Fans Roll Their Eyes At Total Miscast In Lilo & Stitch Remake (No, Not Even Nani)
They fear that this major change to the character will completely ruin much of the original's charm.
Update: Rumors that Jolene Purdy has been cast as a character to replace Cobra Bubbles are not official casting news. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Courtney B. Vance has joined the cast of the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake as Cobra Bubbles.
In 2018, it was announced that Lilo & Stitch, a 2002 American animated sci-fi comedy-drama film, would be getting a live-action remake, just like many other Disney animated classics.
Since then, it has received several updates regarding the cast, but the most resented change from the original had fans rolling their eyes at how disappointing it is.
The original movie revolved around a Hawaiian girl, Lilo, who lives with her older sister and one day visits an animal shelter where she finds Stitch, an escaped alien experiment, whom she mistakes for a dog and adopts.
The remake sparked controversy when it was announced that Sydney Agudong would be playing Nani, Lilo's older sister.
According to some overzealous fans, she was "too white" for the role, despite the fact that the actress is actually of Native Hawaiian and Filipino descent and grew up on the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i.
Now, however, some actually potentially problematic news has arrived, as there are speculations that Cobra Bubbles, a character from the original animated film voiced by Ving Rhames, will be replaced by a female equivalent named Mrs. Kekoa, portrayed by Jolene Purdy.
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Fans fear that such a major change would completely destroy the character's charm. A big part of why Cobra Bubbles was so beloved was the striking contrast between his intimidating appearance and his caring attitude toward Lilo.
When the former CIA agent turned social worker first appeared on screen, many saw him as the evil government agent out to catch Lilo's alien friend.
However, as the movie progressed, he eventually showed his softer side and actually cared about what was best for Lilo.
Fans point out that it would have been better if the creators had kept the original character intact, especially considering that Ving Rhames, who looks almost identical to his animated counterpart, is still alive and well.
Another popular choice is Terry Crews, who would also have been perfect for the role, as he is known for his comedic performances such as Terry Jeffords in the TV series Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Of course, it is entirely possible that Jolene Purdy will nail her role and deliver a fresh and memorable performance as the new iteration of the character.
However, given the mixed reception of other Disney live-action remakes, fans aren't holding their breath for the movie's success.