Marvel Star Rumored as Mother Gothel in Disney’s Live-Action Tangled
Disney’s live-action Tangled is eyeing Marvel favorite Kathryn Hahn for Mother Gothel, with Variety reporting the star is in talks to play Rapunzel’s scheming guardian.
Disney is moving ahead with its live-action Tangled, and the latest name in the mix is a good one: Kathryn Hahn is in talks to play Mother Gothel. Yes, Agatha Harkness herself as the woman who literally runs on stolen youth. That fits a little too well, in the best way.
Where the casting stands
- Kathryn Hahn is being considered for Mother Gothel, per Variety. Disney hasn’t commented publicly on her potential casting.
- Teagan Croft is set to play Rapunzel.
- Milo Manheim is on board as Flynn Rider.
Quick refresher on the character
Mother Gothel is the villain from the 2010 animated film who pretends to be Rapunzel’s super-protective mom while secretly using Rapunzel’s magical hair to stay young forever. In the original, Donna Murphy voiced Gothel. That movie did nearly $600 million worldwide, so, yeah, this role matters.
Who’s making this thing
Michael Gracey, the filmmaker behind The Greatest Showman, is directing. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson wrote the script. Kristin Burr is producing through Burr! Productions, with Lucy Kitada serving as executive producer.
The casting saga, in plain English
Deadline previously reported that Scarlett Johansson considered playing Mother Gothel but bowed out because of other commitments: The Batman 2 and an Exorcist reboot. After Johansson stepped away, fans started pushing for Hahn, and her name started circulating online. That chatter now seems to have weight, with Variety saying Disney is eyeing her for the role.
Development timeline (it’s been a ride)
Disney first announced the live-action Tangled in 2024, then hit pause after Snow White underwhelmed with early reactions. The project picked back up in October 2025, and the studio rolled out casting updates in early January 2026. There’s still no release date.
What Hahn’s been up to
Hahn recently led Agatha All Along, the WandaVision spinoff, and starred in the Apple TV+ series The Studio. She also joined David O. Russell’s upcoming biopic Madden alongside Christian Bale and Nicolas Cage. Between that and the Marvel connection, she’s already got the audience for a scenery-chewing Disney villain.
If Disney locks this in, Mother Gothel is going to be less lullaby and more smirk-with-a-knife. Honestly, that’s the right call.