Did Scarlett Johansson leave the live-action Tangled movie? Rumor explained

Recently, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Scarlett Johansson is no longer attached to Disney’s live-action Tangled remake. Although she was never officially signed, Johansson was widely reported to be the top choice for the role of the manipulative villain, Mother Gothel.

Director Michael Gracey is moving forward with production, which is slated to begin in the UK in June 2026. Disney has already shifted focus to finding its lead duo, recently conducting chemistry readings in London with a shortlist of rising stars.

Names like Freya Skye and Sarah Catherine Hook are currently testing for Rapunzel, while Milo Manheim and Charlie Gillespie are among the frontrunners for Flynn Rider. While the search for a new Mother Gothel is back on, the film’s revival, following the massive box-office success of Lilo & Stitch, signals that Disney remains committed to bringing Rapunzel's tower to the big screen.

Scarlett Johansson exits Disney’s live-action Tangled remake amid scheduling conflicts

Scarlett Johansson at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (Image via YouTube/The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon)

Scarlett Johansson's departure is reportedly due to scheduling conflicts following her commitment to two other major franchises: Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part II and Mike Flanagan’s upcoming Exorcist reboot. Due to these significant commitments, she reportedly had to leave the live-action Tangled movie.

Recently, she took the lead in Jurassic World Rebirth as Zora Bennett, a skilled expert leading a team into dangerous dinosaur territory to find life-saving DNA. Notably, she also made her directorial debut with the film Eleanor the Great, which is the story about an elderly woman rebuilding her life in New York.

Also, a major transition was recently reported regarding Scarlett Johansson's shift from Marvel to the world of DC. The actress is famous worldwide for her iconic, decade-long role of Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). She first appeared in Iron Man 2 (2010) and became a core member of the original Avengers team.

Throughout Marvel’s Phase 1, 2, and 3, she appeared in The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain America: Civil War, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Avengers: Endgame.

Her time in the MCU officially ended with the solo film Black Widow (2021). Although the character died in Endgame, this prequel allowed fans to see her final adventure and learn about her past and her "sister," Yelena Belova.

Johansson has stated that the solo film was the perfect way to finish her journey and leave the character on a high note. Besides Exorcist and The Batman Part II, she has other upcoming projects, such as the neo-noir science fiction action comedy film, Ray Gunn, in 2026 and the crime drama film Paper Tiger.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Edited by Suchita Patnaha