As a huge fan of the original Tangled, I’ve had so many questions about the live-action remake since the earliest days that its existence was rumored. Now that it’s no longer a rumor and Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim have officially been cast as Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, I know exactly where to direct my questions. First among them: What about the smolder?
It might be the single most memorable part of the original Tangled. A captured Flynn Rider attempts to woo Rapunzel into freeing him by giving her a look that he assumes will leave her weak in the knees. We must assume that the scene will make the jump to live-action, and I am heartened to know that Milo Manheim is taking the smolder very seriously. He told Lina Naranjo…
You know, I’ve been doing the smolder my whole life, but I think we’re going to have to workshop it and really find the exact one. So, I’m figuring it out. In a non-conceited way, I look in the mirror sometimes and try to find what we’re looking for. Eyebrows up, eyebrows down, one up, you know. I’m thinking about it, I will do Flynn Rider justice, I swear.
I love everything about this. The idea that Milo Manheim has been practicing his Flynn Rider smolder in the mirror is just the sort of dedication that I need to see. The actor is probably right that a love of people will have an interest in working on the smolder on the set, so he’s sure to get plenty of input in the right way to pull it off.
This isn’t the first time that Manheim has promised to “do Flynn Rider justice.” He clearly been a fan of Tangled since he was a kid, as made clear in his comment that he’s been doing the smolder his “whole life.” A lot of fans are quite excited by Manheim’s casting, but it doesn’t appear anyone is quite as excited as he is.
But lest anybody think all Milo Manheim is doing to get ready to play Flynn is make faces in a mirror, he’s also been getting in physical shape. He’s been working out more and practicing his horseback riding. He’s dedicated to making his Rider meet everybody’s expectations. He said…
I’m better now. I love horses. It’s been great, I’ve been waking up super early every morning trying to get bigger, I guess. And then, I’ve been doing some parkour. I am taking this so seriously. It’s such an amazing opportunity. So, I don’t wanna look back on it and think I could have done anything more.
At this point, the only thing that would make the live-action Tangled better is if it succeeds in getting Kathryn Hahn on board as Mother Gothel. It’s rumored that she has been approached for the role, but nothing has been announced. When asked about the role, Hahn stayed quiet.
Tangled doesn’t have an official release date yet, so exactly when we’ll see what this dedication has led to is unclear. However, if Milo Manheim is already getting in shape, it’s a safe bet we could see the movie film later this year, and a release date in 2027 isn’t out of the question. There are plenty of untitled placeholders in the list of upcoming Disney movies next year and beyond.
