Lilo & Stitch co-director Chris Sanders has admitted that Frozen’s high praise for the celebration of sisterhood was “frustrating” considering his film carried that message first.
Disney’s animated hit Lilo & Stitch was released worldwide in 2002, 11 years before Frozen debuted in 2013. Both films explored the relationship between two sisters and prioritized that connection over a romantic plot, but Sanders told the New York Times that his film, coming first, didn’t seem to get as much acclaim for it as Frozen.
“To be clear, I think ‘Frozen’ is awesome,” Sanders claimed in the Lilo & Stitch 20th Anniversary interview, per Variety. “But it was a little bit frustrating for me because people were like, ‘Finally, a non-romantic relationship with these two girls,’ and I was like, ‘We did that!
Lilo & Stitch explores the bond between a young girl and her older sister Nani through the Hawaiian concept of ohana (family) as they deal with a lawless alien entering their lives while Frozen focuses on the sisters Anna’s relationship and Elsa focuses on how their love for each other can help them overcome the challenges they face.
“When [Lilo & Stitch] When it came out, a lot of critics talked about it,” added Lilo & Stitch producer Clarkspender, referring to the animated film’s nuanced depictions of family relationships. and it didn’t feel like they were cartoon characters.”
Disney characters and the actors who voiced them
When Lilo & Stitch was released in 2002, it grossed $237 million at the box office on a budget of $80 million. Its success led to video games, sequels, spinoffs, and an animated series. The Disney film is also set to get the live-action adaptation treatment, although not much has been said about it since reports circulated that John M. Chu was in talks to direct.
Frozen hit theaters in 2013 and was praised for beating expectations and telling a much more modern take on Disney history. The film broke box office records for an animated film and surpassed $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Frozen has since grown into its own franchise, with animated shorts, featurettes, and a feature-length sequel.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.