Fresh off Moana, Disney’s next remake is already taking shape.
Disney has spent years rebuilding its animated catalog for live action, with mixed results. Beauty and the Beast (2017), Aladdin (2019), and The Lion King (2019) became major hits by leaning on familiar songs, characters, and scenes.
Others struggled. Mulan (2020) removed Mushu, Li Shang, and the original songs, while Snow White (2025) faced backlash for rewriting major parts of the 1937 film.
Disney’s latest disappointment is Moana (2026). Released only 10 years after the animation, it stars Dwayne Johnson as Maui and Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana.
The remake retained the original’s songs, dialogue, sidekicks, and major sequences. Critics dismissed it as unnecessary, giving it a 32% Rotten Tomatoes score — the lowest among Disney’s live-action remakes.
It opened to $43.1 million domestically and $95 million worldwide against a reported $250 million budget.
Teagan Croft Debuts as Rapunzel
The first image of Teagan Croft as Rapunzel has emerged from Disney’s live-action Tangled set in Spain.
Croft wears Rapunzel’s long blonde hair in a flower-covered braid, closely matching the princess voiced by Mandy Moore in the 2010 animation.
Only part of Rapunzel’s costume is visible, but Disney appears to have retained her signature purple dress with darker shades and more detailed fabrics.
🚨 | FIRST LOOK AT TEAGAN CROFT AS RAPUNZEL ON SET OF THE LIVE ACTION ‘TANGLED’.
NOW FILMING IN SPAIN.
🚨 | FIRST LOOK AT TEAGAN CROFT AS RAPUNZEL ON SET OF THE LIVE ACTION 'TANGLED'.
NOW FILMING IN SPAIN. pic.twitter.com/uPMXUKf3Uc
— Tangled Updates (@TangledUpdates) July 17, 2026
“Oh I need to see that dress fully because i am LOVING the shade and the look,” wrote one X user.
Another wrote, “Am I crazy for thinking this looks good.. please be good …”
And one said, “She [looks] amazing I’m crying.”
Milo Manheim has also been photographed as Flynn Rider in a white shirt and blue-green vest similar to the animated character’s outfit.
Croft and Manheim will star alongside Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel. Diego Luna has joined the cast in an undisclosed role.
🚨 | FIRST LOOK AT MILO MANHEIM AS FLYNN RIDER ON SET OF THE LIVE ACTION ‘TANGLED’.
NOW FILMING IN SPAIN!
🚨 | FIRST LOOK AT MILO MANHEIM AS FLYNN RIDER ON SET OF THE LIVE ACTION 'TANGLED'.
NOW FILMING IN SPAIN! pic.twitter.com/qqViUaYQdi
— Tangled Updates (@TangledUpdates) July 17, 2026
Michael Gracey, director of The Greatest Showman (2017), is directing from a screenplay by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. Production began in Spain in late June and is also expected to move to the UK.
Set photographs have shown practical recreations of Rapunzel’s tower and the Kingdom of Corona. Disney has not announced a release date.
Can Tangled Avoid Disney’s Remake Problems?
The early images suggest Tangled will preserve Rapunzel’s braid, Flynn’s costume, the tower, and Corona’s fairy-tale design.
Fans have criticized one change: flags on the live-action set appear blue and yellow instead of the purple and gold used in the animated film.
Disney’s remakes have struggled when they copy too much or change too much. The Lion King was criticized for closely recreating the 1994 film, while Mulan and Snow White were attacked for moving too far from their source material.
Cinderella (2015) found a stronger balance. It kept the glass slipper, pumpkin carriage, and royal ball, but removed the songs, expanded the palace story, and gave Ella and Kit more time together.
Are you excited for the live-action Tangled?
