According to an article posted by Deadline, Captain Gantu “just didn’t work” for the live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch.”
Captain Gantu ‘Didn’t Work’ for Live-Action ‘Lilo & Stitch’
Of the many returning characters to the film, one did not make the cut. The film’s director, Dean Fleischer Camp, had this to say about the exclusion of Captain Gantu:
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.
Dean Fleischer Camp, in an interview with CinemaBlend
Captain Gantu of the Galactic Federation is the primary antagonist in the 2002 animated film “Lilo & Stitch,” tasked with capturing and returning Stitch.
Fleischer Camp also recently spoke out about Agent Pleakley’s non-drag disguise in the film. In a TikTok video, he said people have messaged him asking why Pleakley isn’t wearing a dress and showed a comment reading, “How dare they ruin Pleakley’s disguise like that.” Fleischer Camp’s reply was simply, “I tried,” and he showed concept art of the live-action character in drag.
Fleischer Camp also addressed the difficulties of adapting an animated film to live-action, particularly when it came to getting Stitch’s design right.
Despite the changes and what he could and count not change, Fleischer Camp stated,
I think we were all coming from a place of real love for the original. It’s always been my favorite Disney movie. And so, I think there were a lot of those, and sometimes you have to let go and kill your darlings and it just doesn’t work out for one reason or another. But I think the main things that we were really focused on, we got, and I’m proud that we nailed it. I think the character design of Stitch and his personality really coming through was one. I think that bringing back so much of the original Ohana that made the first one special like Chris Sanders and Tia Carrere [who voiced Nani in the 2002 film] and consulting with a lot of the original animation team were just super important to us and lucky enough that they worked out.
“Lilo & Stitch” is a remake of the 2002 Disney animated classic written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. Sanders returns to voice Stitch in the remake alongside newcomer Maia Kealoha as Lilo Pelekai, Sydney Agudong as Nani Pelekai, Kaipo Dudoit as David Kawena, Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles, Galifianakis, and Magnussen. Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes wrote the screenplay.
Source: Deadline, CinemaBlend
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