It has been 16 years since Disney’s ‘Tangled’ first enchanted us all. The story of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider remains one of the studio’s most beloved movies. The film concluded with the perfect ending.
Yet, Disney once explored the possibility of a ‘Tangled 2‘ but ultimately had to abandon the project.
‘Tangled 2’ Could Not Hold Up The Legacy Of The Original
According to co-director of ‘Tangled’ Nathan Greno, Disney genuinely attempted to develop a sequel for the movie. The creative team behind the original film reunited and spent hours discussing possible storylines.
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However, they had to face the biggest obstacle: there was no compelling way to continue Rapunzel’s journey. Speaking to The Direct, Greno explained that the story had already reached its natural conclusion and there was no way of creating a sequel.
He said, “It’s a tricky place, because I’ll put it this way: Once Pinocchio becomes a real boy, what else is there to say? Once the Beast becomes a human, what else is there to say?”
For Greno and the creative team, they had already delivered the complete story through ‘Tangled’, and the audience was satisfied. Rapunzel finally escaped the tower, reunited with her parents, found love, and got her happy ending.
But that doesn’t mean Disney completely abandoned the characters. In 2012, the studio released ‘Tangled Ever After’, a six-minute animated short that showed us Rapunzel and Eugene’s wedding day. Geno described that the short “felt natural.”
In hindsight, it is best that Disney decided to leave ‘Tangled’ alone. Though there are many successful sequels, trying and forcing to continue the story means risking the magic that the original made.
A Live-Action Remake Of ‘Tangled’ Is Still Alive
While an animated sequel is off the table, Disney is not done with ‘Tangled’ just yet. The studio is currently developing a live-action adaptation to add to its growing list of animated classic revivals.
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The upcoming film as already assembled a stunning line-up of cast. Teagon Croft is set to play Rapunzel, while Milo Manheim will portray the charming Flynn Rider. They will be joined by Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel. ‘The Greatest Showman’ filmmaker Michael Gracey will be directing the movie.
Greno has also talked about his thoughts on the live-action remake. He expressed his hesitation, admitting that he’s not sure of the creative approach it is set to take. He commented, “Well, I’m not sure about the approach. We’ve seen these remakes where they kind of stick to the original, and we’ve seen things where they kind of do something else. There’s a lot of different approaches with these remakes.”
These comments definitely open up a larger conversation surrounding Disney’s remake strategy. Recent live-action remake projects have faced intense scrutiny from audiences.
The 2025 remake of ‘Snow White’ was underwhelming, and similar criticism is there for ‘Moana’, which hasn’t even been released yet. Now, only time can tell if the ‘Tangled’ live-action movie will be able to hold up the beloved original’s legacy.
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