Disney’s Live-Action ‘Tangled’ Reveals New First Look at Rapunzel and Flynn Rider Face-To-Face

Disney’s live-action remake machine has kept churning despite a bumpy stretch for the format, and ‘Tangled‘ now stands as the studio’s next classic getting the shot-for-shot treatment. The 2010 animated original grossed over $591 million worldwide and spawned both a short film and a long-running Disney Channel series, leaving this new adaptation with a genuinely beloved legacy to live up to.

Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim landed the lead roles of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider back in January, following a search that had quietly been building since the project was first reported in early development in December 2024. Production has since relocated to Spain, where filming has continued on elaborate Kingdom of Corona sets designed to bring the animated film’s world to life in live action.

New set photos have now given fans their clearest look yet at the two leads together, showing Croft’s Rapunzel and Manheim’s Flynn Rider face-to-face in costume, rather than the more distant or partial glimpses that circulated in earlier leaks. The images reveal Rapunzel’s elaborate blonde wig styled with braided detail and flowers, paired with a deeper purple dress than the shade worn by Mandy Moore’s animated counterpart, while Manheim’s Flynn sports a mustache and tousled hair reminiscent of the character’s roguish animated design.

That level of detail suggests the production remains committed to closely mirroring the beloved 2010 film’s visual identity, even as it introduces subtle live-action variations along the way. Earlier set photos had already offered brief looks at Rapunzel’s massive braided hair from behind and Manheim walking through the film’s castle corridors, but these newest images mark the first time both characters have been captured together in a shared scene.

The ‘Tangled’ remake arrives at a complicated moment for Disney’s live-action strategy, following a turbulent stretch that included significant controversy surrounding ‘Snow White’ and a costly box office disappointment with ‘Moana,’ which is expected to lose at least $100 million by the end of its theatrical run. Given that backdrop, Disney appears to be leaning heavily on nostalgia and faithful visual execution to help ‘Tangled’ avoid a similar fate.

Michael Gracey, known for directing ‘The Greatest Showman’ and ‘Better Man,’ is helming the project from a script written by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, with Kristin Burr recently joining as a producer. That creative team brings a strong track record in large-scale musical spectacle, which could prove essential given how central music and visual scale were to the original animated film’s success.

Beyond its two leads, the film has assembled a notable supporting cast, including Kathryn Hahn as the villainous Mother Gothel and Diego Luna in a still-undisclosed role. Hahn’s casting in particular generated significant fan excitement online, especially after reports indicated Scarlett Johansson had initially been considered for the role before opting to star in ‘The Batman Part II’ instead.

With production continuing overseas and Disney yet to release an official first-look image or confirmed release date, fans will likely have to rely on set photos like these for the foreseeable future. Given the studio’s D23 event taking place next month, it remains to be seen whether Disney will finally offer an official reveal of its own.

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