Disney’s Tangled live-action remake is back in development after being pulled following the box office disaster of Rachel Zegler’s Snow White.
Scarlett Johansson is now reportedly in talks to play Mother Gothel, a move that signals Disney might be changing course after years of divisive casting decisions.
Johansson Joins Tangled Revival
According to Deadline, The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey remains attached to the project, working from a script by She-Hulk writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. Johansson, whose films have grossed $17.7 billion worldwide, would play the manipulative Mother Gothel. Her casting suggests Disney wants star power and mainstream appeal after a run of costly misfires. Johansson recently starred in Jurassic World Rebirth, which made over $867M.
Disney paused Tangled earlier this year after Snow White became a PR and financial disaster. But with billion-dollar hits like Lilo & Stitch proving audiences still respond to traditional Disney fare, the studio seems ready to give Tangled another chance.
Rapunzel Likely Won’t Be Another DEI Casting
The big question is who will play Rapunzel. In the 2010 animated movie, the princess was voiced by Mandy Moore — a fair-skinned, blond heroine in a classic fairy-tale mold. Following backlash against Zegler’s Snow White casting and the studio’s diversity-for-diversity-sake trend, Disney may play it safe this time around.
Recent live-action efforts like Wish and Elio flopped with audiences, reinforcing the sense that fans are tired of heavy-handed identity politics replacing story and character. Tangled could mark a return to form if Disney simply focuses on what made the original a success: humor, heart, and strong visual storytelling.
Disney’s Mixed Track Record
Disney’s live-action reimaginings have been hit or miss. Lilo & Stitch became the biggest MPA hit of 2025 with $1.03 billion worldwide, while Snow White and Wish became cautionary tales of corporate overreach and online backlash.
