Disney May Revive ‘Tangled’ Remake — But Only If This Movie Succeeds

Disney’s relationship with its animated classics has changed dramatically over the last decade. What began as occasional, stylized remakes of beloved titles has evolved into a full-blown strategy, with nearly every major film on track to get the live-action treatment. But after years of steady output—and plenty of debate—the studio might finally be reevaluating its game plan.

Related: Remakes and Sequels: Disney Films Aim for Comeback in 2025

From The Jungle Book (2016) to Cinderella (2015), Aladdin (2019), Beauty and the Beast (2017), and more recently, The Little Mermaid (2023) and Lilo & Stitch (2025), these live-action adaptations have varied wildly in both critical reception and box office success. Some, like The Jungle Book and Cinderella, were met with fanfare. Others—like 2019’s The Lion King and 2025’s Snow White—faced major backlash.

And unfortunately for fans of Tangled (2010), the performance of Snow White may have done more than rattle Disney’s confidence.

Related: Disney’s ‘Snow White’ Receives Rare Warning After Box Office Disappointment

When Disney announced plans to remake Tangled in live-action, it was seen as a natural next step. With Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman (2017)) set to direct and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson tapped to pen the script, the project had real momentum.

But following Snow White’s disastrous box office performance and the swirl of controversies around its casting and creative direction, Disney hit the brakes—and the Rapunzel retelling was quietly put on pause.

While disappointing, the pause may not be permanent.

According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, there’s still a chance Disney could revive Tangled—but it all hinges on the performance of another upcoming project: the live-action Moana. That film is scheduled to hit theaters on July 10, 2026, and is expected to be a major test case for how the public responds to newer animated properties getting such swift remakes. Moana, after all, was only released in 2016.

Dwayne Johnson will return to play Maui in the remake, becoming the first Disney actor to reprise his animated role in live-action form. That decision alone raised some eyebrows, especially after leaked photos showed Johnson in a padded suit meant to mimic his animated physique.

While many fans are excited, others have questioned the need for such a recent remake.

Related: Live-Action ‘Moana’ Set to Break Longstanding Disney Tradition

Still, box office projections for Moana are optimistic — and Disney may be using the film’s success (or failure) as a barometer for what happens next.

It’s worth noting that Lilo & Stitch, another recent live-action release, was initially met with skepticism, but it’s now projected to gross nearly $1 billion globally. That performance may give Disney the confidence to revisit paused or risky remakes if Moana continues that trend.

Meanwhile, whispers of a potential standalone Mother Gothel film are keeping hope alive for fans of the Tangled universe. Though nothing has been confirmed, the rumor alone signals that Disney hasn’t totally walked away from the franchise.

So, what do you think? Should the fate of Tangled rest on Moana’s shoulders? Was Disney too quick to pause development after Snow White flopped? And would you want to see Rapunzel swing into live-action after all?