Disney Confirms Live-Action Mother Gothel in 'Tangled' Remake First Look

2 weeks ago 11

Published Mar 10, 2026, 1:02 PM EDT

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Mother is officially mothering. After years of fan casting, endless tweets, and a frankly unbeatable amount of collective internet manifesting, Kathryn Hahn has now confirmed that she’s playing Mother Gothel in Disney’s live-action Tangled. Earlier reports had Hahn merely “in talks,” but that has now shifted, with her casting effectively confirmed through her own social media update.

Development on Tangled quietly picked back up late last year, and at one stage Scarlett Johansson was being eyed for the role of Gothel. That version never came together, though, and once Johansson moved on to the upcoming reboot of The Exorcist, fans immediately started pushing Hahn as the obvious replacement. Back in January, the trade reports only had her in negotiations. Now, that dream casting has become the real thing. Sometimes the most obvious casting is the best one.

Disney has already locked in its two leads, with Teagan Croft set to play Rapunzel and Milo Manheim playing Flynn Rider. Behind the camera, Michael Gracey remains attached to direct, with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson writing the script. The project is being produced by Kristin Burr under Burr! Productions, with Lucy Kitada serving as executive producer.

Is 'Tangled' Worth Watching?

The original animated film, released in 2010, grossed nearly $592 million worldwide and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song with “I See the Light,” featuring music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater. Collider's review added:

"In the end, Tangled makes for a tasty smoothie that utilizes freshly picked ideas from Greno and Howard, while the classic storyline of discovery and adventure provide the usual vanilla standbys. There are exciting twists and turns when the film works, and the few pitfalls in the clashing tones of the characters aren’t enough to keep the ball from rolling. While Disney may not have the dominating foothold on animated films like they used to, if they continue to make films with this much heart and fun there is no doubt they can remain viable in this increasingly competitive genre."

Tangled is streaming on Disney+. Stay tuned for more on the upcoming live-action adaptation.