1. Eugene Fitzherbert, born Horace and known by the alias Flynn Rider, is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated film Tangled, its short 2012 film Tangled Ever After, and the 2017 television series Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure.
Loosely based on the prince in the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "Rapunzel", Flynn is a wanted thief who seeks refuge in Rapunzel's tower after stealing a crown.
Flynn Rider was created by screenwriter Dan Fogelman and directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard because they felt that the incarcerated Rapunzel needed someone to escort her out of the tower.
Flynn Rider was conceived as a thief as opposed to a traditional prince in favor of making him a funnier and edgier character.
Originally written as a British farmer, Flynn was ultimately developed into a swashbuckling thief inspired by fictional characters Han Solo and Indiana Jones, and actors Gene Kelly and Errol Flynn; the alias Flynn Rider was named after the latter.
Additionally, Flynn Rider has been strongly accused of being a marketing tool exploited by Disney to attract a larger male audience to Tangled.
When we were putting it together and trying to figure out who Flynn Rider was in this movie, we looked at a bunch of different sources.
Originally, Flynn Rider was conceived as a British farmer named Bastian until his voice actor was finally cast.
Additionally, Flynn Rider narrates the film, providing it with "an ironic counterpoint", according to Children's Literature and Learner Empowerment: Children and Teenagers in English Language Education author Janice Bland.
However, the role of Flynn Rider was ultimately won by American actor Zachary Levi because he, according to Greno, "nailed" his audition.
Flynn Rider's interest was further cemented by the fact that he would be providing the character's singing voice.
Greno and Howard wanted Flynn Rider to be funny and sarcastic as opposed to snarky.
One occasion in particular involved an animator having Flynn Rider respond to Rapunzel's excitement by simply walking away from her in silence.
The directors did not like this because, according to Greno, Flynn Rider "did this reaction where [he] treated her like she's nuts".
Flynn Rider is considered an antihero because "He is quick-witted and agile, stealing to survive" and "he is extremely narcissistic".
The Hot Man Meeting was created because the directors, who found that they were very much impressed with Rapunzel's design, felt that "Flynn Rider [needed] to be up to [Rapunzel's] level".
Steve Persall of the Tampa Bay Times believes that Flynn Rider carries "most of the [film's] modern humor".
Flynn Rider debuted in Tangled as a sought-after bandit who discovers refuge in Rapunzel's secluded tower after stealing a crown.
Flynn Rider is pursued by a police horse named Maximus; the vengeful Stabbington brothers, two betrayed accomplices of his; and Gothel, who grows increasingly obsessed with retrieving Rapunzel to continue using her magic hair to stay immortal.
Meanwhile, Flynn Rider falls in love with Rapunzel and undergoes a change of heart.
Maximus helps Flynn Rider escape and return to Rapunzel's tower to rescue her.
Flynn Rider finds Rapunzel tied up and gagged, and Gothel fatally stabs him before he can help.
Rapunzel convinces Gothel to let her use her hair to heal Flynn Rider, promising to be Gothel's slave forever if she is allowed to do so.
Gothel withers and disappears when the hair is cut, and Flynn Rider dies, but Rapunzel's tear contains enough magic to revive him.
Flynn Rider appears in the five-minute short film Tangled Ever After, which focuses on his marriage to Rapunzel.
Flynn Rider appears in the 2017 television series Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure.
Flynn Rider considers the position before finally accepting the title, forever leaving his criminal past behind him.
Flynn Rider appears in the short film Once Upon a Studio, waiting by the door to the Walt Disney Animation Studios building as Mickey Mouse flies out with Dumbo.
Flynn Rider is shown with Rapunzel during the group photo.
Flynn Rider is one of their better efforts to add to Aladdin, Mowgli and the Beast.
BuzzFeed author Arielle Calderon compiled "19 Reasons Rapunzel And Flynn Rider Are The Best Disney Couple", citing their meeting and opposite personalities among them.
Flynn Rider is often regarded as one of Disney's most attractive heroes.
Jennie Punter of The Globe and Mail felt that Flynn Rider was "obviously designed to keep the young male audience from spurning yet another princess movie".
Empires Helen O'Hara defended Disney's claim "that the new title reflects the fact that [Tangled] is very much a two-hander, with Mandy Moore's innocent but feisty Rapunzel and Zachary Levi's street-wise yet clueless Flynn Rider sharing the lead".