The original animated "Lilo & Stitch" made just $273 million when it premiered in theaters in 2002. But Stitch's popularity has lived on for years, propelling merchandise sales and a new live-action movie.

Step aside, Moana, Elsa and Simba. In recent years, Stitch has quietly become one of Disney’s most popular — and most merchandised — characters.

The studio's retelling of the 2002 original flattens its fuzzy blue protagonist – but could still be a box office smash