Fans of the plucky blue alien and the ever-mischievous Stitch are in for a treat that’s both fast-paced and filled with nostalgic nods, as Topps, the beloved collectibles giant, opens the floodgates once again. In a tantalizing move perfectly timed with Disney’s live-action rendition of the adored film “Lilo & Stitch,” Topps has orchestrated a thrilling, 72-hour trading card release that kicks off right as Memorial Day gets rolling.
From May 22 at 2 PM Eastern Time, the blitz begins. For just three days, collectors and fans alike have the golden opportunity to score some truly unique Lilo & Stitch live-action cards. The pièce de résistance in this collection is the base card, graced with the fresh, official poster of the upcoming film. Yet, it’s the chase variants that truly stir the pot, capturing Stitch in the heart of beloved Disney movie scenes. This clever gimmick harkens back to Disney’s early 2000s marketing magic, where in promotional trailers, Stitch gleefully gatecrashed “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” “Snow White,” and “Cinderella,” earning his place in fan hearts by bending narratives to his impish will.
The chase cards are a treasure hunter’s dream, presented in progressively rare serially numbered tiers: /99, /50, /25, /10, /5, and the jewel in the crown, the one-of-a-kind 1-of-1. The price of admission depends on how many you wish to indulge in, with single cards riding the waves at $16, but bulk buyers can snag these pieces of nostalgia for as low as $10 each if they plunge for a 20-card bundle. After those 72 hours vanish into the Disney-infused ether, so too does the opportunity, leaving only the whispers of missed chances among those who hesitated.
Decay and urgency—these are the watchwords that echo in the halls of Topps Now events, a strategy that’s grown beloved amidst the pulse of today’s collector culture, ever-tempted by both rarity and the rush of the chase.
Now, this isn’t Topps’ inaugural ballet with the House of Mouse. Far from it. In a year brimming with imagination, they’ve celebrated characters swirling through Disney’s expanse, touching down in Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars corners—the likes of Mickey, Buzz Lightyear, Spider-Man, and Darth Vader aren’t unfamiliar faces on their glossy cardstock. Yet, there’s a certain je ne sais quoi about Stitch. He’s more than just ink on cardboard—he’s an ethos, a bucket of chaos crackling with energy, delightfully shaping Disney’s landscape by showing up, smirk in place, in stories all his own.
The original Lilo & Stitch animated adventure used this exact card-bending tactic, where Stitch playfully photobombed dreamy Disney scenes. It was cheeky, it was a celebration of self-awareness, and it added pages to Disney’s style book with every frame. Delightfully absurd, unstemmable charm helped stitch—pun very much intended—Stitch’s own legacy, stretching him from mere oddball experiment to an icon, centered snugly within Disney’s magnetic embrace.
Across screenplays and TV series, across theme parks in each time-zone’s lazily twirling globe, Stitch has become one of the rare gems—a non-princess character that is equally cherished. Let’s not forget, this live-action Lilo & Stitch escapade is being eyed as a much-craved triumph by Disney, who’ve tasked a vibrant cast including Zach Galifianakis, Courtney B. Vance, and Tia Carrere with helping reclaim giddy box-office victories. With cinematic juggernauts like Mission: Impossible lurking in nearby theaters, Disney needs all the box office zen it can muster.
Yet even as ticket shuffles commence and lines drape across theater floors, let’s not ignore that kooky collectible charm. Topps’ tantalizing offer arcs across the legacy like a rainbow over paradise. Thirty-six hours is all collectors have until May 25 to grapple for snippets of animated cardstock, blending art, adventure, and a smattering of nostalgia with every stitch, breathing fresh life into a thing of animated spirit and cultural continuity.
Whether your pursuit is the artwork itself, the thrill of the hunt, or just reliving those treasured cinematic afternoons with Lilo & Stitch’s misfit magic, one thing’s crystal clear: Stitch isn’t just making a comeback—he’s catapulting back into our lives with a zest, bringing beloved friends and a dash of chaos. That’s the beauty of it all. It’s about seizing that moment, untouched by time’s passage, carried by cards, colored with memories old and new.
