Disney Finally Finds Its Rapunzel and Flynn for Live-Action Tangled

Disney is finally moving its live-action Tangled out of the rumor mill and into something that looks like a real movie. Still early days, but the two leads are set, the director is locked, and yes, it will be a musical. Let’s break it down.

So, who’s playing Rapunzel and Flynn?

Per THR, Teagan Croft (Titans) is Rapunzel and Milo Manheim (Zombies) is Flynn Rider. Not exactly marquee names yet, but this is the kind of gig that can change that overnight if the movie lands.

Creative team and what they’re making

Michael Gracey, the filmmaker behind The Greatest Showman, is directing. That tells you a lot about the vibe: expect big, glossy musical numbers. The script comes from Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, with the film leaning into the core fairytale bones of Rapunzel that Disney reimagined back in 2010.

Quick refresher on the animated original: Mandy Moore voiced Rapunzel, a long-lost princess locked away in a tower because her hair is magic, and Zachary Levi voiced Flynn, the charming thief who stumbles into her life and accidentally kickstarts her first trip into the outside world.

A project that kept stopping and starting

Tangled has been one of those on-again, off-again live-action projects at Disney. Trade chatter says the start-and-stop momentum wasn’t helped by the reception to last year’s Snow White, but with leads in place and Gracey at the helm, this is the biggest forward step the film has had so far.

Mother Gothel: still open, and a high-profile exit

The next major piece is Mother Gothel, the villain who keeps Rapunzel locked away. Scarlett Johansson had been floated for the role at one point, but she’s no longer in the mix. Reports tie her exit to scheduling, with commitments that include an Exorcist project and The Batman Part II crowding the calendar.

What we know right now

• Leads: Teagan Croft as Rapunzel; Milo Manheim as Flynn Rider (via THR)
• Director: Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman)
• Writer: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
• Tone: A full-on musical, in the spirit of the animated film
• Status: Long in development, now moving with key roles set
• Villain: Mother Gothel not cast; Scarlett Johansson was rumored, but she’s out due to scheduling
• Source material: Disney’s 2010 Tangled, itself a spin on the Brothers Grimm tale
• Before Tangled: Disney’s live-action Moana hits theaters July 10, 2026

Meanwhile, Moana is up next

Before Tangled rolls cameras (or at least before it arrives), Disney’s live-action Moana is on deck. Catherine Laga'aia is playing Moana, and Dwayne Johnson is back as Maui. The teaser Disney put out made it look very close to the 2016 original. Do we need a near shot-for-shot redo? Probably not. Will it print money? Probably yes. It opens July 10, 2026.

Bottom line: Tangled finally has its Rapunzel and Flynn, the movie is aiming big on the musical side, and the last major piece on the board is casting a killer Mother Gothel. If Disney nails that, this could be one of the better live-action swings.