The recently shelved live-action Tangled remake might not be dead after all at Disney. According to a new report from entertainment insider Daniel Richtman (DanielRPK), Disney is quietly considering reviving the dormant project—but only if its upcoming Moana remake performs well at the box office.
The live-action Tangled film had previously been shelved, reportedly due to internal doubts following the disappointing performance of The Little Mermaid and the backlash and major flop surrounding Snow White. But after Lilo & Stitch pulled off a surprising win with audiences, and with Moana now positioned as the next big remake, Disney appears to be reevaluating the potential of Tangled—a fan-favorite from the 2010 animation era.
Industry Names Already Attached
Before being placed on ice, Tangled was moving forward with The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey at the helm, and a script penned by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge, Thor: Love and Thunder). Kristin Burr (Christopher Robin) and Lucy Kitada were attached as producers.
Moana in Moana (2016), Walt Disney Studios
That version of the film reportedly aimed to stay closer to the spirit of the original Tangled, a loose adaptation of the Rapunzel fairy tale made famous by the Brothers Grimm. The animated version earned more than $590 million worldwide and helped launch Disney’s new-era animation revival, making it one of the top ten box office hits of 2010.
A Pattern Emerging
The report signals a broader trend at Disney: certain remakes soar, while others crash and burn. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the biggest indicator of success isn’t just nostalgia or brand recognition—it’s fidelity to the source material and the absence of ideological detours.
Disney’s live-action The Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast all drew heavily from their animated counterparts with appropriate casting and saw strong box office returns as a result. Even Lilo & Stitch, despite initial skepticism in the wake of Snow White, seems to have found footing by preserving the heart of the original story. Of course there were some major changes made the the movie’s ending, but that’s another story for another day, and it’s not something fans know when going into the film for the first time.
Lilo, Stitch, and Nani in the live action Lilo & Stitch – YouTube, IGN
Contrast that with The Little Mermaid and Snow White, both of which sparked massive controversy. Rather than being faithful adaptations, they featured significant rewrites, race-based casting decisions that felt more performative than organic, and character overhauls aimed at modern sensibilities—transforming classic fairy tale heroines into “independent” action lead girl bosses with little resemblance to their original personas.
Rachel Zegler as Snow White in Snow White (2025), Walt Disney Studios
The result was tepid to downright horrifying box office returns, sharp audience backlash, and questions about whether Disney is prioritizing narrative integrity or using these legacy properties as vehicles for social messaging.
Will Disney Read the Room?
The stakes for Moana are now higher than ever. If the Dwayne Johnson-led remake scores big, it could greenlight Tangled and possibly set the tone for future live-action projects. But the bigger question is whether Disney is willing to learn from its past hits and misfires.
Audiences aren’t rejecting the idea of remakes necessarily—they’re rejecting the idea of being preached to while their childhood favorites are dismantled and reassembled through an ideological lens.
Halle Bailey as Ariel in Disney’s live-action THE LITTLE MERMAID. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2023 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
If Disney can return to telling great stories, honoring what made these classics resonate in the first place, Tangled might just get a second life. But if Moana follows the path of Mermaid or Snow White, it may drag Tangled back into the vault indefinitely.
Do you think the live-action Tangled movie will happen? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
UP NEXT: Animal Farm Reaction Mixed as Andy Serkis Adds Inappropriate Humor to a Literary Classic
“[…] and a script penned by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge, Thor: Love and Thunder)” omg… No thank you.
This is why Moana should not succeed. Lilo and Stich is also garbage, but normies can’t help themselves.
Every time I read the character’s name I see moan – A or moan – uh.
If only that chick could use that pan for what it was meant for. Alas, not to be.