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Disney Announces Lead Cast for Live-Action “Tangled” Adaptation
Disney is moving forward with a live-action adaptation of its 2010 animated hit “Tangled,” announcing Wednesday that Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim will star as Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.
The casting news confirms Disney’s commitment to reimagining its beloved animated properties in live-action format, a strategy that has proven financially successful with films like “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Aladdin.”
Michael Gracey, who directed the box office sensation “The Greatest Showman,” will helm the project, working from a screenplay by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. Disney has not yet announced a release date for the film.
The original “Tangled” featured voice performances by Mandy Moore as Rapunzel and Zachary Levi as Flynn Rider. The film told the story of a princess with magically long hair who has spent her life locked in a tower until she forms an unlikely alliance with a charming thief on the run. The animated feature was both a critical and commercial success, grossing over $590 million worldwide and spawning the short film “Tangled Ever After” and the Disney Channel series “Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure.”
Croft, an Australian actress taking on the role of Rapunzel, is best known to audiences for her portrayal of Rachel Roth (Raven) in the DC series “Titans.” She also starred in Netflix’s “True Spirit,” building a reputation for versatile performances despite her young age.
Manheim, who will play the roguish Flynn Rider, already enjoys a strong relationship with Disney fans through his starring role in the popular “Zombies” franchise. The multitalented performer—son of Emmy and Golden Globe winner Camryn Manheim—also demonstrated his performance abilities as the runner-up on season 27 of “Dancing with the Stars.”
Industry analysts note that Disney’s continued investment in live-action remakes reflects the company’s strategy of leveraging its extensive intellectual property library while minimizing creative risk. These adaptations typically benefit from built-in audience awareness and nostalgia, often translating to strong box office performance.
The “Tangled” adaptation, first reported to be in early development in December 2024, joins Disney’s growing slate of animated-to-live-action projects. The studio has already released successful adaptations of “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” and “The Little Mermaid,” with “Snow White” and “Lilo & Stitch” currently in production.
“Lilo & Stitch” has already proven to be a major commercial success, becoming the first film of 2025 to cross the $1 billion mark at the global box office. Meanwhile, Disney’s live-action reimagining of “Moana” is scheduled to hit theaters this summer, maintaining the studio’s steady pipeline of familiar stories presented in new formats.
While some critics have questioned Disney’s heavy reliance on remaking its own content rather than developing original stories, the financial results have largely vindicated the approach. These adaptations have consistently performed well globally, particularly in international markets where Disney’s animated classics enjoy widespread popularity.
The casting of relatively fresh faces in Croft and Manheim rather than established A-list stars suggests Disney may be focusing on authenticity to the original characters rather than banking solely on star power to drive the project’s appeal.
As production moves forward, fans of the original “Tangled” will be watching closely to see how Gracey and his team translate the animated world—particularly Rapunzel’s magical 70 feet of glowing hair—into a believable live-action setting.
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9 Comments
While I’m generally wary of live-action Disney remakes, the talent involved in this Tangled project has me cautiously optimistic. Michael Gracey directed The Greatest Showman, so he has experience with that kind of sweeping, fantastical storytelling.
The live-action remakes have been hit or miss, but Disney’s recent track record gives me hope that they’ll do justice to the Tangled story and characters. Fingers crossed they can recapture the magic of the original!
As a longtime Tangled fan, I have mixed feelings about a live-action remake. The original animated film was so beautifully crafted, I worry a live-action version won’t be able to fully capture the magic. But I’m open to being pleasantly surprised.
As a fan of the original Tangled movie, I’m intrigued to see how the live-action adaptation will differ from the animated version. Hopefully they can find a way to put a fresh spin on the classic tale while staying true to the spirit of the original.
I’m curious to see how they’ll handle the iconic ‘I See the Light’ musical number in a live-action Tangled. That was such a beautiful and memorable moment in the animated film.
Interesting that Disney is adapting another one of their classic animated films into live-action. Tangled was such a fun and visually stunning movie, so I’m curious to see how they’ll bring the story and characters to life on the big screen.
Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim seem like great casting choices for Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. They’re both talented young actors who can hopefully capture the chemistry and adventure of the original animated film.
Disney has had mixed results with their live-action remakes so far, but Tangled seems like a good candidate to translate well to a live-action format. The fantastical elements and emotional story could make for a really visually stunning and engaging film.
I wonder if the live-action Tangled will dive deeper into the political and social commentary that was hinted at in the animated film. There’s a lot of rich material there to explore further.