Disney Is Reportedly Making A Live-Action Rapunzel Movie For Theatrical Release

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Over the past several years, Disney has focused a lot of energy on reimaginings and adaptations of its beloved films. Now, it looks like we’re in for yet another fairytale remake, albeit possibly with a bit of a twist. A decade after the release of Tangled, the studio appears to be hard at work on a live-action version of Rapunzel.

It’s not clear whether this new adaptation, revealed by The DisInsider, will follow in the footsteps of Disney’s original version of the long-haired princess’ story, or take a new approach. Though it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea for the studio to leverage Tangled’s popularity. Released in 2010, the animated film -- starring the voices of Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, and Donna Murphy -- was a huge hit, grossing $593 million worldwide. The film’s sustained popularity was enough to spawn a short film, a television film, and an animated series for the Disney Channel.

Tangled also diverged heavily from the Brothers Grimm’s original Rapunzel story, which sees the young girl trapped in her tower until a prince climbs her hair and tries to rescue her. The 2010 film gives Rapunzel a lot more agency, casting her as the long lost princess of Corona, and letting her spend the majority of the film outside of her tower. (To be fair, that’s a lot more empowering and relevant to a 21st century audience.)

There are few details about how Disney will approach its latest Rapunzel adaptation. The studio is reportedly looking for a director to helm the film, which appears to be set for a wide release as opposed to a direct-to-Disney+ streaming release. If it moves forward, it will mark the latest in a slew of live action adaptations, both for the big screen and for Disney+.