Disney’s Live-Action ‘Tangled’ Remake Casts Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel

Disney’s live-action Tangled has cast a Marvel Cinematic Universe star to play Mother Gothel, but not the one originally reported. When news of the live-action Tangled film being revived at Disney first broke, it was reported that Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson was in talks to play the main villain of Mother Gothel, who was voiced by Donna Murphy in the original film. However, due to commitments to Mike Flanagan’s The Exorcist and The Batman – Part II, Johansson dropped out.

Disney officially announced that fan-favorite Kathryn Hahn will now play Mother Gothel in Tangled. Hahn played Agatha Harkness in WandaVision and her own spin-off series, Agatha All Along. Hahn is also known for roles in series such as Parks and Recreation, Mrs. Fletcher, and The Studio, as well as films like Step Brothers and Bad Moms. Hahn had previously been rumored to be in talks back in January 2026. Hahn confirmed her casting for Tangled in a video of the actress wearing a shirt with Mother Gothel on it, with the caption “You want her to be the bad guy? FINE. Kathryn Hahn is Mother Gothel in Disney’s live-action Tangled.“ See the video below:

Hahn joins a rich legacy of actors who have stepped into the role of a Disney villain in a live-action remake. This includes many of her MCU co-horts like Angelina Jolie (Eternals) as Malieficent, Cate Blanchett (Thor: Ragnarok) as Lady Tremaine in Cinderella, Chiwetel Ejiofor (Doctor Strange) as Scar in The Lion King, Jude Law (Captain Marvel) as Captain Hook in Peter Pan & Wendy, Idris Elba (Thor) as Shere Khan in The Jungle Book, and Glenn Close (Guardians of the Galaxy) as Cruella de Vil. Hahn had been a fan-favorite to play the role of Mother Gothel for years, and this casting will please fans, even those who might be tired of Disney live-action remakes.

Tangled will be directed by Michael Gracey, who previously directed The Greatest Showman and Better Man. Tegan Croft, who played Raven on Titans, will star as Rapunzel, the role originated by Mandy Moore in the 2010 animated film. Milo Manheim, best known for the Disney Channel Original Movie Zombie and the Paramount+ series School Spirits, will play Flynn Rider, who was voiced by Zachary Levi in the animated film. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who wrote and directed the Netflix dark comedy Do Revenge and the legacy sequel I Know What You Did Last Summer, will pen the screenplay for Tangled.

The original Tangled opened in theaters on Nov. 24, 2010, and, along with The Princess and the Frog the previous year, is seen as kicking off a revival era for Walt Disney Animation that included Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, and Moana. Talks of a Tangled remake were halted at Disney following the box office disappointment of Snow White in 2025, but shortly after the $1 billion worldwide gross of Lilo & Stitch seemed to shift which titles Disney would remake. Remakes of pre-Disney Renaissance titles like The Aristocats and Robin Hood were canceled, while newer films like Moana and Tangled were given the green light. Tangled has no set release date, but with the casting moving along, it is only a matter of time before Disney announces a release window.