Leroy & Stitch

Plot

After completing their mission to capture and repurpose Jumba's experiments, Lilo, Stitch, Jumba, and Pleakley are honored by the Galactic Alliance. Jumba is offered his old laboratory, Pleakley a post as chairman of Earth Studies, Stitch the captaincy of the Galactic Armada, and Lilo the role of Earth's ambassador and guardian of the experiments. They initially decline for Lilo's sake, but she lets them go after seeing their longing for adventure, giving Jumba an Elvis Presley record, Pleakley a rock, and Stitch a Kū tiki necklace.

While enjoying their new roles, the quartet grows sad from separation. Meanwhile, Gantu breaks his boss Dr. Jacques von Hämsterviel out of prison. Hämsterviel forces Jumba to create a new experiment named Leroy. Stitch duels Leroy but is captured, and Pleakley is also captured.

Hämsterviel clones Leroy to form an army and sets a deathtrap for Stitch, Jumba, and Pleakley by locking them in a vehicle headed toward a black hole.

Voice cast

Chris Sanders voices Stitch, a blue koala-like genetic experiment who becomes captain of the Galactic Armada, and Leroy, a red koala-like experiment created from Stitch's template who serves as Hämsterviel's lackey and is later cloned into an army. Daveigh Chase voices Lilo Pelekai, the Hawaiian girl who adopted Stitch and is designated as the experiments' caretaker and Earth's ambassador; this film marks her final performance as Lilo before her death in 2026.

David Ogden Stiers voices Dr. Jumba Jookiba, the Kweltikwan mad scientist who created Stitch and the other experiments, and is forced by Hämsterviel and Gantu to create Leroy. Jeff Bennett voices Dr. Jacques von Hämsterviel, a rodent-like alien who frees himself from prison and forces Jumba to create Leroy, and also voices the experiments Fibber, Slick, Ace, and Remmy. Kevin Michael Richardson voices Gantu, a giant whale-like alien who frees Hämsterviel and helps force Jumba to create Leroy, but is later fired by Hämsterviel.

Production

Leroy & Stitch was made at the same time as the second season of Lilo & Stitch: The Series and was completed in 2005, according to writer-producer Jess Winfield. It was planned for a direct-to-video release in spring 2006. The Taiwanese studio Wang Film Productions, which had worked on the series, handled the animation. This is the third film in the franchise made without creators Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, though Sanders did voice Stitch, Leroy, and Leroy's clones.

Release

Leroy & Stitch first aired on Disney Channel on June 23, 2006, followed by a Toon Disney broadcast on June 26, 2006. Walt Disney Pictures released it on DVD in the United States on June 27, 2006. The DVD included a set-top game called The Big Red Battleship Flight Simulator and an episode of Lilo & Stitch: The Series titled "Link" that had not yet aired. Buena Vista Home Entertainment handled distribution, and as of September 2021, DVD sales in the United States had reached $16,672,732.

Critical reception was mixed. AllMovie’s Skyler Miller awarded three and a half stars, commending the voice acting, Elvis Presley songs, and a fast-paced plot blending action, sentiment, and humor. CinemaBlend’s Edward Perkis gave one star, dismissing it as a typical direct-to-video Disney sequel. Common Sense Media rated the film four out of five stars, deeming it suitable for ages five and up based on ten parent and child reviews.

The Motion Picture Sound Editors nominated it for the 2007 Golden Reel Award, which went to The Fox and the Hound 2. In 2019, Polygon’s Petrana Radulovic ranked it 9th out of 26 direct-to-video Disney sequels, noting its focus on aliens and the 626 experiments’ unique powers. In 2020, Insider’s Lisa Wehrstedt placed it 7th out of 25, calling it a fitting finale for series fans while noting it lost some of the original’s human charm.

Did You Know?

• The soundtrack includes music inspired by Gustav Holst's 'The Planets'.
• Daveigh Chase's performance as Lilo in this film was her final one before her death in 2026.