned-down appearance as another example.
Of course, this is all based on a two-minute trailer. It’s possible the full film will still feature Pleakley’s iconic style in all its glory. But for now, the internet isn’t convinced.
Whether this shift is part of a larger pattern or simply a design choice remains to be seen, but one thing is certain — fans are watching closely. And if Pleakley doesn’t bring the same bold, fabulous energy he did in 2002, the backlash is only getting started.
How do you feel about the changes to Pleakley?
I don’t think Disney is catering to anyone but the moderates whether they are right or left with this movie. With that being said I don’t care at all for the live action remakes. I don’t like that they’ve replaced aliens with human characters.