Disney confirms Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim for the live-action Tangled. Explore cast details, release timeline, and Disney’s big franchise plan.
The whole studio is behind the Tangled franchise, and the announcement from Walt Disney Pictures yesterday that Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim have been cast as Rapunzel and Flynn Rider in the live-action adaptation of Tangled is just the icing on the cake.
The project, which has survived a tumultuous development process that has included long periods of dormancy and a reshuffling of the workforce, is now being advertised as the cornerstone of Disney’s theatrical lineup for the late 2020s. Directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) and written by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge), the film will be an adaptation of the 2010 animated classic to a “high-stakes musical event” exclusively for theatrical release.
The selection of Croft and Manheim comes after an extensive international search and a number of intense screen tests held in London in the month of December 2025. This represents a clear and marked shift in the direction of casting actors who have solid musical theatre credentials and meaningful experience in the genre.
As Disney contends with the post-pandemic box office environment and the complicated legacy of its prior live-action remakes, the Tangled film comes not only as a nostalgic gambit, but a shrewd bid to attract the rising Gen-Z and millennial audiences who consider the original movie a key cultural touchstone.
The path of the live-action Tangled is impossible to trace without placing it in the context of the financial situation for Walt Disney Studios as a whole. Entering late 2024 and into 2025, the studio was introspective, after a string of financial disappointments on key titles, most especially the live-action Snow White. Industry analysts noted a waning in public interest in remakes of early 20th century classics, which fueled speculation that projects such as Tangled had been put on hold indefinitely as to prevent any further risk.
But the tides turned with the live-action Lilo and Stitch theatrical debut in May-2025. With a worldwide gross of over $1 billion, Lilo and Stitch demonstrated that remakes of “modern classics” (films originally released during the Disney Renaissance in the 2000s) had their own draw. This success restored corporate trust in the Tangled brand.
With a theatrical-only release, Disney is making clear that Tangled is to be a major cinematic event for the brand, rather than a direct-to-streaming filler. This strategy mirrors that of the upcoming Moana live action, set for release in July 2026, and maximum theatrical revenue before coming to Disney+.
| Film Title | Release Date | Original Animated Gross | Key Strategic Driver |
| Snow White | March/2025 | $418M (Adj.) | Re-evaluating early classics after underperformance. |
| Lilo and Stitch | May/2025 | $273M | The $1B success that revived the remake pipeline. |
| Moana | July 10, 2026 | $643M | Leveraging modern IP and star power. |
| Tangled | Prod. June 2026 | $592.5M | Targeting Gen-Z nostalgia and musical theater fans. |
The hunt for Rapunzel and Flynn Rider was all-consuming and ended in chemistry tests in London just before the holiday season of 2025. In contrast to earlier casting calls which were geared towards attracting A-list celebrity names to serve as marketing anchors, the Tangled production team was looking for vocal performers who could capture the emotional complexity of the characters and who had the vocal endurance to perform Alan Menken’s -folk-rock score.
Teagan Croft is a young Australian actress of 21 years old, who was chosen from a multitude of finalists. Her previous work as Rachel Roth (Raven) on the DC show Titans was key to her casting. To play Raven, Croft had to grapple with isolation and secret empowerment—narrative beats that, surprisingly, mirror those Rapunzel undergoes as a prisoner of Mother Gothel.
Additionally, Croft’s turn in Netflix’s True Spirit showcased her ability to head a family-friendly survival film. From the very beginning, Rapunzel isn’t a typical princess with “Tangled”: she’s a bohemian dreamer and inquisitive teenager who’s been living as an insanely long tag-along to Mother Gothel for eighteen years. Croft’s talent for encompassing “wonder, grit, and curiosity” all at once made her the obvious choice.
According to THR, the casting of Milo Manheim as Flynn Rider (aka Eugene Fitzherbert) is celebrated in the Disney fandom. Manheim is a “Disney-native” talent, with seven years leading the Zombies franchise. From this, he gained an insight into the mechanics of the musical storytelling of the studio like no other.
Aside from his Disney Channel background, Manheim has made a name for himself as a powerhouse stage actor, most recently starring in Little Shop of Horrors off-Broadway. The role of Flynn Rider is notoriously difficult to nail down—it’s a very specific type of arrogance you have to convey paired with sincerity– the “smolder” has to be hilarious but the eventual vulnerability has to be real. Manheim’s previous Dancing with the Stars tenure further guarantees he has the nimble body necessary for swashbuckling action sequences.
Read More :- Game of Thrones Star Sophie Turner Says Sansa Stark Got a Perfect Ending
Michael Gracey’s selection as director suggests a certain aesthetic for the film. Gracey, known for The Greatest Showman, is known for fusing modern musical tastes with the traditional theater spectacle. This one-size-fits-all template is especially curious when applied to Tangled, whose Alan Menken original score was a “folk-rock” departure from Broadway norms.
The director’s approach to films tend to focus on a “heightened reality.” For Tangled, this probably means that the Kingdom of Corona will be realized in tangible settings, rather than relying on the sterile “blue-screen” method. Backing Gracey is screenwriter Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, whose keen dialogue in Do Revenge indicates that the live-action script will keep the animated film’s sharp, current humor.
While the leads have been disclosed, the Mother Gothel part is still very much up for grabs. Early reports suggested that Scarlett Johansson was attached, but she departed the project due to schedule conflicts. So there’s a gap to fill now, for the heart and soul of the film.
Fans have made their support for Donna Murphy – the original voice actress, to come back to the role heard far and wide, and others have brought up Kathryn Hahn as a potential replacement for charismatic, manipulative roles.
Production is scheduled to start in June 2026, indicating an arrival just for the big screen in late 2027 or 2028. The schedule provides ample time for the complex post-production work needed for the tricky physics of Rapunzel’s hair along with the environmental VFX.
The signing of Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim is more than just a headline, it is the first step in a massive multi-year plan to revive the Kingdom of Corona. The world awaits the lantern launch, and for the first time in years, the “dream” of a viable live action Rapunzel transition seems attainable.
Dive into the entertainment world with Fandomfans to get the latest update from movies, series, and celebrities with deeper details.
Keira Knightley leads the dark comedy THE WORST with Jamie Dornan and Alicia Vikander. Cast, plot information, release hype and more. Read more visit website!
The recently announced film The Worst is already shaping up to be one of the most interesting films this year. Variety have also confirmed that Keira Knightley, Alicia Vikander, Jamie Dornan, and Erin Kellyman will all appear in this upcoming dark comedy The Worst that is a powerhouse cast if I’ve ever seen one. It’s very rare to have such esteemed actors all come together for one project this early in a career and it says that the production is going to be something ambitious creatively.
This is not just a collection of over-exposed actors, but a group who can portray characters with layers of intensity and complexity psychologically. Combined, these actors’ collective strengths hint at a movie that will play to an emotional core and perhaps a bit of controlled chaos, right in line with the tone suggested by the genre.
If the early storyline summaries are any indication, The Worst seems primed to offer a daring, out-of-the-box cinematic ride that could potentially be one of the more distinctive films in today’s market.
There’s nothing quite as tasty as a satire of “rich people behaving badly.” From Succession to The Menu, we as a society are fascinated with watching the privileged class collapse. The Worst appears to be tailor-made to deliver that, albeit with a sun-kissed, French edge.
Here’s the scoop: the movie takes place in a beautiful new chateau in France. Alicia Vikander is Emily Fisher, a high society socialite who, after her husband Max, hosts a group of friends at night. Apparently this is one of these groups of homies who all secretly (or not so secretly) loathe each other.
Keira Knightley is taking on the role of Holly, a “struggling diversity consultant” who has conflicts with everyone until she gets a migraine. Anyone that has watched Knightley in Begin Again or the more easy-going, cheerful bits of Pride and Prejudice will know just how much comedic timing she has and yet is never fully utilised. Prejudice knows how to make use of her effortless charm while throwing out razor-sharp wit. But to see her playing an abrasive, “deliberately flawed” character is definitely going to be a treat.
And then there’s Jamie Dornan as Danny, a fast-talking talent agent who can’t stop dropping the names of his clients. If you saw Dornan in Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, you know he’s actually a comedic genius. He’s got that charm that can so easily curdle into something hilariously insufferable, which sounds absolutely right for this role.
And who’s caught in the middle of this hurricane of narcissism? The brilliant Erin Kellyman (which if you’ve seen Willow or The Falcon and the Winter Soldier you’ll remember her) is Niamh, the waitress.
There’s something so comforting about the “average Joe stuck with insanely wealthy people” trope. Kellyman’s screen presence is so grounded and powerful; at the end of a night of collapsing secrets and madness will be the anchor this tale needs.
Simon Woods is making his directorial debut with the film. If you know that name, that’s because he was once an actor before he became a playwright. Here’s a fun fact, though: Woods and Keira Knightley were also in the 2005 Pride & Prejudice! He acted as Mr. Bingley.
It’s always interesting when actors direct because they view performance from a different angle. Woods has penned the screenplay himself, calling it a bid to “seduce audiences into identifying with characters who are intentionally flawed, abrasive and frequently enraging.”
He just wants us to be on the verge of sympathizing with these awful people before yanking the rug out from under us. It’s a daring move. It’s dangerous. And it sounds just like the kind of uncomfortable, “make-you-want-to-rip-the-armrest-off-the-seat” cinema that people end up talking about.
Read More 👉 Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Jess Bush Breaks Down the End of Spock & Chapel
Other than the cast, what sets The Worst apart is the timing. We live in a golden age of class satire. We live to pick apart privilege, particularly when it’s served up with “wickedly entertaining” humor, as the producers promise.
But it’s also a particular configuration of these actors.
That is the hard part. The project is now available to buyers at the European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin, running now. So production and release dates are still to be decided.
But for a cast this stacked, it’s almost certain to be scooped up quickly. I wouldn’t be shocked if a streaming giant or major studio is in a bidding war for the rights by the end of the week.
So we wait, for now. But let’s be real — the group chat has already been ignited. We’re already casting our predictions on who cracks first at this dinner party. My money’s on Jamie Dornan’s character Machiavellian-networking his way out of a disaster while Keira Knightley’s character silently judges him from across the room.
The Worst is not a typical film announcement, it’s more like the start of a cultural talk. With a keenly focused premise, a brazen creative vision, and a cast full of actors who excel in psychological nuance, this doesn’t seem like the run-of-the-mill dark comedy, it’s an event. Keira Knightley new dark comedy movie with Jamie Dornan is the kind of film that intelligently dissects privilege, power, and hypocrisy with humor and just enough chaos to make audiences a little uncomfortable in the best way.
If it lives up to even half of what it’s promising, The Worst won’t just entertain, it will linger. It will provoke debates, think-pieces, memes, and 4 AM conversations about characters and moral failures. And in a world flooded with safe, formulaic releases, that’s precisely what makes this film exciting: it’s allowed to be messy, provocative, and unforgettable.
Dive into the world of stars with Fandomfans where you can get every detail from celebrities.
Discover Agatha Harkness MCU evolution, Kathryn Hahn’s standout performance, and how her ghostly mentorship guides the next generation of Marvel heroes.
When WandaVision initially brought Agatha Harkness in as the giddy, nosey neighbor, it seemed unlikely that she would end up as one of the MCU’s most complex and emotionally satisfying characters. Yet with Agatha All Along, Marvel didn’t only give a fan-favorite villain a moment of grandeur—it redefined her entire role in the franchise. By the time the credits start rolling, Agatha is defying life and death. She becomes something much more compelling: a spirit with loose ends to tie up, wit as sharp as ever, and a future somehow brighter than before.
I know we have unfinished business, but I hope we can team up again.
—Hahn said
She lived for centuries by sucking the life force out of other people. Backstabbed by her coven, disowned by her mother, and shattered by the death of her son Nicholas Scratch, she was made merciless because survival required it. It doesn’t exonerate her crimes, but it at last accounts for them. In this context, her final decision is to sacrifice herself to save Billy Maximoff — isn’t just shocking, but powerfully earned.
Death is where Marvel plays with expectations. Kathryn Explained, Agatha doesn’t disappear into heroic glory. Instead, she lingers. Bound to the mortal plane by guilt and fear—namely the fear of seeing her son in the afterlife, she comes back as a ghost. This “Ghost Agatha” twist is a narrative masterstroke. It lets her pay a cost for her past, while continuing to be active, opinionated and dangerously smart.
She balances the camp humor with real grief, and Agatha’s never allowed to become either too soft or too monstrous. Agatha will not be sanctified, not even in death. She’s still snarky, still conniving, still wildly human. That’s what makes her ghostly mentorship of Billy Maximoff so compelling. And their “Coven Two” dynamic inverts the classic mentor trope: Billy is the young one with all the raw, reality-bending power, while Agatha brings centuries of knowledge, cynicism, and hard-won survival instincts. Power can be taken away, she tells him but you can’t take away knowledge.
This turn also beautifully matches Marvel Comics history where Agatha is famously Wanda Maximoff’s mentor from beyond the grave. The MCU takes that concept and brings it into today, reimagining Agatha as a spiritual leader for the next generation. In a universe full of gods and geniuses, Agatha holds a special place: the grey witch who plays by the rules because she’s broken all of them.
Thematically, Agatha’s arc taps into a few pressure points the MCU frequently mishandles. She epitomizes layered female villainy not driven by domination, but by loss and survival. Her storyline runs parallel to Wanda’s — both defined by grief, motherhood, and unthinkable decisions. Having her and Billy, a son in search of family, come together adds an emotional symmetry to the narrative that seems more intentional than convenient.
Yes I do. I love Joe Locke. Who knows what comes next? To me it was like a beautiful, complete way to say goodbye to that wonderful character I had played.
—Hahn said
Suggesting that she wants to look forward to playing this character because it’s an end is really a part of the new and exciting beginning for the next chapter.
And just as crucial is Agatha’s place in queer representation. Her tragic romance with the Death figure, Rio Vidal, is not played for a trick. Their “Kiss of Death” is personal, agonizing and definitive – a rare instance in which the arc of a major MCU villain ends through queer love, rather than violence alone. Not even Agatha’s identity is wiped away or softened in death.
A definite What If…? appearance, strong narrative connections to Vision Quest, and her organic role as a mentor figure for a Young Avengers team all suggest long-term involvement. Comic precedent even allows for a return from the dead. Ghosthood is, after all, hardly ever permanent in Marvel.
Read More:- HBO Hard Launches 2026: Euphoria S3, House of the Dragon S3, Dune: Prophecy & More
Agatha Harkness has become what the MCU so desperately needs: a mythic throughline in its supernatural corner. She’s proof that a story does not end in death — it can be distilled by it. A ghostly mother to confused witches and stray children, Agatha is not disappearing into the shadows. She’s haunting the future, and she’s doing it with a grin.
Stay with Fandomfans for more updates on MCU and Agatha All Along along with its lead roles.
