The Cursed Journey of Disney’s Snow White
Once upon a time, Disney decided to reimagine its iconic animated classics as live-action films, turning beloved childhood stories into modern spectacles. Following the successes of Cinderella (2015) and Beauty and the Beast (2017), it was only natural that Snow White—the very first Disney animated feature from 1937—would join the lineup. But what was supposed to be a magical revival quickly turned into one of the most controversial productions in recent history.
From the moment the project was announced, Snow White was embroiled in controversy. The casting of Rachel Zegler, an American actress of Colombian descent, as the titular character sparked backlash from certain groups, who criticized the decision as “woke” and inconsistent with the fairytale’s original European origins. Zegler’s own comments about the original film being outdated didn’t help, as they were taken out of context and used to frame her as disrespectful to Disney’s legacy. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian advocates took issue with Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress and vocal supporter of the IDF, being cast as the Evil Queen. The film found itself caught in the middle of culture wars, with neither side willing to back down.
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Then came the controversy over the seven dwarves. Actor Peter Dinklage, who has a form of dwarfism, criticized the film for its portrayal of the characters, calling it a regressive step backward. In response, Disney opted for CGI-generated “magical creatures” instead of casting actors with dwarfism—an attempt to sidestep controversy that instead generated more backlash for taking away roles from little-person actors.
As if the film’s production wasn’t already complicated enough, the budget ballooned to over $270 million, and creative delays kept pushing back the release date. The dual writers' and actors’ strikes in Hollywood further delayed the film by an entire year, adding even more uncertainty to its future. When it finally came time for the promotional rollout, Disney appeared to be playing it safe, limiting media presence and scaling back the film’s premiere, a move that only added to speculation about the company’s confidence in the movie.
Despite the storm of negative press, Snow White finally made its way to the big screen. The reviews were mixed—some praised it as a fresh take on the classic tale, while others found it lackluster and underwhelming. While its box office projections suggested a decent, if not spectacular, opening, it was clear that this version of Snow White would not be the cultural phenomenon Disney had hoped for.
The fate of this live-action Snow White is still uncertain, but one thing is clear: its journey has been anything but a fairytale. Whether it ultimately finds success or fades into obscurity, it will always be remembered as one of Disney’s most turbulent productions. Only time will tell if this chapter in Disney’s history ends with happily ever after—or just a lesson learned.
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