At its D23 fan event on Friday, Disney offered up a first look at its upcoming live-action adaptation of Tangled.
The clip began with a shot of Teagan Croft, who is playing Rapunzel, from behind, with her long blonde hair cascading over cobblestone streets. The footage then cut to Kathryn Hahn as the duplicitous Mother Gothel, before Hahn took the stage to thank fans for manifesting her casting. The star joked her character “may be a little overprotective, but that’s because she cares so much” and added, she’s “the best kind of villain, the kind who thinks she’s actually a hero.” Croft and co-star Milo Manheim also sent a virtual message, appearing in costume as they said hi to fans from their set in Spain. The studio also announced a release date of March 31, 2028.
At the beginning of the year, the studio cast rising Australian actress Croft as Rapunzel, the curious and plucky would-be princess with magical hair, and Zombies star Manheim as Flynn Rider, the cocky outlaw thief who helps her escape her tower prison. In the 2010 animated version — now regarded as a modern classic and part of Disney Animation’s second renaissance — those roles were voiced by Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi. Rounding out the live-action cast, Diego Luna has also joined the film in a new role.
Michael Gracey, who counts the musical biopicsBetter ManandThe Greatest Showmanamong his credits,is directing the feature, which, like the original, will have big musical elements. Kristin Burr, who has long-standing ties to the studio and was a producer onFreakier Fridayas well as 2021’s live-actionCruella, is producing. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (I Know What You Did Last Summer,Thor: Love and Thunder) and Michael Montemayor (Everyone I Know is Dead) wrote the script.
The original animated film grossed over $591 million and spawned a popular Disney Channel series. Filming for the new adaptation began earlier this summer in Spain.