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Credit: Edited by Inside the MagicWhile many are talking about the news of Moana 2 when it comes to Disney’s upcoming theatrical releases, as the news was just confirmed by Disney CEO Bob Iger, another Disney film that was making massive headlines has now gone silent since its full-year delay in release. Now, there are some updates when it comes to Snow White, the next theatrical live-action Disney film that will come out in 2025.
Snow White is set to star Rachel Zegler, who has quickly become beloved in Hollywood for her incredible acting talents and stellar voice. She stunned audiences in West Side Story, directed by Steven Spielberg, and as of late, was one of the main reasons for the high success of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes. While Zelger is seeing a lot of positive media, including a People’s Choice Award nomination, just a few months ago things were looking grim for the Disney princess.
If you’ve been keeping up with the latest updates on the live-action adaptation of Snow White, you’ve probably noticed the widespread discontent among Disney fans regarding the casting of Rachel Zegler in the lead role. Zegler’s views on the original storyline of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) have sparked criticism, particularly due to the traditional portrayal of Snow White with “skin as white as snow.”
Despite the enduring love for the 1937 classic, Disney’s decision to cast Latina actress Rachel Zegler raised eyebrows and prompted concerns among fans eagerly anticipating the live-action remake, which is something we saw with Halle Bailey when she was cast as Ariel in The Little Mermaid.
The initial backlash intensified as Rachel Zegler discussed the upcoming film in various interviews, hinting at significant departures from the original narrative crafted by Walt Disney himself. Zegler characterized the new adaptation as “strange” and emphasized a departure from the 1937 version’s reliance on a prince for salvation and yearning for true love. Instead, she emphasized Snow White’s aspirations to embody qualities such as fearlessness, fairness, bravery, and truth, echoing the vision of her late father.
Moreover, Zegler hinted at potential revisions to Andrew Burnap’s character, Jonathan, raising speculation about the fate of his role in the film.
Despite rumors suggesting his role might be eliminated or altered, Burnap’s character remains integral as the leader of a new group known as the seven bandits, distinct from the traditional depiction of the seven dwarfs. Luckily, this is something that is likely false, as he is the leader of the seven bandits… a new group of characters that exist outside of the magical creatures, aka the seven dwarfs that Disney has revealed to by CGI.
Now, Snow White fan and news account Snow White News (@snowwhitenews) has shared the names of each bandit actors, including a deeper description of the characters.
The news, which was shared on X, states:
Cast for ‘The Bandits’ in Snow White (front to back)
George Appleby
Jaih Betote
Samuel Caleb
Jimmy Johnston
Idriss Kargbo
Dujonna Gift – Maple
Colin Michael Carmichael – Farno(Thanks to
@aficionad0__
for finding a few!)
Cast for 'The Bandits' in Snow White (front to back)
George Appleby
Jaih Betote
Samuel Caleb
Jimmy Johnston
Idriss Kargbo
Dujonna Gift – Maple
Colin Michael Carmichael – Farno(Thanks to @aficionad0__ for finding a few!)
They are described as….. pic.twitter.com/5V1gxL712D
— Snow White News (@SnowWhiteNews) February 8, 2024
In the thread, the outlet continues, They are described as, “a group of bandits lead by Snow’s love interest (Johnathan played by Andrew Burnap) who resorts to Robin Hood-like thievery to provide for him and his friends,
Johnathan himself is described as having plenty of swagger and a twinkle in his eye. They also seem to be holding items that look like wood carvings in the dwarves cottage!!”
They also seem to be holding items that look like wood carvings in the dwarves cottage!! pic.twitter.com/O9XIA86QQX
— Snow White News (@SnowWhiteNews) February 8, 2024
It is interesting to see the possible connection that the bandits may have to the dwarves when looking at the wood carvings, as these characters are entirely new to the plot of the story, so it is unclear as to how they will affect the plot. We do know that their presence, along with the other storyline changes, has been one of the more controversial aspects of the film, as fans do not want to see the 1937 movie too heavily altered, especially with it being Walt Disney’s first full-length animated feature film.
The film was originally slated to premiere theatrically on March 22, 2024. However, on October 27, 2023, Disney announced the release had been pushed back to March 21, 2025.
Are you looking forward to the upcoming Snow White film?