Kathryn Hahn is going full fairy-tale villain. Disney just made it official: she is playing Mother Gothel in the live-action take on Tangled. If you have seen her chew scenery as Agatha Harkness, you know this is a dangerously smart bit of casting.
"You want her to be the bad guy? FINE. Kathryn Hahn is Mother Gothel in Disney's live-action Tangled."
The casting (and the almost-casting)
Disney rolled out a playful confirmation video on social media, ending months of chatter that Hahn was in the mix. Earlier reports had floated her name, and before that, the studio kicked the tires on another Marvel alum: Scarlett Johansson. The MCU-to-Disney-villain pipeline stays busy.
Hahn comes in as both a Golden Globe and Emmy nominee, and yes, she already knows her way around a spellbook thanks to WandaVision and Agatha All Along.
Who is doing what on Tangled
- Director: Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman)
- Screenplay: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
- Rapunzel: Teagan Croft (Titans)
- Flynn Rider: Milo Manheim (School Spirits)
- Producer: Kristin Burr for Burr! Productions
- Executive Producer: Lucy Kitada
Why this remake exists (beyond the obvious)
The 2010 animated Tangled was a legit hit: more than $590 million worldwide, and it still sits at 89% on Rotten Tomatoes from 226 reviews. That run led to a short film and a TV series follow-up, so this property has already proved it can live beyond a one-off.
The animated blueprint they are riffing on
The original film was directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard, written by Dan Fogelman, and voiced by Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Brad Garrett, Ron Perlman, Jeffrey Tambor, Richard Kiel, M.C. Gainey, and Paul F. Tompkins. That is a stacked ensemble, and it set a pretty high bar for anyone stepping into Mother Gothel's boots.
Bottom line: Hahn stealing the show as Gothel feels inevitable. The only real question is how wild Michael Gracey goes with the look and the music. If the announcement energy is any hint, subtlety is not the plan.