Tangled Live-Action: Who’s Taking Over From Scarlett Johansson?

Talk has been building around the casting for the much-anticipated live-action adaptation of Tangled, with early whispers suggesting Scarlett Johansson was set to play the villainous Mother Gothel. However, fresh reports indicate that Paniz Rahnama may have landed the part instead, shaking up expectations for the film’s line-up.

Word of Rahnama’s involvement has caught many off guard. Known for her work in Bollywood and a handful of Netflix projects, this would mark her first major Hollywood gig if the deal goes through. Meanwhile, the rest of the cast for Disney’s new take on the animated favourite is quietly coming together behind the scenes.

Main Cast Rumours and New Faces

While Disney hasn’t officially confirmed the main players for the live-action Tangled, several outlets have pointed to likely candidates. Rahnama is reportedly in the midst of test screenings for the role of Mother Gothel, the central antagonist from the original. Her previous credits include roles in Bard of Blood, Drive, and Smoke, mostly for Netflix and Indian television.

Johansson, who was initially in the running for the part, is said to have stepped away due to other commitments, including her upcoming turn as Poison Ivy in The Batman Part II. As for the other leads, Sarah Catherine Hook, recognised for her work in White Lotus, is rumoured to be the frontrunner for Rapunzel. Milo Manheim, a familiar face from Disney’s Zombies series, is tipped to play Flynn Rider.

Background on Tangled and Its Legacy

The original Tangled film, directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard, featured a cast including Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, and Ron Perlman. It scored highly with critics and audiences alike, boasting an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and pulling in $591 million at the box office. With the main trio for the remake seemingly falling into place, fans are keenly awaiting an official announcement from Disney in the coming weeks.

Johansson’s Future With Disney

Although Johansson may have exited the running for Mother Gothel, she’s still keen to stay involved with Disney, this time from behind the camera. In a recent interview, she discussed her experience as an executive producer on Black Widow and was asked about the possibility of directing a Marvel film in the future.

I think the movies that I like that are big action movies also have the human connectivity piece. Even producing Black Widow and being a part of the production of that, and the development of the story, and the story between Natasha and Yelena… [there is] I think, a way of doing it, a way of maintaining the integrity of the idea of human connection, family, disappointment, all of the things that were themes in [Eleanor the Great], and doing it in a giant way in a giant universe — there’s ways of doing that… So, yeah, definitely, it could be, it would be fun.

So, while she might not be stepping into the shoes of a classic Disney villain just yet, there’s every chance we’ll see her name pop up in the credits as a director for a Marvel Studios project down the track. Both Black Widow and Tangled are currently available to stream on Disney+ in Australia.