Why Tangled 2 Was Canceled By Disney

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It's been 16 years since "Tangled" was released in theaters in 2010, but it remains one of the most beloved Disney animated movies out there. No doubt, many fans would welcome a sequel, but they shouldn't expect one any time soon. Quite the opposite, it turns out that "Tangled 2" was once in the works but has since been canceled, with this unfortunate news having coming straight from Nathan Greno, who co-directed the original "Tangled" with Byron Howard.

While speaking to TheDirect, Greno confirmed that there were once plans in motion to release a follow-up to "Tangled." The original film, of course, is a retelling of the classic fairy tale "Rapunzel" and follows the famous princess with the really long, magical hair (voiced by Mandy Moore) as she sets out to escape her lonesome tower — which is itself secretly a prison — and explore the outside world. However, the creatives behind the proposed "Tangled 2" struggled to come up with a story idea that they felt was worth pursuing. As Greno told it:

"There was, I will say, after we finished 'Tangled' [...] It's a tricky place, because I'll put it this way: Once Pinocchio becomes a real boy, what else is there to say? Once the Beast becomes a human [in 'Beauty and the Beast'], what else is there to say?"

Greno added that the minds behind "Tangled" met up and discussed sequel ideas for hours, so it wasn't for a lack of trying on their part. Ultimately, they just couldn't find a premise that they truly loved, and the rest is history. The good news for "Tangled" fans, though, is that Disney still has big plans for the property at large.

Tangled 2 is dead, but Disney's live-action Tangled remake is very much alive

"Tangled" might not be getting a sequel, but it's set to join the ever-growing list of Disney animated films that have gotten live-action remakes. After 16 years, has enough time passed for a live-action iteration of "Tangled" to feel exciting? Or will it be yet another divisive remake that arguably doesn't need to exist?

Regardless of one's views on live-action remakes of animated movies in general, "Tangled" appears to be moving forward. Teagan Croft has been cast as Rapunzel, while Milo Manheim will portray Flynn Rider, her romantic interest. Elsewhere, the always-great Kathryn Hahn is slated to portray Mother Gothel, the youth-obsessed villain who kidnaps Rapunzel as a child to exploit her magical abilities. Meanwhile, Michael Gracey of "The Greatest Showman" and "Better Man" fame is set to call the shots on the film.

Hopefully, this remake will do the original animated version of "Tangled" justice and help to alter the overall negative perception of Disney's live-action remakes. Disney's live-action "Snow White" remake bombing at the box office and attracting controversy didn't do much for their reputation, after all, but the trend has been divisive from the get-go. Nevertheless, the studio has arguably produced enough successful redos in the past to justify revamping Rapunzel's story ... though only time will tell if this becomes one of them.