'Lilo & Stitch' director reveals why Captain Gantu was axed in live-action remake

Lilo & Stitch’s director Dean Fleischer Camp recently revealed the reason behind excluding Captain Gantu from Disney’s live-action remake.

Captain Gantu, the villain from the original 2002 animated film, does not appear alongside the main characters in the new version.

In an exclusive conversation with Cinema Blend, the American filmmaker said, “Gantu was one of those things that just didn’t work so well in live action. We explored it a bit, but ultimately we had to make the decision. And also, I do stand by the decision, ‘cause I feel like a lot of the things that, in trying to ground these characters more and tell a story with a little more emotional depth, especially between the sisters, I feel like you have to free up real estate to allow that breathing room to do those things.”

The remake stars Maia Kealoha as Lilo, Chris Sanders as Stitch, Sydney Agudong as Nani, Billy Magnussen as Pleakley, Zach Galifianakis as Dr. Jumba Jookiba, and Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles.

According to the official synopsis, Lilo & Stitch, “tells a story of the bond formed between a lonely human girl named Lilo and a dog-liked alien named Stitch, who was genetically engineered to be a force of destruction. With noisy social workers and pursuing aliens banging on the door, the two bond over a shared sense of family and win the day.”

For the unversed, the sci-fi/comedy hit theatres on Friday, May 23, while the original animated version was released in June 2002.