Zach Galifianakis to star in live-action film ‘Lilo and Stitch’

Washington [US], February 19 (ANI): Zach Galifianakis’ is the new addition to Disney’s live-action movie “Lilo & Stitch”.

According to Variety, a US-based media house, Galifianakis plays an unspecified role in the next film, which will air on Disney+. The adaptation is being directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, whose “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is up for a best-animated movie at the upcoming 95th Academy Awards. Chris Kekaniokalani Bright wrote the script.

The live-action feature comes after the popular family animation movie from 2002, which brought in USD 273 million worldwide. “Lilo & Stitch,” written and produced by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, follows 6-year-old Lilo and her teenage sister Nani as they adopt Stitch, a cute but occasionally naughty blue extraterrestrial creature, and settle down in Hawaii. The movie introduced audiences to the idea of ohana, which is Hawaiian for family. As Stitch teaches the group, “family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten,” in addition to having memorable songs like “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride.”

Variety further reports that with Galifianakis on board, the company is apparently searching around for the performers to play Lilo and Nani; Stitch, meanwhile, will undoubtedly be created using computer graphics.

The new movie is being made by Rideback’s Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, with Ryan Halprin serving as executive producer.

Galifianakis has demonstrated his versatility in films like “Due Date,” “The Campaign,” “Puss in Boots,” “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),” “Masterminds,” “Keeping Up with the Joneses,” “The Lego Batman Movie,” and “Missing Link,” despite being best known for some of his more explosive work, such as his breakout performance as Alan in “The Hangover” trilogy.

In addition to his two Primetime Emmy wins for the popular short-form series “Between Two Ferns,” Galifianakis has been nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards. He has also received praise for his leading role on the FX series “Baskets” (which he also co-created) and for hosting “Saturday Night Live.” (ANI)