Disney’s Tangled Becoming an Animated Series

I can still recall as a kid getting up on Saturday mornings to watch Aladdin, the animated series continuation of the 1992 classic. Relatively well drawn for a weekly cartoon series (though certainly not up to par with the Walt Disney Animation Studios quality), and retaining most of the original cast, I didn’t mind at 7-years-old that Robin Williams was recast. I was hooked.

Twenty years later, it appears Disney hopes for the same success with Tangled, their 2010 animated film about the fairy tale of Rapunzel. Now considered by many Disney fans as the picture that began the revitalization of Walt Disney Animation Studios, crescendoing into 2013’s instant classic Frozen, Tangled for some time was queued to have a sequel of its own from Walt Disney Animation Studios (which previously has made only one direct sequel, 1990’s The Rescuers Down Under). But that never got off the ground. And as the studio moves on to Frozen 2, Tangled seems like a strong choice to continue on the small screen via the Disney Channel.

Tangled will return most of the original voice cast from the 2010 film, including Mandy Moore as the Princess Rapunzel and Zachary Levi as Eugene “Flynn” Ryder. Alan Menken will also be returning to write songs along with Glenn Slater for the series. Further, Clare Keane will be acting as a consultant on the show. Keane is the daughter of legendary Disney animator Glen Keane, who oversaw the design of Rapunzel in Tangled (he also led design work on characters like Aladdin and Ariel in The Little Mermaid).

The series is set to take place between the 2010 Tangled film and the subsequent 2012 animated short, “Tangled Ever After.” Conceivably, it is about their adventures before their wedding. However, the fact that Rapunzel somehow gets back her flowing golden hair—judging by the preview art below—will have to remain a mystery for the series.

A new character named Cassandra will also be joining the series as Rapunzel's "tough-as-nails" handmaiden and confidant.

But a musical continuation of Tangled on the Disney Channel? I imagine many parents are excited/bracing themselves for the kids’ incoming enthusiasm.