A director has reportedly been found for Disney’s Lilo & Stitch remake, as the company continues to strip mine its popular animated classic to turn into (mostly uninspired) live-action cash cows.

And that director is rumored to be John M. Chu, according to Variety.

The “Lilo & Stitch” ohana is expanding, with Jon M. Chu in talks to direct Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation.

Disney has yet to announce if the movie will release in theaters or on Disney Plus, the studio’s subscription streaming service. “Lilo & Stitch” has not set a screenwriter or any cast members.

Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich of Rideback, the company that recently backed Disney’s “Aladdin” remake, are producing the film, with Rideback exec Ryan Halprin serving as an executive producer.

Chu is best known now as the director of Crazy Rich Asians.

But Chu was also the director of the ill received Jem and the Holograms live-action movie. Loosely (very, very loosely) based on the 1980s toy line and cartoon of the same name, the Jem movie was such a box office catastrophe that Universal pulled it out of theaters after only two weeks.

Chu has come a long way since then. But Crazy Rich Asians was an original story, whereas Lilo & Stitch is based on a beloved modern classic.

Like Jem, fans of the franchise will have certain expectations. And if they’re not met? Well, it might go over about as well as Mulan.

Even Hollywood is Turning on Disney’s Live-Action Remakes?

Home Alone and Harry Potter director Chris Columbus recently blasted Disney’s decision to remake Home Alone without his input or blessing. He called Disney’s recent live-action remakes “paint by number.”

In a recent interview, the director said “What’s the point? I’m a firm believer that you don’t remake films that have had the longevity of Home Alone. You’re not going to create lightning in a bottle again. It’s just not going to happen. So why do it? It’s like doing a paint-by-numbers version of a Disney animated film—a live-action version of that. What’s the point? It’s been done. Do your own thing. Even if you fail miserably, at least you have come up with something original.”

But Disney likely won’t rest until literally every animated classic has been remade. They know there’s money in “brand recognition.”

Let’s just hope that they stop before they get around to Home on the Range.

[Source: Variety]