Fifteen years ago today, Disney released a film that is now considered a modern classic and launched a new generation of Disney Princess stories. Over the decades, Disney has created many beloved films, each contributing to a distinct era for the company. While some eras have been more popular than others, each has been defined by changes in style or filmmaking techniques. The most significant shift came in the 2010s, when Disney fully embraced 3D computer-generated animation for its biggest movies.
While not Disney’s first computer-animated movie, Tangled marked a turning point for Disney Princess films. Released on November 24, 2010 – fifteen years ago today – it was the first Princess movie created with CG animation. This release began a new chapter for the franchise, with all subsequent Princess films (and later, live-action adaptations) being made using computer animation, effectively ending the tradition of 2D animated releases. This change was significant for the company, and its effects are still visible today.
Tangled Released 15 Years Ago Today
With its groundbreaking CG animation, Tangled revitalized Disney’s approach to princess films and paved the way for their current success. The movie skillfully blended traditional Disney storytelling with a contemporary style for the 2010s. By reimagining the classic Rapunzel tale, Tangled helped Disney reconnect with the familiar, beloved formula that hadn’t been fully explored since the late 1990s. While The Princess and the Frog also aimed for this, Tangled was the film that truly succeeded.
Before Tangled, the studio had been making computer-animated films with original stories, like Bolt and Meet the Robinsons. But Tangled marked a return to the big, Broadway-style musicals that fans remembered from their classic films. Mandy Moore voiced Rapunzel, a spirited and determined princess who longs to escape the tower where she’s been held captive most of her life. Once she finally breaks free, Rapunzel discovers the full extent of her magical abilities.
The movie Tangled was incredibly important for Disney, and its full impact is still becoming clear. It launched a new, successful period for the studio. Without Tangled‘s success, later hits like Encanto and Moana, which followed a similar formula, might not have been as popular. It also paved the way for Disney to take risks with films like Zootopia and Wreck-It Ralph, and continue those stories with sequels.
What Happened to Tangled?
While Tangled helped launch the success of later Disney Princess films, it hasn’t maintained the same long-term popularity as some others. Although the Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure TV series continued the story in 2D animation, it never received an official sequel like many other Disney Princess movies have. A lot of the appeal of Rapunzel’s story revolved around her magical hair, and once she cut it off, opportunities to continue her adventures felt limited.
Disney once planned a live-action remake of Tangled, similar to their other animated classics, but the project was cancelled during development. This happened as live-action remakes started becoming less reliable at the box office, and Tangled was ultimately dropped. Those involved with the production also believed the remake wouldn’t have been very successful.
Even though it was successful when it came out, Tangled is still a notable film in Disney’s history after 15 years. It influenced how Disney approached future princess movies, though it didn’t become the massive blockbuster that Frozen later became—a film Disney heavily invested in, especially its stars. Despite this, Tangled is a wonderful, self-contained Disney story that still feels fresh and enjoyable today. It’s a movie you can revisit after 15 years and still love.
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2025-11-24 23:10