Disney’s live-action machine is wobbling. Snow White tanked hard — bleeding money and embarrassing the studio. Fans thought Tangled was dead and buried with it. But now, the Mouse house is back, dusting off its golden tower with one risky move: Scarlett Johansson is being eyed to play the ultimate manipulative Disney villain — Mother Gothel.
Will this be the resurrection Disney desperately needs, or another expensive fairytale flop? Let’s break it down — brutally.
1. Snow White’s Failure Forced Disney’s Hand
$205.7M worldwide box office vs. a $370M all-in budget = disaster.
Critics shredded it. Audiences abandoned it.
Disney panicked — shelving Tangled in fear of another catastrophe.
2. Tangled Is Back From the Dead
Against all odds, Disney has revived Tangled.
Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) is still directing.
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Thor: love and Thunder) is still writing.
Translation: same creative team, but with way more pressure.
3. scarlett johansson as Mother Gothel = Genius or Madness?
Johansson has range: superhero icon, indie darling, blockbuster queen.
Now, she’s circling one of Disney’s most iconic villains — the vain, manipulative witch who stole Rapunzel.
If she pulls it off, Gothel could be reborn as Disney’s darkest, most relatable villain.
If she doesn’t… prepare for internet riots.
4. The Casting Chaos Behind Rapunzel
Florence Pugh was Disney’s rumored top choice.
Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, Kathryn Hahn, and even Gigi Hadid (who confirmed she auditioned) were in the mix.
Pugh’s still the frontrunner — but Disney’s silence has fans on edge.
5. The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher
The original Tangled grossed nearly $600M in 2010.
Rapunzel’s popularity has only grown — she’s a Disney Princess juggernaut.
If the live-action misses? Fans won’t forgive Disney a second time.
6. Disney’s Villain Problem — Solved by Johansson?
Previous live-action villains (Cruella, Ursula, Jafar) have been hit-or-miss.
Gothel requires charisma, menace, and fragility in one.
Johansson has the star power to make audiences both love and loathe her.
7. Will Tangled Save Disney’s Live-Action Streak… or Break It?
With Snow White flopping and Moana coming soon, Disney is bleeding goodwill.
Tangled is a crown jewel — and fans won’t settle for mediocrity.
Johansson could make this Disney’s comeback story… or the final nail in the coffin.
🔥 Bottom Line: Disney is gambling big. scarlett johansson as Mother Gothel could either redefine the role and give Tangled the edge it needs — or sink the remake into meme-worthy oblivion. After the Snow White disaster, Disney can’t afford another misstep. This isn’t just a casting choice… It’s a battle for survival.
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