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.
The original movie, written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, was released in 2002. The animated family film follows a 6-year-old Hawaiian girl Lilo and her teenage sister Nani, who adopt a blue extraterrestrial creature nicknamed Stitch. The movie popularized the song `Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride` and familiarized audiences to the concept of ohana, which means family - and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.
Chu is best known for directing 2018's box office smash `Crazy Rich Asians,` the first Hollywood movie in 25 years to feature a predominantly Asian and Asian American cast. He also directed `In the Heights,` the big-screen version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit musical that's expected to debut in 2021. Before embarking on the Hawaiian-set `Lilo & Stitch,` Chu is working with Disney on the `Willow` TV series for Disney Plus.