The reach of Disney extends far beyond that of a normal studio. While it obviously oversees its own legendary films and TV shows, the company also owns the likes of Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, making the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars franchises part of its wider umbrella. And that's what makes it one of the premier brands in 2026 - one which features all the star-power.
But at its heart, Disney is still making Disney movies. Today, that looks like remaking some of its classic animated films in a live-action format. This has had some ups and downs in recent years, but there is one project that the studio is moving forward with and it has now officially confirmed the casting that fans have been waiting for, cementing it as one of the greatest choices they have ever made.
Kathryn Hahn's casting as Mother Gothel in Tangled is a fan-casting come true
It's official: Kathryn Hahn is set to play Mother Gothel in the live-action adaptation of Tangled for Disney. She joins previously announced cast members Teagan Croft and Milo Mannheim, who will play Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder. And with the film's core trinity of characters now confirmed, it moves one step closer to production and bringing one of the most heavily-anticipated remakes to the silver screen.
The star herself made the announcement, taking to social media to share her Mother Gothel-inspired OOTD, a.k.a. Outfit of the Day, with fans, who were thrilled in the comments section:
Hahn was originally announced to be in talks to play the role earlier this year, which was more than enough to send the internet into meltdown. Having recently stunned audiences with her performance as ancient witch Agatha Harkness in Marvel Studios' Disney Plus series Agatha All Along - in which she reprised the role three years after originating it in WandaVision - fans were hoping to see her cast in the project. However, she ultimately ended up replacing another Marvel star, as Scarlett Johansson was originally cast in the role.
Johansson reportedly dropped out of the film due to scheduling conflicts as she is also currently starring in The Batman - Part II and Mike Flanagan's The Exorcist, so it's understandable that she couldn't do all of them at once. And yet, fans are thrilled with Disney's choice of replacement because, in all honesty, many felt that Hahn should have been the No. 1 choice to begin with.
For years, Hahn has topped fan-casting lists for a live-action Tangled movie, with fans widely considering her the best choice for Mother Gothel. The recent "Hahnissance" she has experienced has only intensified those calls, because the moment that Johansson had been cast, there was a very vocal group of people pointing out that Hahn would have been a perfect choice. Now, that perfect choice gets to come to fruition, with some fans already referred to it as Disney's all-time greatest casting.
The Witches' Road led straight to Mother Gothel
Kathryn Hahn has enjoyed a long and successful career in films and TV for many years, but it was her role as nosy neighbor Agnes, a.k.a. Agatha Harkness, on WandaVision that catapulted her into a brand new chapter of that career. She was nominated for an Emmy for her work, which saw her deliver an incredible performance, mixing that natural comedic charm with a hint of sinisterness to bring the ancient witch to life. As Agnes, she channelled Bewitched, but as Agatha, she upped the ante, adding a mean streak that would make even the Sanderson Sisters tremble.
Hahn's performance was so well-received that Marvel offered her an Agatha spinoff series, and it was there that we saw even more inspired work from the star. Her ability to make the character - once just a villain for the Scarlet Witch to overcome - the main character, infusing all those years of bad behaviour with depth and emotion, was nothing short of magic itself. And she earned herself a Golden Globe nomination for that one, as Agatha All Along became a bright spot for the MCU during a somewhat darker chapter for it.
The success of Agatha All Along exposed Hahn's abilities to a wider audience. Of course, we all already fell in love with her in WandaVision (and, for so many of us, long, long before that), but she was given a much bigger stage in the spinoff, front and center in a way that she hadn't been before. Here, she was leading the charge, playing a campy villain that we just couldn't take her eyes off. That alone made her a perfect choice for Mother Gothel.
She was such a good choice, in fact, that many thought it wouldn't happen. And it nearly didn't, due to Johansson's initial casting. But it did happen in the end, and we're all so excited to see Hahn absolutely slay this role. Not only did WandaVision and Agatha show us that she's capable of bringing camp villainy to life, it highlighted her incredible singing ability, as she performed on multiple versions of "The Ballad of the Witches' Road", which became a viral phenomenon - actually charting at No. 45 on the Official UK Singles Charts. Naturally, we're all excited to see her powerful take on Mother Gothel's iconic "Mother Knows Best" song.
To call Kathryn Hahn's casting as Mother Gothel inspired simply wouldn't do it justice. It's incredible, out-of-this-world, and simply perfect. There was only ever one choice for this role. And it was Kathryn All Along.
Tangled is expected to arrive in theaters in 2027.