Disney Developing ‘Tangled’ Live-Action Movie

The ‘Greatest Showman’ and ‘Better Man’ filmmaker is in negotiations to handle the new version of the ‘Rapunzel’-based movie.

2010's 'Tangled'. Photo: Walt Disney Studios.

Preview:

Disney is adding ‘Tangled’ to its animated-to-live-action conversion catalogue.
‘The Greatest Showman’ director Michael Gracey is in talks to handle the movie.
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is writing the script.

Having enjoyed a fair amount of success turning its animated back catalogue into live-action movies, Disney is looking to turn that cash geyser on once more.

At least, Tangled’ into development.

Tangled

"They're taking adventure to new lengths."

PG1 hr 40 min Nov 24th, 2010

Showtimes & Tickets

Watch Tangled Online

The original animated adventure, which adapts the classic Brothers Grimm tale about the young woman with the long flowing locks whose hair helps her escape imprisonment in a tower, is just the latest film making the move from animation to live-action (or at least live-action with some CG).

And director Michael Gracey is the man in talks to make it all happen.

What’s the story of ‘Tangled’?

2010's 'Tangled'. Photo: Walt Disney Studios.

Directed by Donna Murphy) who kept her captive.

The 50th film released by Disney’s feature animated arm, it had a script from This is Us.’

The movie was a huge success with both critics and audiences, grossed over $590 million worldwide, scored an Oscar nomination for original song “I See the Light,” and was among the films revitalizing Disney’s princess genre for a new generation.

Composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater were behind the film’s music.

Despite its big impact, the film has yet to spur a sequel. According to producer Ray Conli, it wasn’t for want of pressure from the studio.

Here’s what Conli told Den of Geek in 2015:

“There was a desire to somehow take it into a filmic sequel. But the directors weren’t really interested in doing that. Her hair was gone! There you go!”

Still, there was ‘Beauty and the Beast ‘and on the Disney Channel, and the Disney Channel animated series ‘Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure.’

The new movie has seemingly been in development for a while, as Deadline’s report mentions that Do Revenge,’ wrote the most recent draft of the new ‘Tangled’s script.

Robinson is currently at work on Sony’s reboot of ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer.’

Who could star in the new ‘Tangled’?

2010's 'Tangled'. Photo: Walt Disney Studios.

Disney has naturally not commented on the new movie, so casting is likely a ways off. But with Gracey closing in on a deal, we’d expect announcements to come soon.

While neither Moore nor Levi (he especially given his Timothée Chalamet as a potential Flynn.

That said, he seems unlikely to tackle the job.

Fans, meanwhile, have been talking up the combo of Disney channel veteran (and current pop star) Taylor Zakhar Perez.

We’ll have to wait and see who ends up in the key roles.

Much more important in our opinion is finding the right horse (real or CG) to play Maximus, the stubborn, sarcastic horse who steals the movie from under the main characters.

What else has Michael Gracey worked on?

(L to R) Hugh Jackman and director Michael Gracey on the set of 'The Greatest Showman'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

Gracey right now is best known for his zeitgeisty directorial debut, ‘Golden Globe.

The film’s soundtrack in particular became a big sensations, with the likes of “The Greatest Show” and “This Is Me” –– co-written by ‘Benj Pasek and Justin Paul –– turning into crossover pop hits.

Gracey co-wrote, directed and produced ‘Robbie Williams, in which he’s portrayed as a chimpanzee through some impressive visual effects.