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

Family means no one gets left behind. That seems to be Disney's motto when it comes to adapting their animated hits into new live-action vehicles (though they do appear to be pumping the brakes) to varying degrees of success.

Disney’s latest live-action adaptation, Lilo & Stitch, has almost arrived — and early critical reactions suggest that fans of the beloved sci-fi family tale have reason to be cautiously optimistic. Brandon Yu of The New York Times notes,