- Disney paused its live-action “Tangled” remake due to financial losses and backlash surrounding the live-action “Snow White.” The “Snow White” remake premiered to poor reviews, earning just $42 million despite a $240 million budget.
- The backlash surrounding “Snow White” included allegations against lead actress Rachel Zegler for politicizing the film, which further damaged its performance and impacted other live-action projects, including “Tangled.”
- Despite the uncertainty, Disney is continuing with other live-action remakes, such as “Lilo & Stitch” and “Moana,” while the future of “Tangled” remains unclear.
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Disney is putting the brakes on its live-action “Tangled” remake. The decision follows controversy and underperformance surrounding the recent live-action “Snow White.”
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At the end of 2024, it was announced that “The Greatest Showman” director Michael Gracey would helm the new version of “Tangled.” However, the project’s future is now uncertain.
‘Snow White’ controversy could be to blame
The live-action “Snow White” premiered on March 22 and struggled to meet expectations. Despite a production budget of $240 million, the film made just $42 million during its opening weekend. It has also been review-bombed, becoming one of the lowest-rated movies on IMDb.
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The fallout hasn’t only been about ticket sales. The producer’s son recently blamed lead actress Rachel Zegler for the poor performance. He accused her of politicizing the film with social media posts. Those posts included her support for Palestine during the film’s promotion and past criticism of President Donald Trump and his supporters.
There is no confirmation of a public feud between the two co-stars, but actress Gal Gadot, who is Israeli, reportedly received death threats from fans following Zegler’s posts. According to Variety, Gadot had to pay for additional security. She also drew crowds of both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protesters while accepting her award.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the financial losses and public backlash are already affecting other live-action Disney projects. That includes the now-paused Disney live-action “Tangled” remake.
Other Disney live-action remakes still in motion
Despite the uncertainty, Disney has not abandoned all live-action projects. Coming off the heels of “Mufasa: The Lion King,” several remakes are still moving forward.
The live-action “Lilo & Stitch” remake is scheduled for release on May 23. A live-action “Moana” is also underway, with Dwayne Johnson set to return as Maui. It’s expected to premiere next summer.
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Remaking animated classics remains a reliable strategy for Disney. These titles already have strong fan bases, and they help drive subscriptions to Disney+.
With multiple projects in development, it’s unclear if the Disney live-action “Tangled” remake will resume production or undergo major changes.
[KENNEDY FELTON]
Disney is pushing pause on its live-action “Tangled” remake. The decision comes as the company rethinks its strategy following backlash and box office struggles with “Snow White.”
Back in late 2024, it was announced that “The Greatest Showman” director Michael Gracey was attached to direct the live-action “Tangled” remake. However, the project’s future is uncertain, largely due to the controversy surrounding “Snow White.” The live-action film opened on March 22, pulling in just $42 million during its first weekend despite a reported production budget of $240 million. Amid review bombing, it’s currently one of the lowest-rated films on IMDb.
The film’s producer’s son blamed star Rachel Zegler for the underperformance, accusing her of getting too involved with politics during the film’s campaign. That includes social media posts in support of Palestine and her past criticism of President Trump and his supporters. While there’s no word of a public feud between the two, co-star Gal Gadot, who is Israeli, reportedly received death threats from fans because of Zegler’s posts. She also drew crowds of both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protestors while accepting her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last month.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, this mix of online backlash and poor performance is influencing Disney’s decisions around “Tangled.” Despite the shakeup, Disney currently has several other live-action remakes in the works. Following “Mufasa: The Lion King” and “Snow White,” “Lilo & Stitch” is scheduled to hit theaters on May 23, 2025. A live-action “Moana” is also on the way next summer, with Dwayne Johnson set to reprise his role as Maui. Remaking beloved classics guarantees a built-in audience, and with Disney+ always needing fresh content, it’s a strategic move to draw in subscribers.
As for “Tangled,” it’s unclear if the project will be reworked or quietly shelved altogether.
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