After long periods of rumors and online guessing, along with what seemed like an interminable search, Walt Disney Pictures has cast its leads for its upcoming live-action remake of Tangled. The company announced on January 7, 2026, that it will be handing out the part of Rapunzel to Australian actress Teagan Croft and pairing her with Walt Disney staple Milo Manheim for the part of Flynn Rider.
Another major foray in Disney’s ongoing effort to reinterpret its classic animated fare for current and future generations, this new iteration of Tangled is directed by Michael Gracey, whose success with The Greatest Showman demonstrated his skill in balancing spectacle and musical storytelling. Described as a tone-based adaptation rather than necessarily a revisionist take in its approach, this new iteration is positioned more as an effort to maintain what made Tangled so special in 2010.
A carefully tested combination
According to insiders involved in the production, both Croft and Manheim were clear front-runners in this process, having participated in some chemistry reads and vocal assessments that took place in London at the end of last year. These appeared to emphasize musicality as well as comedy, both of which are important aspects of the relationship that Rapunzel and Flynn share.
Indeed, Croft’s résumé has proven to differ rather sharply from what was expected. Primarily recognized for her darker and more earthbound performances—not least as Raven in Titans and as the lead of the Netflix survival series True Spirit—her casting indicates a rather different emphasis on bringing a slightly more nuanced emotional spectrum to Rapunzel. At the same time, aged 21, Croft’s canonical alignment with the titular heroine’s own specified age of twenty-one was seen as a rather more crucial criterion as development advanced.
As for Manheim, however, he offers a safer yet deliberate option for the studio. Having already established a fan base through the Disney Zombies franchise, Manheim comes to the table with established musical chops and existing knowledge of the studio’s production process. Shortly after the casting announcement, Manheim took to social media to reassure his fans of his dedication to the character and to the qualities that fans love about Flynn Rider.
Although the lead actors have now been confirmed, a number of important elements in the puzzle are still left to be decided. These are primarily centered on who will play the character of Mother Gothel. Although Scarlett Johansson had long been rumored to portray her in 2025, it is now being suggested she will not be taking on the part because of other Hollywood film commitments in 2026. Although it has been rumored that a number of individuals are vying to replace her, no comment has been made regarding who will play the part.
Serving as the backbone of the production, the creative staff has solidified their positions. Scripting the motion picture is Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, known for handling both the comedic and dramatic aspects in the past. Principal photography for the movie begins in the United Kingdom in June of this year. From the musical side of things, Alan Menken’s compositions are also likely to find their inclusion in the movie.
This comes after a long period of online discussion. Beginning in 2024, names such as Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Avantika have topped the online fancasting community, which has witnessed divided responses to this new information. Through the decision to feature both Croft and Manheim, it seems that Disney is again walking a tight line in that it has chosen to work with a fresh face from outside its usual productions and a face it is familiar with.
While the initial reaction of fans to the live-action remake has been one of cautious optimism, much of the initial praise that has been given to the remake has to do with the physical similarity between the leads and the characters from the cartoon, along with the fact that Disney is not seeking to remake Tangled but to adapt it. This is a relevant consideration in that fans have become much more outspoken about live-action films that deviate significantly from the source. With casting completed and production on the horizon, Disney’s Tangled is at last making the transition from rumor to reality. Whether or not Croft and Manheim are successful in recapturing the lightning-in-a-bottle quality that made the original so successful is still to be determined, but for the first time in several years, the studio has given the fans something to latch on to.
