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By Kayla DeKraker
Disney’s live action version of TANGLED, the 2010 film about Rapunzel, has been put on hold indefinitely.
The movie was in active production under director Michael Gracey, director of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN. It is unclear why Disney paused the production, but it’s worth noting the decision came right after the live action SNOW WHITE bombed at the box office. It grossed only $69 domestically and $145 million globally on its $270 million production budget.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that “SNOW WHITE didn’t fare well with the critics nor audiences, the latter of which have given it a B+ Cinemascore (anything outside the A range is considered unsatisfying). It currently only has a 50 percent on review aggregator Metacritic.”
The live-action TANGLED’s future is uncertain. But if production resumed, hopefully it would emphasize the animated movie’s uplifting themes.
Movieguide®’s synopsis reads, “TANGLED is Disney’s comical animated version of the Rapunzel fairy tale. A wicked old hag steals the baby Rapunzel from the King and Queen because a magical flower created by a drop of sunlight gives Rapunzel’s hair a glow that can heal people and make them younger.”
The hag pretends to be Rapunzel’s mother and locks her in a tower.
“Eighteen years later, Rapunzel wants to find out why mysterious lights appear in the sky on her birthday. An errant thief gives Rapunzel a chance to find out. They don’t know that the lights are lanterns set loose by the king and queen, still hoping to find their daughter with the golden hair,” the synopsis continues.
Movieguide® said that “magic is a major plot point” in the film, “but there’s a sacramental quality to it and some of the dialogue and images. Taken overall, this sacramental quality gives TANGLED strong redemptive symbols pointing metaphorically to Christian teachings.”
To date, Disney has created 23 live-action films, a trend which gained popularity in the 2010s. Despite the halt of TANGLED, two other live-actions films are on the schedule.
LILO & STITCH, based off the 2002 animated movie, will swim into theaters May 23. It stars Maia Kealoha.
Related: Live-Action LILO & STITCH Star ‘Can’t Wait’ for Movie to Come Out
“When I found out I was going to be Lilo, my jaw literally dropped and I couldn’t even believe it,” the 7-year-old star recalled. “I rung my dad and I said, ‘I did it! I’m Lilo! I’m Lilo!’ And then they grabbed me and we jumped up and down. I was so excited!”
A live-action version of MOANA slated to release in 2026.
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