Maia Kealoha, 8, makes her debut in the live-action remake of "Lilo & Stitch." She tells USA TODAY about auditioning for the role and what's next.

Stitch has become an unlikely star among Disney’s characters. The blue alien is so popular that he ranks in the top 10 bestselling Disney franchises, alongside stalwarts such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, the princesses, Star Wars and Marvel, the company said.

When Stitch returns to theaters this weekend in the live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch, the little blue guy isn't just going to look like he did back in 2002. He's also going to sound the same too. That's because Disney and the filmmakers behind the live-action redo recruited one of the original's writers and

Disney’s Lilo & Stitch is already soaring at the box office, bringing the beloved animated original into the realm of live-action, and it’s likely you are going to see a literal ton of Stitch merchandise at your local theater this weekend.

The original "Lilo & Stitch" had a high-flying finale, centered on an air chase between alien spaceships. But in the live-action remake, director Dean Fleischer Camp ("Marcel the Shell With Shoes On") was keen to bring the story back down to Earth,