Snow White opened in March to largely negative reviews and became a box office bomb when it grossed a mere $205.7 million worldwide on a reported production budget of $270 million (that figure rises to $370 million with marketing costs factored in).
Disney was rattled, and put its live-action version of Tangled on hold. The movie was in active development with The Greatest Showman and Better Man helmer Michael Gracey on board to direct from a script by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Thor: Love and Thunder).
Lilo & Stitch being a $1 billion hit might have given Disney some much-needed confidence in its planned slate, because Tangled is back in active development, with Jurassic World Rebirth star Scarlett Johansson eyed to play the villainous Mother Gothel.
ET Online spoke with the actress this past weekend, and asked Johansson about possibly joining the Tangled cast. "What would excite me about it would be the opportunity to work with Michael Gracey, who is attached to direct the film," she said, clearly choosing her words carefully. "He is just absolutely an extraordinary visionary, and any actor would love to have a collaboration with him."
Johansson would be a great fit for the role, and she clearly knows something about the project. Despite falling out with Disney over Black Widow's unconventional release in 2020, she has a good relationship with the studio now. Johansson is also developing a Tower of Terror feature with them.
There's still no word on who will play Rapunzel, but if the Florence Pugh rumours are true, that would make for an exciting Black Widow reunion.
In the animated Tangled, released in 2010, Mother Gothel is a vain and selfish woman who has retained her youth for hundreds of years through the healing properties of a magic golden flower. When its powers were unintentionally transferred to the hair of the newborn princess Rapunzel, Gothel kidnapped the baby and locked her in a secluded tower, where she hoarded Rapunzel's healing magic.
Since then, Gothel has posed as the Princess's loving, albeit overprotective, mother to keep her under control, pretending to protect Rapunzel from the cruelty of the outside world.
Tangled grossed just shy of $600 million at the worldwide box office upon release and starred Mandy Moore, Donna Murphy, and Zachary Levi. The movie is currently streaming on Disney+, while this live-action remake doesn't currently have a confirmed release date.
Keep checking back here for all the latest on Tangled.