Why Disney Dropped Plans for a ‘Tangled’ Sequel
Disney once explored the idea of making a sequel to “Tangled,” but those plans were eventually dropped. The main reason was simple: the studio could not find a story strong enough to continue the original film.
This information comes from The Direct, which spoke exclusively with Nathan Greno, who co-directed the 2010 animated hit. He explained that there were conversations at Disney about a possible follow-up, but nothing ever moved forward into production. Even though the original movie was a huge global success, earning over half a billion dollars, it never received an official sequel.
Greno said the main issue was creative direction. He explained that some stories feel complete on their own, making it difficult to continue them without forcing new ideas. He compared this challenge to other classic Disney stories where the main journey already reaches a natural ending point.
He said, “No… Again, I’m not against sequels. There was, I will say, after we finished ‘Tangled’… It’s a tricky place, because I’ll put it this way: once Pinocchio becomes a real boy, what else is there to say? Once the Beast becomes a human, what else is there to say?”
According to Greno, the creative team even gathered for a dedicated session to try and develop a sequel idea. They spent time discussing different directions, but in the end, nothing felt right or strong enough to build a full film around.
He explained, “We actually did an off-site at Disney, and we got the original team together, and we really all talked about it for hours, and we kind of walked away saying, ‘We couldn’t find a story worth telling.’”
Instead of continuing the story in a full movie, Disney later created a short film focused on Rapunzel and Eugene’s wedding. That short was made as a simple extension of the original story rather than a full sequel idea, and it was well received by fans.
Greno also spoke about his broader view on sequels and original stories during the interview with The Direct. While he acknowledged that some sequels can be very successful, he said he is personally more drawn to new and original ideas.
He said, “But to me, I think what speaks to my passion is original storytelling…” He also added that fresh ideas are what excite him most in today’s film industry.
Some stories feel complete, and forcing a sequel can sometimes weaken what made the original special. At the same time, “Tangled” is still very popular, so it’s easy to see why fans would want more. What do you think—should Disney have tried harder to make a sequel, or was it the right choice to leave the story as it is? Share your thoughts in the comments.
