Disney has apparently put the live-action remake of Tangled, the popular 2010 animated movie based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, on hold. The film had been in development with director Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) on board and a script by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Thor: Love and Thunder, Do Revenge).
But, sources told a report by The Hollywood Reporter, the studio has opted to put the brakes on presumably because of the poor performance of its last live-action remake, Snow White.
Snow White’s Poor Performance Impacts Future Projects of Disney
Snow White performed poorly both at the box office and with critics. For all its enormous $270 million budget helped along in part by the 2023 labour strikes the film only managed to gross $69 million domestically and $145 million worldwide. Controversies surrounded the production from the very beginning, such as criticism about casting decisions and artistic control. Throughout the marketing tour of the film, top star Rachel Zegler gained more publicity with contentious social media comments. In the end, the movie did not succeed in winning over crowds, receiving a B+ CinemaScore (regarded as average for Disney) and rating just 50% on Metacritic.
Cracks in Live-Action Strategy of Disney
The uncertain fate of Tangled underscores the widening cracks in Disney’s live-action remake strategy. Since the early 2010s, the studio has relied heavily on remaking its animated classics, with variable success. Blockbusters such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King were huge box office hits, while others, including Dumbo and Pete’s Dragon, fell short.
Mixed Results from Recent Remakes
Later on, Mufasa: The Lion King came in with a modest $35.4 million at home but eventually jumped to a whopping $718 million worldwide. The Little Mermaid’s reception was a bit more subdued, with it grossing $570 million globally. These differences indicate that perhaps the nostalgia-tinged formula is not quite as sure-fire as it once was.
Whether or not Tangled will continue to progress in the future or get creatively reimagined is something that only time will tell. For the meantime, Disney seems to be reconsidering its strategy as audience burnout over live-action remakes continues to swell.
