According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, Disney’s planned live-action adaptation of the 2010 animated film Tangled has been paused as the company reevaluates its strategy for Disney Princess films. Sources have indicated that there is currently uncertainty about whether the Tangled adaptation will ultimately proceed or if it will undergo a creative overhaul.
This development comes in the wake of the mixed reception of the live-action adaptation of Snow White, which has a 40% approval rating from critics and 73% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. The film faced criticism for its casting choices for the Evil Queen and the depiction of CGI dwarfs. However, Rachel Zegler’s portrayal in the film received widespread praise as a standout aspect, despite her having to confront racist backlash and attempts to attribute the film’s challenges to her performance even before its release. Snow White has so far earned $69 million domestically and $145 million worldwide, against a production budget of $270 million, a figure that was increased by the 2023 labor strikes, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
The Tangled adaptation briefly encountered similar internet controversies, akin to those faced by Snow White and The Little Mermaid. Avantika, known for her role in Mean Girls the Musical, was rumored to be a potential candidate for the role of Rapunzel. Despite no confirmation, she was subjected to online harassment from individuals opposed to the idea.
The future of Disney’s live-action adaptations may be influenced by the reception of the upcoming Lilo & Stitch. Observers are also interested in seeing how Snow White performs on Disney+, which might follow the pattern of Encanto in finding a broader audience through streaming. It seems that the decision to pause Tangled rather than cancel it entirely could be a strategic choice to reassess based on the combined box office and streaming performance of live-action films set for release in 2025.
Meanwhile, Disney is continuing with other live-action projects, including Moana, currently in production, and Hercules, which is in pre-production stages. The anticipation remains for when Rapunzel might make her live-action debut.
The publication io9 has reached out to Disney for comment and will provide updates if a response is received.
