After four years of online backlash and controversy, Disney's anticipated live-action "Snow White" remake, starring Rachel Zegler, hits theaters on March 21, 2025.
As journalist Al Horner writes for The Telegraph, Disney's 2025 "Snow White" remake was initially seen as a surefire hit, following the success of previous live-action remakes like "Alice in Wonderland" (2010), "The Jungle Book" (2016), and "Beauty and the Beast" (2017), all of which grossed over $1 billion at the box office. Announced in October 2016, the film was expected to continue Disney's profitable remake trend.
The "Snow White" remake was expected to surpass the success of those previous films, especially with its release during Disney's 100th anniversary in 2023. Early hopes were high, with Greta Gerwig briefly joining as co-writer. However, the film, directed by Marc Webb, faced delays and production issues, leading to a troubled release long after its planned debut.
The casting of Rachel Zegler as Snow White in 2021 sparked backlash, with critics criticizing Disney for casting a Latina actress in the role of a traditionally white character. Zegler faced harassment from those who saw the casting as part of a "woke" agenda. In 2023, her comments about the original "Snow White" being outdated and promoting a more empowered princess added to the controversy, with many on social media expressing their disapproval.
Further, concerns over the film's portrayal of little people were raised, notably by actor Peter Dinklage, who criticized Disney for reinforcing harmful stereotypes about dwarfs. Disney responded by saying they were taking a new approach, but early promotional images did little to ease the criticism.
In July 2023, leaked photos from the film's shoot in Bedfordshire, England, showed Snow White surrounded by an ethnically diverse group of friends rather than the traditional seven dwarfs. This led to speculation that the film had shifted from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" to "Snow White and the Seven Magical Companions," a term used in Disney's marketing, which raised further concerns about the film's quality.
The challenges for "Snow White" were already significant as Disney struggled with promoting the film. Studios typically rely on A-list stars to unite and push the film together, but Disney has faced difficulty with this approach. Speculation about tension between stars Zegler and Gal Gadot, driven by their differing views on the Gaza conflict, has overshadowed the promotional campaign. Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen, is a former IDF soldier and supporter of Israel, while Zegler has been outspoken about Palestinian rights.
Branding expert Carla Speight previously told the Daily Mail that "Snow White" could ruin Disney.
"They need to get the key messaging and strong selling point into a brief for the cast of the film and ensure they stick to it," Speight said. "If they don't, it's a disaster waiting to happen, and the backlash will keep growing."
The odds seem stacked against the film, but the new "Snow White" may still succeed. The Telegraph reported that early estimates predict it will make around $58 million in its opening weekend, which is not a disaster.
As Horner writes, "After the challenges of 'Snow White,' Disney may well be left whistling while they work out a new path forward for their live-action remakes."