First Look at Pascal in Disney’s Live-Action ‘Tangled’ Gives Rapunzel’s Chameleon a Naturalistic Makeover

Few animated sidekicks have charmed audiences quite like Rapunzel’s silent green companion, so any hint at how he will look in live action is bound to set fans talking. A fresh first look at Pascal from the live-action ‘Tangled‘ remake is now making the rounds online, and it shows a very different take on the character.

Pascal has always been more than a pet. He is Rapunzel’s confidant and protector, and his expressive reactions help carry some of the original film’s best comedic moments despite the fact that he never says a word.

The image shared online sets a realistic green chameleon with a tightly coiled tail beside the animated Pascal from the 2010 film, whose huge brown eyes and exaggerated expressions made him instantly recognizable. The contrast is striking, since the live-action version looks like an actual chameleon rather than a cartoon character.

First look at Pascal on the live-action ‘TANGLED’ remake. In theaters in 2028. https://t.co/d18Ghr5zmf

— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) October 30, 2026

Disney has not officially detailed the picture, so its exact origin and format remain unclear. It is not confirmed whether it shows a practical creature, a digital model or a reference image, and no official first-look photo from the studio has been verified.

That caution matters because the film is still in production. Disney showed its first footage at the D23 showcase in August, but that clip was not released online.

Disney has set the live-action ‘Tangled’ for release on March 31, 2028. Michael Gracey, known for ‘The Greatest Showman’ and ‘Better Man’, is directing, with the film retaining big musical elements like the original.

Teagan Croft stars as Rapunzel, Milo Manheim plays Flynn Rider and Kathryn Hahn is Mother Gothel. Diego Luna has also joined the cast in a role that has not been revealed.

Production began in late June at Ciudad de la Luz studios in Alicante, Spain, with filming also taking place in the U.K. A regional report from Spain said shooting was expected to wrap in October.

Earlier set photos offered hints about the approach to the film’s animal characters. Photos of Maximus suggested a mix of a real horse, puppetry and CGI. At that time, Pascal had not yet been confirmed.

That uncertainty fed speculation about how the chameleon would work on screen. One columnist predicted he would be a lifelike CGI creature, similar to the approach used in the live-action ‘Cinderella’, and suggested that he and Maximus might lose some of their animated personality.

Fans share that concern. Pascal and Maximus are non-speaking characters whose charm comes from body language, and a realistic design makes it harder to replicate those comedic beats.

The new look is a fitting return to Pascal’s origins. The character was named after a real chameleon owned by an animator on the original film, and the closing credits even included a Chameleon Babies credit as a nod to the pet.

The directors created Pascal to give the isolated Rapunzel someone to talk to, and critics often preferred the sidekick duo to the film’s central couple. Trivia hunters have also pointed out that the animated version has fixed eye sockets, a quirk that a realistic chameleon would not share.

The stakes are high for the remake. The 2010 original grossed $592 million worldwide, according to Variety, and it continues to rank among the most-watched movies on Disney+.

The remake was first reported in December 2024, then put on hold in April 2025 after the live-action ‘Snow White’ underperformed, earning only $69 million domestically. It was revived after the live-action ‘Lilo & Stitch’ became a billion-dollar hit, and Croft and Manheim were cast in January.

That history makes character design a delicate balance. Disney’s recent remakes have generally stuck close to the originals for costumes and character looks, but animals are harder to translate than humans.

Whether this realistic chameleon is the final design or simply a stage in development remains to be seen. What is clear is that Pascal’s expressive personality is a big part of why ‘Tangled’ endures, and fans will be watching closely to see if the live-action version can match it.

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