Disney Halts Production On Live-Action ‘Tangled’ After ‘Snow White’ Disaster: Report

Disney has reportedly halted production of a live-action version of the movie “Tangled” following the disastrous results of the recently released “Snow White.”

“The Greatest Showman” director Michael Gracey was hired as director, while Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who also wrote “Thor: Love and Thunder,” was the scriptwriter. But now, according to sources who spoke with The Hollywood Reporter, the project is on hold.

The studio insiders did not mention when the project would move forward or if any changes were being made to what had been done so far. 

“Snow White” dropped to number four at the box office this week after a slow opening and overall lackluster showing. The film has so far earned $69 million domestically and $145 million worldwide meaning it hasn’t recouped its estimated $270 million production budget. 

There are several factors which likely contributed to the remake’s abysmal results. First, the actress playing the film’s titular star, Rachel Zegler, made controversial statements about politics and current events, including saying she hoped Trump supporters “never know peace.” She also mocked the source material for the movie she was starring in, calling Prince Charming a “stalker” and saying the new version of “Snow White” wouldn’t resemble the original.

“We have a different approach to, what I’m sure a lot of people will assume is a love story,” Zegler said in part. “[Snow White is] not going to be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love,” she continued. “She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave and true.”

Most critics also gave it a negative review, leading to “Snow White” earning a 44% critic score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

Disney has been in the live-action remake game for years with varying levels of success. “Cinderella” (2015) was considered a hit, bringing in $540 million against a $90 million budget. Another big success was “Beauty and the Beast” (2017), starring Emma Watson, which received rave reviews from viewers and critics for the cast, songs, and visual design. That remake grossed over $1.26 billion against a $255 million budget.

“Snow White” isn’t the only live-action remake that underperformed expectations. “Dumbo” (2019) was also considered a flop, as was “Pinocchio” (2022).