Disney is officially making a live-action version of Tangled and according to fans, producers only need to look at one of Spotify’s biggest stars in 2024 to find their leading lady.
After years of murmurings, news broke today that a live-action remake of the 2010 animation is officially in the works at Disney, with The Greatest Showman filmmaker Michael Gracey in talks to direct. Meanwhile, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson — whose credits include Do Revenge and Thor: Love and Thunder — will reportedly pen the script, which will serve as a reimagination of the long-haired princess originally from the iconic Brothers Grimm fairytale.
Confirmation that a live-action Tangled is on the horizon might’ve been exciting enough, but with no details revealed about casting, the question still remains as to who will don the lengthy hair extension and succeed Mandy Moore as the new Rapunzel. Doing what they do best, fans promptly began casting their ideal candidates for the role, with one name in particular proving especially popular given her mammoth success this year. 2024 has undoubtedly been the year of Sabrina Carpenter, so perhaps it’s not surprising that she’s atop the list of multiple live-action Tangled fan-casts.
Carpenter’s candidacy for Rapunzel was undoubtedly renewed with the help of Spotify, who earlier this month revealed that her smash hit “Espresso” was the most streamed song on music platform globally in 2024. The freshness of that win meant Carpenter was top of mind when news broke of the Tangled reboot, and scores of fans are petitioning for the pop star on her behalf. “‘Rapunzel and Flynn Rider’ we all say in unison,” one X user wrote alongside an image of Carpenter and their pick for Rapunzel’s love interest, actor Taylor Zakhar Perez.
Other fans wrote “hear me out” while suggesting the same two stars for the leading roles, or reiterated that “the internet has been peddling” the idea of Carpenter as Rapunzel for some time. “The right answer is Sabrina Carpenter,” a third fan quipped, with a fourth agreeing that the pop star “has the right look and personality for the role.” Of course, as her Spotify success proves, Carpenter also has the vocal chops for what will presumably be a very musical role, but she’s still competing against some other competitive candidates according to fans.
Actress Florence Pugh has been floating around in discussions of a live-action Tangled for about as long as Rapunzel’s hair, with fans naming other frontrunners in the likes of Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Madelyn Cline and Dove Cameron. Beyond Rapunzel, the role of Mother Gothel has been cast for Kathryn Hahn, such is the witchy legacy she has left in the wake of Agatha All Along. At this point, it’s all purely fan speculation, which might not have any influence on Disney’s decision but remains a fun exercise nonetheless.
If it were to come to fruition, Carpenter’s appearance in Tangled would add to the pop star to actress pipeline that feels especially fitting for the role. If you recall, Moore — who voiced the princess in the original film — began her career as a bubblegum pop singer in 1999 before pivoting to acting, perhaps paving the way for a similar trajectory for Carpenter. That built-in story itself feels like fairytale wish fulfillment, which fellow singer-turned-actress Ariana Grande might also know a thing or two about.
Published: Dec 12, 2024 05:48 am