Disney’s first Princess has been the studio’s prized possession since the first full-feature debut in 1937, but the uphill battle for the live-action adaptation has resulted in the reception forDisney’s Snow Whitebeing overwhelmingly negative. The story adapts the cherished story for a contemporary audience, and does so through numerous updates to both the plot and characterizations. With that in mind, this has only caused multiplecontroversies to plague the Rachel Zegler-ledSnow Whitesince its announcement back in 2022, which has led to a less-than-favorable box office run forDisney’s Snow Whiteremake.
There is always intense pressure around anyDisney live-action remake, butSnow Whitehad an added weight of responsibility as Disney’s first animated theatrical release. In the myriad of new properties from the studio,Snow Whitehas maintained its ranking as one of the studio’s most iconic films, which has seen many spin-offs and live-action adaptations over the years. While the focus has been on Zegler and Gal Gadot, the issues with theSnow Whiteremake are more complex, and they each played a role inDisney’s Snow White’s downfall.
The CGI Dwarfs Were A Major Criticism Surrounding Snow White Well Before The Movie Released
The Seven Dwarfs' Casting (Or Lack Thereof) Was Incredibly Decisive From The Beginning
Disney’s announcement thatSnow White’sSeven Dwarfs would be CGI-generatedinstantly divided audiences for many reasons.The controversy began as a result of the live-action marketing, as well as the studio’s decision not to cast actors in the roles. This backlash intensified in 2023, after the first trailer forDisney’sSnow Whiterevealed a look at the animated characters — Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Dopey, Bashful, Sleepy, and Sneezy. The teaser only exacerbated many of the criticisms that the movie was already subject to, as the film portrayed a harmful depiction of the Seven Dwarfs, and confirmed they are a “fantastical” race.
Peter Dinklage’s full comments: “Literally no offense to anyone, but I was a little taken aback when they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White. But you’re still telling the story of ‘ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs .’ Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there. It makes no sense to me. You’re progressive in one way but then you’re still making that fucking backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the fuck are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soap box? I guess I’m not loud enough. I don’t know which studio that is but they were so proud of it. All love and respect to the actress and all the people who thought they were doing the right thing. But I’m just like, what are you doing?"
There is a consensus thatDisney’s Snow Whitewas progressive in one regard, but it overlooked one of the film’s central aspects. As you would expect, the absence of actors for the Seven Dwarfs eliminates a major opportunity for talented actors with dwarfism. Several actors challenged the studio’s decision in the lead-up toSnow White’s premiere, including activist Peter Dinklage, who frequently uses his platforms to advocate for people with dwarfism. Dinklage heavily criticized the movie’s double standards, having cast Rachel Zegler as the leading protagonist, but “still making that f****** backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together.”
Snow White’s Live-Action Story Was Very Disjointed
Disney’s Snow White Updated Many Elements Of The 1937 Original Plot
Disney’s Snow Whitemade many changesto the 1937 motion picture by modernizing the earlier narrative. Even though some updates had merit, the overall narrative became mostly disjointed. For the most part,it feels as though the live-action remake overextends itself in terms of the main story. Above all else,Disney’s Snow Whitecreates an entirely new third act that goes beyond proving Jonathan can bring Snow White back to life with a true love kiss. However, it doesn’t offer much else new to the story after this, and concludes in a similar way toSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Songs
“I’m Wishing”
“With a Smile and a Song”
“Waiting on a Wish (Reprise)”
“Snow White Returns”
“Good Things Grow (Finale)”
The incorporation of new content resulted in some pacing problems forDisney’s Snow White, too. It makes the story feel less developed or engaging, as the film rushes through a lot of its backstory yet lingers on other unnecessary moments — such as the incorporation of its new songs. Not to mention,some of the additional elements to the plot felt redundant and confusing, which contributed to the movie feeling somewhat disconnected. The most obvious example is perhaps Snow White’s father, or the inclusion of the group of “bandits,” whose purpose seemed unclear at times because they weren’t given ample screen time.
The Younger Generation Doesn’t Have A Connection To Snow White
Younger Audiences Aren’t As Familiar With Snow White’s Character
AlthoughSnow White and the Seven Dwarfswas Disney’s first motion picture back in 1937, the movie has remained popular over the last century. That being said, today’s younger audiences are growing up with live-action remakes and adaptations, giving them a wealth of new stories to enjoy. Becausenewer Disney princesseslike Moana and Raya have become more prominent,Snow White’s significance has been somewhat overshadowed in recent decades. The fact that younger audiences don’t share as strong of a connection to Snow White as older audiences indicates people weren’t as eager for a live-action remake as they are for other properties.
The modern retellings, such asSnow White and the Huntsman,and its sequel, offered a more up-to-date version of the Disney princess which successfully subverted traditional fairy tale tropes.
This isn’t to say that the story of Snow White has been entirely forgotten, because Disney’s original is easily one of the most iconic properties in their collection, butthere have already been a number of Snow White adaptations over recent years. The modern retellings, such asSnow White and the Huntsman,and its sequel, offered a more up-to-date version of the Disney princess which successfully subverted traditional fairy tale tropes. Therefore, these variations may be more appealing to younger audiences who are familiar with the contemporary take.
Disney Struggled With Marketing Snow White To The Older Generations
The Marketing For Disney’s Snow White Was Targeted At Children
Perhaps the biggest hindrance to Rachel Zegler’s misfire was an unevenly distributed marketing strategy. Despite catering to an older generation,Disney’s Snow Whitewas promoted to far younger audiences throughout the lead-up to its premiere. The marketing campaign focused heavily on the differences between the live-action movie and the animated classic, rather than celebrating what remained. Actors on the press tour continued to dismiss the original movie, too, which ultimately resulted in Disney neglecting a huge proportion of its target audience who had an emotional connection to the original movie.
Beyond this, Zegler’s remarks sparked controversy, with some interpreting them as labeling fans of the original as “creepy” and “weird” (viaX.) In connection with this,nostalgia is a powerful tool in the film industrythat often acts in accordance with box office performance. ConsideringSnow White’s marketing emphasized the multiple changes to the narrative, it resulted in a major disconnect between the marketing strategy and the nostalgia that older audiences held for the classic story. This was likely to alienate some viewers regardless, meaning they were less likely to watch the movie once it was released in theaters.
Various Controversies Hurt Snow White’s Potential
The Snow White Adaptation Was At Risk Before It Released
Unfortunately,the backlash surroundingDisney’s Snow Whitedamaged the film’s reputation even before it was released in theaters. Casting Rachel Zegler in the new Snow White incited public debate about the representation and diversity in Hollywood, and while her response on social media was encouraging, Zegler’s later diminishing comments about the original movie only resulted in heightened friction. This, along with the CGI dwarfs, createdan abundance of controversy about the live-action remake during the press tour, well ahead of the film’s release.
To put it simply, it’s not just the controversies themselves, but the fact that after so long, many people just became disinterested because of all the drama surrounding the project. There was such a prolonged exposure to the backlash towardsSnow Whitethat it eventually led to fatigue, and caused people to disengage from the movie entirely. This is reflected in the live-action box office numbers, asDisney’s Snow Whitebrought in a disappointing $169 million.
