After putting the live-action Tangled on hold earlier this year (seemingly in response to Snow White's dismal box office performance), Disney is now moving full steam ahead with the movie.
While there may still be other names in the mix, The Hollywood Reporter has revealed the actresses who have been testing for the role of Rapunzel. Those include Freya Skye (Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires), Sarah Catherine Hook (White Lotus), Teagan Croft (Titans), and Olivia-Mai Barrett (Invasion).
None of them is exactly a household name, suggesting Disney is focusing more on finding who is right for the character rather than landing an A-Lister. The Summer I Turned Pretty star Lola Tung was in the mix at one point, but didn't end up testing.
The hunt is also on for Flynn Rider, with Milo Manheim (Zombies), Charlie Gillespie (Julie and the Phantoms), and Scottish stage actor Gilli Jones among the current possibilities.
It's previously been reported that Sadie Sink (Stranger Things), Mckenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), Emma Myers (Wednesday), and Isabel May (1883) were in the running. That information appears to have been incorrect.
It sounds like a decision will be made sooner rather than later, so we may get casting news before the Holidays are over. Disney is still seeking Mother Gothel, the main villain in Tangled. Jurassic World Rebirth star Scarlett Johansson was circling the role, but has officially dropped out of the movie after signing up for The Batman Part II and The Exorcist reboot.
The Greatest Showman and Better Man director Michael Gracey will helm Tangled, which the report states "will have, like the original, big musical elements." Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Thor: Love and Thunder) wrote the screenplay.
In Tangled, when the kingdom's most-wanted bandit, Flynn Rider, hides in a convenient tower, he immediately becomes a captive of Rapunzel, the spire's longtime resident. Crowned with 70 feet of magical golden hair, she has been locked away for years and desperately wants freedom. The feisty teenager strikes a deal with Flynn, and together, they begin a whirlwind adventure.
The live-action Tangled is set to begin shooting in the UK this June, though that may change depending on how the casting process goes.
It's going to be interesting finding out how Disney approaches Tangled. Over the years, the studio has been criticised for either adhering too closely to the original cartoons or taking big swings that haven't landed with audiences.
Stay tuned for updates on Tangled as we have them.