With the Tangled live action back in development Scarlett Johansson is eyeing to play Mother Gothel

Disey's Tangled live-action is back in development and Scarlett Johansson might join the cast as one of the most iconic villains of Disney. As reported by Deadline, the Marvel actress is being eyed to play the role of Mother Gothel in the film, a role previously voiced by Donna Murphy.

The revival film is being directed by Michael Gracey, with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson working on the script. First announced in late 2024, Tangled's live-action film was put on pause after the Snow White live-action film underperformed at the box office. The studio's live-action slate was briefly frozen as creative directions were reconsidered, but as the latest reports say, Tangled is back in the game, and Johansson might just give us another iconic performance as Gothel.

It is not yet confirmed who will be playing the lead role of Rapunzel, although Florence Pugh's name continues to float around with Zachary Levi, who voiced Flynn Rider in the animated film, expressing his desire to return as the male lead.

As of now, more updates are awaited as the film remains in its early stages of development but with Scarlett Johansson's name attached to the project, the studio seems to be aiming big, with a live-action film that will pay proper tribute to the original classic.

More details about Tangled

Tangled is Disney magic at its finest, a 2010 animated musical adventure that reimagines the classic Brothers Grimm tale, Rapunzel, with a twist of humor, heart, and breathtaking visuals. Directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard, with a screenplay by Dan Fogelman, it stars Mandy Moore as the spirited Rapunzel, Zachary Levi as the roguish Flynn Rider, and Donna Murphy as the manipulative Mother Gothel.

The film revolves around a drop of sunlight that births a magical flower, which is capable of restoring youth. The flower is used by Mother Gothel, an old woman who is obsessed with youth, until it is taken by the queen of Corona to survive childbirth. As a result her daughter Rapunzel is born with magical hair that carries the flower's magic.

Soon enough, Gothel kidnaps her in a remote tower, keeping her isolated from the world with false stories of the world's dangers. On her 18th birthday, Rapunzel hatches a clever plan to escape the tower, enlisting the thief Flynn Rider in exchange for returning a stolen crown.

The film is widely considered one of the best Disney films, with critics raving about Moore's performance and the film's visuals, which have CGI infused with the lush, romantic style of Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s Rococo paintings. Costing over $260 million, Tangled blends humor, adventure, and emotion into a story that feels both timeless and modern, proving Disney knows how to take a classic fairy tale and spin it into pure cinematic gold.