It’s hard to believe that it’s been 15 years since Disney introduced us to Tangled, a film that quickly became a fan favorite. Based on the Brothers Grimm’s tale of Rapunzel, Tangled captured hearts with its beautiful animation, catchy songs, and adventurous plot.
The story follows Rapunzel, a princess with magical hair, as she escapes her tower and embarks on an unforgettable journey with the charming thief Flynn Rider. The movie grossed nearly $600 million worldwide and became a beloved classic.
Related: Disney Developing a ‘Tangled’ Musical For Broadway
After the success of films like Beauty and the Beast (2017), The Lion King (2019), and Aladdin (2019), Disney announced its plan to remake Tangled in live-action, generating widespread excitement. For years, fans eagerly awaited news about the project, but after initial teasers, details remained sparse.
Then, in December 2024, Disney finally revealed the director and writer attached to the remake — Michael Gracey, best known for The Greatest Showman (2017), and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who co-wrote Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). Fans had high hopes for the live-action adaptation, eager to see Rapunzel’s world reimagined.
However, those hopes were dashed when Disney recently decided to place the live-action Tangled remake on an indefinite pause. This pause comes on the heels of the disappointing release of Snow White, Disney’s latest live-action adaptation, which has left the studio reassessing its approach to future remakes.
According to an exclusive report from The Hollywood Reporter:
“The pause occurs in the wake of the rather underwhelming release of Disney’s latest live-action adaptation, Snow White. The movie has grossed only $69 million domestically and $145 million worldwide on a production budget of $270 million (the budget inflated due to the 2023 labor strikes). The film was plagued by controversial headlines from the start due to casting and creative choices and then into its press tour due to social media posts from star Rachel Zegler. But Snow White didn’t fare well with the critics nor audiences, the latter of which have given it a B+ Cinemascore (anything outside the A range is considered unsatisfying). It currently only has a 50 percent on review aggregator Metacritic.”
The underwhelming reception of Snow White has clearly impacted Disney’s confidence in its live-action remake strategy. Despite the hype surrounding Tangled’s remake, the pause on production signals that the studio is proceeding with caution after the missteps with Snow White.
It’s not all bad news for Disney’s live-action remake plans, however. The studio still has several exciting projects on the horizon. Lilo & Stitch, another animated classic, will receive the live-action treatment, with a release date of May 23, 2025. Additionally, Disney is pushing forward with the highly anticipated Moana live-action remake, set for release in 2026, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson returning to reprise his role as the demigod Maui.
Although Tangled fans may be disappointed by the indefinite pause on the live-action remake, Disney isn’t abandoning its plans to bring its animated classics to the big screen. The future of Tangled remains uncertain, but it’s clear that Disney’s cautious approach is rooted in the lessons learned from the Snow White remake.
While we wait for more news on Tangled, fans can still look forward to these upcoming releases. The studio’s live-action adaptations will no doubt continue to shape the way Disney reimagines its iconic stories for a new generation of moviegoers.
Are you upset to hear that Tangled’s live-action remake is on hold, or are you feeling “over” Disney’s live-action remakes altogether? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
