In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Disney was at the top of the children’s animated movie game. Disney films that were released in that era, from The Little Mermaid and The Lion King to Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, continue to be seen as timeless classics, and they set the bar high for the House of Mouse moving forward. In the early to mid ’00s, Disney mostly kept up that momentum. Although there were conversations around changes to art styles and myriad other hot topics, movies like Lilo & Stitch, Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles, and Cars proved incredibly popular.
Unfortunately, while there are always outliers, something has happened over the last decade or so with the franchise that has proven considerably more discouraging. For several years now, Disney has been putting out live-action remakes of their beloved classics, and more often than not, they’re flopping. The most recent addition to this list, Moana, just hit theaters, and it’s joining the ranks of other live-action remakes, such as Lilo & Stitch and Snow White, that were heavily criticized. That makes the response to new set photos from live-action Tangled shocking (and very exciting).
When it was announced that there was going to be a live-action Tangled, fans were rightly concerned. With Disney’s reputation with live-action remakes, this news was bound to make audiences nervous, but there also tends to be a particular protectiveness over Tangled as one of the better Disney movies to be released in the 2010s (Tangled was released in exactly 2010). From the songs, to the cast, to the genuinely unique take on the Rapunzel story, Tangled is a standout, and it’s one that could go oh so wrong as a live-action remake.
However, fans’ opinions started to shift when the cast of Tangled began to be announced. Among the most important characters/cast members are Teagan Croft as Rapunzel, Milo Manheim as heartthrob Flynn Ryder, and—much to the delight of those who had been fan casting her for literal years—Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel. This was certainly a promising start, although a solid cast is only one part of the very complex formula that makes a satisfying live-action remake. Updates have been few and far between since those casting announcements, but new set photos have just given fans even more reason to be excited.
One of the images shared on X shows Croft having the iconic Rapunzel braid styled on her head, and fans immediately began celebrating the accuracy of the look in the comments. One comment reads, “Rapunzel’s hair was always going to be the biggest challenge, and this already looks promising,” and another says, “Rapunzel’s hair looks insanely good already…Can’t wait for this live-action magic!” Another commenter praised the decision to use a real wig, saying, “thank god it’s an actual prop instead of CGI.” Yet another called the look “absolutely perfect.”
| FIRST LOOK AT TEAGAN CROFT AS RAPUNZEL ON SET OF THE LIVE ACTION 'TANGLED'.
NOW FILMING IN SPAIN. pic.twitter.com/uPMXUKf3Uc
An image of Manheim as Flynn was also shared on X, and it has likewise been praised by many. One excited comment reads, “Wait I actually thought this was a fan edit this looks so accurate I’m hyped.” Another echoes, “The outfit looks spot on! Can’t wait to see how this live-action adaptation turns out.” These praises are particularly notable because costuming and hair are among the most heavily criticized choices in other Disney live-action remakes. Perhaps Tangled is about to prove that Disney really has been listening and making adjustments accordingly.
| FIRST LOOK AT MILO MANHEIM AS FLYNN RIDER ON SET OF THE LIVE ACTION 'TANGLED'.
NOW FILMING IN SPAIN! pic.twitter.com/qqViUaYQdi
Of course, there is still much to be revealed about live-action Tangled, and that includes a number of things that could go wrong. Hopefully, though, these set photos are an indication that Disney really does have a live-action remake that’s worth it. Fans will have to wait until 2028 to find out.
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