Reel News
Although "Lilo & Stitch" was set here, Disney's decision to focus its theme on Hawaii and ohana (rather than space and Elvis Presley's Graceland) wasn't made until several months before the film's June opening. Michael Eisner, Disney's chairman and CEO, believed that after Sept. 11 people would want to turn to family values and community. 9/11 swayed ‘Lilo’ theme
Soon after 9/11, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau's Gail Ann Chew said, she got a call from Disney execs saying "L&S" would be about ohana. It seems to have been a good decision. In six weeks, the film has grossed $183 million. Disney has announced a video sequel and a television series. Disney first talked to Chew and Oahu film office liaison Walea Constantinau about "L&S" in spring 2001, when the two women were in Los Angeles to meet about the "Pearl Harbor" premiere. Chew said they were shown a rough-edit trailer of "L&S" that gave them a sense of the Hawaiian setting.
In June 2001, Disney contacted Chew about holding the company's national partners meeting in Hawaii. Chew told Disney execs that the HVCB wanted to hold the premiere in Hawaii, but the studio balked because the "Pearl Harbor" premiere had been so costly and Graceland was already under consideration. Hollywood eventually won out.
Disney's national meeting in August 2001 was held at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua. Back then, Chew said, Disney had simply wanted to meet potential Hawaii sponsors. That changed after 9/11. The studio agreed to a private Hawaii screening of "L&S" in December for HVCB and film office officials, as well as potential Hawaii partners that included Hawaiian Airlines and JTB.
By late January, Disney and the HVCB were discussing what role the bureau would play as an "alliance partner," allowing the bureau to grant sponsorship rights to "mutually agreeable Hawaii businesses." The deal was completed a few weeks before the premiere.
This marks the first time the studio has partnered with anyone outside Disney's theme parks. The agreement allows for future partnerships involving film projects, Web site exposure and merchandising.
So what does the future hold? Disney officials have talked with state officials about possibly filming its "Pirates of the Caribbean," starring Johnny Depp, here. Filming is slated to begin in September.
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Contact Tim Ryan at tryan@starbulletin.com.