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Credit: DisneyThe Walt Disney Company is making major changes to Snow White.
Disney’s version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a groundbreaking animated film released in 1937, marking the studio’s first full-length animated feature. Directed by David Hand, the film brought the classic fairy tale to life with vibrant colors, memorable characters, and a catchy musical score, establishing a new era for animation and setting the stage for Disney’s future successes.
In this adaptation, Snow White remains the beautiful and gentle princess who becomes the target of her wicked stepmother, the Queen’s, jealousy. The Queen’s infamous mirror, a magical reflection of truth, reveals that Snow White is now the fairest in the land. This revelation drives the Queen into a rage, and she orders her loyal huntsman to take Snow White into the forest and kill her.
However, in Disney’s version, the huntsman can’t bring himself to harm Snow White and warns her of the Queen’s intentions instead. Lost and alone in the forest, Snow White stumbles upon the cottage of the seven dwarfs: Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey. The dwarfs, each with their distinct personalities and quirks, quickly take a liking to Snow White and offer her a place to stay.
One of the standout elements of Disney’s adaptation is the inclusion of music and songs. The film features several iconic songs, including “Heigh-Ho,” sung by the dwarfs as they mine for diamonds and rubies, and “Someday My Prince Will Come,” Snow White’s hopeful ballad about finding true love. These songs not only added depth to the characters but also became memorable parts of pop culture.
Though the 1937 version is beloved by many, it has come with its detractors. One of the biggest, of course, is Rachel Zegler herself. Zegler was cast to play Snow White in the live-action adaptation from Disney that is set to be released in 2024.
Zegler has been the subject of much criticism over comments she made in an attempt to promote the new live-action version.
“I just mean that it’s no longer 1937,” Zegler said. “She’s not going to be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave and true.”
The comments drew the ire of many fans who believe this will be another failed attempt from Disney, but it’s not the only thing that has been met with backlash. An entire disagreement broke out last year over the film’s casting and changes to be more inclusive and “politically correct.” Many actors spoke out against Peter Dinklage after he called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs “an insult.”
With so much backlash already surrounding the film and the movie’s lead role not making things any better, one viral report indicated that Disney was “canceling the film altogether.” Of course, the report came from MouseTrap News, a satire website.
“When you think of Disney, who do you think is their core consumer? Some might say the Disney adults that wear Disney shirts all the time and it becomes their entire personality. However, others recognize that it’s actually families with kids, typically in the 6-14 range. In fact, Disney knows this is their core consumer, but continues to spit in their face. Luckily, they are taking a step in the right direction by canceling the new live-action Snow White Movie,” the satire report read.
Though the report was meant to be in jest, thousands of fans believed it was true. As a matter of fact, it went viral and Snopes fact-checker even addressed the report on its site.
While Disney is abandoning the original Snow White, there is no truth to reports that the live-action adaptation is being canceled. Instead, Disney will continue to move forward with the film, and it is still expected to be released in 2024. The exact box office numbers and estimates still have yet to be released, and Zegler’s comments could make a difference here, but for now we’ll have to wait and see what kind of returns the movie gets.
What do you think of the new live-action Snow White movie? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!