Three Main Characters Now Cast for Live-Action ‘Tangled’ Disney Movie
Disney’s next live-action fairy tale is starting to take shape as the studio locks in its central cast for its adaptation of Tangled.
After years of development starts and stops, The Walt Disney Company is moving forward with the long-anticipated project, naming Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim as the leads. Croft will portray Rapunzel, while Manheim steps into the role of the roguish Flynn Rider.
The announcement represents a turning point for a film that had spent much of the past decade circulating in rumor mills without firm movement. Disney’s push to reinterpret its animated classics in live-action has produced several major hits, but Tangled’s journey toward production has been more complicated than most.
Before the casting news broke, speculation surrounding the role of Rapunzel included a wide range of high-profile performers. Names such as Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Jojo Siwa were all mentioned in fan discussions about who might bring the golden-haired princess to life.
Croft arrives to the film after gaining recognition as Raven in the DC series Titans. In Tangled, she will portray the curious princess whose enchanted hair and sheltered upbringing set the stage for a life-changing journey outside the tower where she has spent most of her life.
Manheim, meanwhile, has built a following through Disney Channel’s Zombies films and a memorable run on Dancing With the Stars. As Flynn Rider, he will play the charming thief who unexpectedly becomes Rapunzel’s partner as the story unfolds.
The animated version of Tangled originally featured the voices of Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi. When it debuted in 2010, the film became both a box office hit and a favorite among critics, earning nearly $600 million worldwide and landing an Academy Award nomination for the song “I See the Light.”
Directing the live-action feature is Michael Gracey, who previously helmed the musical hit The Greatest Showman (2017). The screenplay comes from Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, whose credits include Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), Do Revenge (2022), and I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025).
Producing duties fall to Kristin Burr, who previously collaborated with Disney on 2021’s Cruella, starring Emma Stone.
The renewed progress comes after a period when Tangled’s future appeared uncertain. Following the difficult reception to Disney’s live-action Snow White (2025), industry insiders suggested the studio had paused several projects while reconsidering how to approach its remake strategy. Tangled was reportedly among the films temporarily put on hold.
The casting process also generated conversation around the villain role. Early reports suggested Scarlett Johansson might portray Mother Gothel, the manipulative woman who raises Rapunzel while exploiting the magical power of her hair.
Instead, the role will be played by Kathryn Hahn, known for Agatha All Along and The Studio. Hahn confirmed the news through Instagram, stepping into a part originally voiced in the animated film by Donna Murphy.
Now the question facing audiences is whether Disney can recreate the charm that helped Tangled become one of its most beloved modern animated films. While the studio’s remake strategy has faced mixed reactions, it still proved capable of major box office success with 2025’s Lilo & Stitch crossing the billion-dollar mark.
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