Lilo and Stitch live-action star talks the upcoming Disney remake: "All you can do is approach a project like that with love"

Billy Magnussen — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Lilo & Stitch will soon be surfing back onto our screens. A live-action remake of the 2002 Disney animated classic is in the works, and among the cast is Billy Magnussen as Pleakley, the neurotic, nervous alien who is sent to Earth to help capture escaped experiment Stitch.

We sat down with Magnussen to talk about Road House, Doug Liman's remake of the Patrick Swayze-starring original, in which Magnussen plays the villainous Ben Brandt. But, we couldn't let Magnussen go without also asking about Lilo & Stitch, and how the remake is shaping up compared to the original.

"I don't think you can compare pieces of art to each other," Magnussen says, after noting the original is one of his favorite films. "I adored working with everyone in this. Rideback was the producing house making this film, and I did Aladdin with them. Again, it's a story about connection, and a kid trying to find a friend, and all you can do is approach a project like that with love. I am so grateful and honored to be a part of that project."

The original film tells the story of a young girl named Lilo, who lives in Hawaii with her sister Nani. Lilo ends up with the wild but loveable extra-terrestrial Stitch as her buddy after his spaceship crash lands nearby – and together the duo discover the meaning of family.

In the upcoming remake, alongside Magnussen as Pleakley, Zach Galifianakis will play Jumba, with Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles, Tia Carrere as Mrs. Kekoa, Sydney Agudong as Nani, Kaipo Dudoit as David, and Maia Kealoha as Lilo. Chris Sanders, who co-wrote the original movie, returns to voice Stitch.

The live-action Lilo & Stitch movie doesn't yet have a release date, while Road House is available on Prime Video from 21 March. While you wait, check out our guide to this year's most exciting movie release dates to fill out your watchlist.

Keep your eyes peeled for more from the stars of Road House on GamesRadar+ soon, as well as on the next episode of Inside Total Film podcast.

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I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.