For the last 15 years, Disney has gone no-holds-barred in its own trend of giving classic animated movies the live-action treatment. This year, however, it looks like the Mickey Mouse company is taking a breather before moving forward. The Hollywood Reporter revealed that one of the next adaptations in line, Tangled, has been put on hold indefinitely, and according to studio insiders it is not clear whether production will resume at some point or go through a complete overhaul. The release date hadn’t been set.
Even though it isn’t bluntly stated, the move comes on the heels of the lackluster performance of Snow White in theaters. So far, the newest Disney live-action adaptation has raked in a lackluster $69 million domestically. Even though the blockbuster’s numbers don’t sound too bad in its global performance — $145 million by now — they pale when you factor in that the project cost a whopping $270 million to make. The bad reviews certainly didn’t help: the movie currently has a 40% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Is this an indication that audiences are growing tired of the adaptations or just a one-time occurrence? Disney isn’t willing to take a chance to find out.
From a production standpoint, Tangled is probably one of the easiest projects to stop on its tracks, since so far Disney had only locked in a director and a screenwriter (as far as we know). Michael Gracey was attached to direct and this pointed to a spectacle-like feel for Tangled, since the filmmaker previously helmed The Greatest Showman and the unconventional biopic Better Man. Jennifer Kaityn Robinson, who previously wrote Thor: Love and Thunder and Netflix‘s Do Revenge, was writing the screenplay.
Is This The Beginning Of The End of The Disney Live-Action Era?
The pressure is on for the upcoming Disney titles. After Snow White, the studio has already set dates for the highly anticipated Lilo & Stitch and Moana. The two movies will certainly serve as a thermometer for the overall feel of movie-going audiences towards the Disney live-action projects. If they have a similar performance to Snow White, chances are that the studio will have to go back to the drawing board and rethink its approach to its own IP — just like it did with the Marvel movies in 2024.
Despite the Tangled news, the studio is still actively working on a slate of other adaptations, including Hercules, Robin Hood, The Aristocats and Bambi. Last year, Mufasa: The Lion King managed to rake in over $720 worldwide, making it one of the top 10 highest-grossing movies of the year. So there is a chance that Snow White is just a bump in the road. But, for now, Tangled is taking the fall.
Snow White is playing in theaters now.
via Collider