Actress Kathryn Hahn confirmed filming is underway in Spain for Disney's live-action Tangled remake, speaking in an exclusive interview at D23 on August 14.
The 53-year-old star plays Rapunzel's villainous adoptive mother Mother Gothel in the upcoming fantasy feature, which Disney announced at the fan convention will be released in March 2028.
Speaking to reporters at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Hahn described the European location shoot as "heaven" and noted that the production "already feels like magic."
The project features Teagan Croft starring as Rapunzel, the long-haired princess trapped inside a hidden tower, alongside Milo Manheim as the smoldering bandit Flynn Rider.
Hahn praised her fellow cast members during the interview, remarking that the ensemble is "so delicious" and expressing delight at performing musical routines. "I cannot believe I'm singing and dancing at this stage in my life, it's pretty fantastic," she said.
Production Progress and Iconic Musical Numbers
Addressing her preparation for Mother Gothel's signature villain song, "Mother Knows Best," Hahn clarified that filming for the solo sequence has not yet taken place.
"I haven't done it yet," Hahn stated regarding the scene, while revealing that extensive preparatory work is already progressing behind the scenes. "The choreography is out of this world," she added.
The role of Mother Gothel was originally voiced by Donna Murphy in Disney's 2010 animated feature. Hahn was a popular fancast choice for the live-action adaptation prior to her official selection.
Reflecting on securing the part, Hahn shared her ongoing excitement about bringing the character to life. "I cannot believe I get to do this," Hahn emphasized. "I'm still pinching myself. It's so fun."
Casting History and Social Media Announcement
Disney formally announced Hahn's casting in March 2026, following earlier announcements in January 2026 that confirmed Croft and Manheim in the lead roles of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. In the original 2010 animated movie, the title characters were voiced by Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi.
To reveal her casting, the WandaVision star shared a joint video post with Disney on Instagram on March 10, 2026, wearing a T-shirt featuring a collage of cartoon Mother Gothel artwork alongside jeans and glasses.
In the video clip, Hahn, whose Instagram username is @motherhahn, joked about learning internet terminology: "Hey! OOTD, just found out what that stands for. So, here's my Outfit Of The Day. Simple jeans, glasses, T-shirt. This is easy. You know, just another day."
Despite the casual tone of her video, Hahn wrote "OOTD, Mother Gothel" in her post caption. Co-star Manheim responded in the comments section, writing: "YEEEEESSS I CANT WAIT TO GET STABBED BY YOU."
Upcoming Slate of Disney Live-Action Remakes
The live-action Tangled film forms part of a broader slate of animated adaptations and reimagined classics currently in development or recently released by Walt Disney Studios.
Among the upcoming releases is a live-action version of Moana, featuring Dwayne Johnson returning to his role from the original 2016 animated film. Disney has scheduled Moana for release in July 2026.
In March 2025, Disney released a live-action remake of its 1937 classic Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler of West Side Story and Gal Gadot of Wonder Woman.
Another recent addition to the studio's live-action lineup, Lilo and Stitch, arrived in theaters in 2025. The film stars Hawaiian actress Maia Kealoha as Lilo, whose casting was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter in March 2023.
Spinoffs and Critical Retrospectives
Disney has also expanded its major franchises through prequel and villain-focused spinoff projects. Director Barry Jenkins directed the 2024 spinoff Mufasa: The Lion King, following Disney's 2019 remake of The Lion King.
The prequel featured Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen reprising their roles as Timon and Pumbaa. Jenkins described the narrative focus, stating: "Mufasa was actually an orphaned cub who had to navigate the world alone by himself, and in telling this story, we get to experience the real journey of how Mufasa found his place in the circle of life."
Earlier theatrical releases include The Little Mermaid, which debuted on May 26, 2023. The film starred Halle Bailey alongside Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina, Jonah Hauer-King, Javier Bardem, and Melissa McCarthy.
Additionally, Variety reported that Disney is developing a sequel to Cruella, the 2021 villain origin story starring Emma Stone, based on characters from 101 Dalmatians.
Projects in Development and Cancelled Adaptations
Several other live-action projects remain in various stages of production across the studio. Filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo are directing a live-action adaptation of the 1997 animated movie Hercules alongside director Guy Ritchie.
Joe Russo told Variety in November 2022 that the Hercules adaptation will be "a little bit more experimental in tone, a little bit more experimental in execution."
Meanwhile, a remake of The Hunchback of Notre Dame has been in development since 2019, when The Hollywood Reporter revealed Disney was creating the project with actor Josh Gad of Frozen and writer David Henry Hwang. Although the project has been on hold, Gad shared in 2023 that he remains hopeful it will still happen.
For Bambi, Entertainment Weekly confirmed in 2020 that Disney hired screenwriters Geneva Robertson-Dworet, who co-wrote Captain Marvel, and Lindsey Beer, writer of Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, to write a script.
However, not all announced projects have moved forward. A planned remake of Aristocats, which Deadline reported in March 2023 was to be directed by Questlove, was reportedly scrapped in 2025.
