Disney is moving forward with a live-action adaptation of Tangled.
The new version will revisit the 2010 animated musical based on the Brothers Grimm tale of Rapunzel, a princess with enchanted, long hair. Michael Gracey, known for directing The Greatest Showman, is in talks to lead the project. The script is being written by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, whose past work includes Netflix’s Do Revenge, Thor: Love and Thunder, and the upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot. Casting details have not been announced.
The original Tangled followed Rapunzel, voiced by Mandy Moore, as she escaped her tower with the help of a charming outlaw, Flynn Rider. Released around Thanksgiving in 2010, the movie earned $592 million worldwide. However, its success was tempered by a reported production budget of $260 million. The film featured the Oscar-nominated song “When Will My Life Begin” and inspired the 2012 short Tangled Ever After and the TV series Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure.
Gracey made his directorial debut with 2017’s The Greatest Showman, a musical about P.T. Barnum starring Hugh Jackman. Although it had a slow start at the box office, the film became a sleeper hit, grossing over $450 million worldwide. Gracey is also working on Better Man, a semi-autobiographical film about British musician Robbie Williams, with a chimpanzee portraying Williams.
Disney has produced live-action versions of several animated classics, including The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Mulan, Dumbo, and The Little Mermaid, with varying box office results. Future releases include Snow White and Lilo & Stitch in 2025, as well as Moana in 2026, with Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui.
The news of Gracey’s involvement in Tangled was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.
