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Credit: DisneyIt’s not looking good for Disney’s Snow White, the live-action adaptation of Walt Disney’s first-ever animated feature film, as the House of Mouse officially omits the production in favor of another Disney Princess and a small blue alien.
The Enchanting Legacy of Snow White
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) is a landmark in cinematic history as the first full-length animated feature film produced by Walt Disney. Adapted from the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale, it set the foundation for the animation industry and revolutionized filmmaking.
With a budget of $1.49 million—a staggering sum at the time—it grossed an estimated $8 million during its initial release, making it the highest-grossing sound film until Gone with the Wind (1939). Its lifetime box office earnings, including re-releases, exceed $418 million (adjusted for inflation).
The voice cast included Adriana Caselotti as Snow White, Lucille La Verne as the Evil Queen, and Harry Stockwell as the Prince. Iconic songs like “Heigh-Ho,” “Some Day My Prince Will Come,” and “Whistle While You Work,” written by Frank Churchill and Larry Morey, remain timeless classics.
The film earned an honorary Academy Award in 1939, presented to Walt Disney as one standard Oscar and seven miniature statuettes, symbolizing its innovative spirit. Its critical acclaim established Disney as a household name and solidified animation as a respected art form.
Snow White’s cultural impact is immeasurable. Its enchanting story, groundbreaking use of Technicolor, and lush animation inspired generations of filmmakers and animators. The film also laid the groundwork for Disney’s legacy as a cultural powerhouse.
From merchandise and theme park attractions to countless parodies and homages, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs continues to captivate audiences and remains an enduring symbol of Disney magic.
Looking ahead, Snow White’s legacy will continue—seemingly for all the wrong reasons—in next year’s Disney’s Snow White from director Marc Webb.
Disney’s Live-Action Remembered for All the Wrong Reasons
When The Walt Disney Company revealed that it was delaying the release of its latest live-action remake by a full year, the announcement came with a long-awaited first glimpse of Rachel Zegler as Snow White and a reimagined version of the seven dwarfs. This marked the first time audiences saw the CGI dwarfs, a stark departure from earlier plans to replace them with “magical creatures.”
This change to the beloved dwarf characters followed backlash, particularly from Game of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage. Dinklage’s criticism sparked widespread debate, though many within the dwarfism community disagreed with his views, with some even condemning the Emmy winner’s stance.
Related: 2025 ‘Snow White’ Showdown: Rachel Zegler, Brett Cooper Will Both Star as Iconic Princess
Controversy surrounding Disney’s live-action Snow White wasn’t confined to the dwarfs. Casting Rachel Zegler, a Latina, as the iconic princess drew criticism akin to the response Halle Bailey faced as a Black Ariel in The Little Mermaid (2023).
The remake also shifts the origin of Snow White’s name. Instead of being derived from her pale complexion, the name will now reflect a moment of resilience. “It fell back to another version of Snow White that was told in history, where she survived a snowstorm as a baby,” Zegler shared with Variety. “The king and queen decided to name her Snow White to remind her of her resilience.”
Zegler’s remarks echo sentiments she voiced at D23 Expo 2022, which resurfaced last year and reignited criticism. Speaking about the 1937 classic, she referred to the prince as a “stalker” and highlighted changes in the remake.
“She’s not going to be saved by the prince or dreaming about true love,” Zegler said, emphasizing a story of leadership and strength. “It’s just a really incredible story for young people everywhere to see themselves in.”
Despite Zegler’s assurances of her admiration for the original, her comments sparked outrage among fans of the animated classic. Many questioned whether the actress truly connected with the character she portrays. Zegler hit the headlines once again in early November after she let loose on social media following Donald Trump’s win over Kamala Harris in the 2024 Presidential Election.
Following the backlash, Zegler later apologized for her comments, writing, “Hatred and anger have caused us to move further and further away from peace and understanding, and I am sorry I contributed to the negative discourse.”
Snow White Gone and Forgotten
Around the same time as the Zegler-Trump incident, Disney shared its Q4 results and, interestingly, completely omitted the film from its anticipated 2025 releases. After writing about the success of movies like Inside Out 2 (2024) and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), Disney lined up its 2025 big hitters. The adaptation of Disney’s historic and ground-breaking first feature film? Completely absent.
“We are encouraged by this momentum in our studio business going into the holiday season with the upcoming releases of Moana 2 later this month and Mufasa: The Lion King in December,” the executive summary read.”
The report continued: “We remain just as excited about 2025, with a collection of highly anticipated releases, including Captain America: Brave New World, Lilo & Stitch, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Zootopia 2, and Avatar: Fire and Ash.”
It’s not the first time Disney’s CEO Bob Iger and other officials have skirted around the big-budget live-action remake, but it’s disappointing nonetheless.
Related: New Information Comes To Light Over “Cancelled” Live-Action ‘Snow White’
In a world of big-budget marketing campaigns (read: Barbie and Wicked), Disney’s Snow White‘s story will be vastly different. Don’t expect emotional interviews with Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot a la Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. In fact, it’s going to be interesting to see how Disney tackles the publicity campaign for Snow White when so much negativity surrounds the production.
With just four months to go, a trailer that one former Disney executive says should be reason enough for the studio to shelve the movie, and no real cultural footprint (besides the controversies), it’s a wonder how Snow White will recoup its bloated $269 million budget (as reported by Forbes at the end of 2023).
Snow White will undoubtedly fall incredibly short of Moana 2 and, most likely, the future live-action adaptation of Moana (2016). The 2024 sequel amassed over $221 million during its five-day domestic opening over Thanksgiving, with a global haul of $386 million.
At one time, Snow White was sandwiched between Moana 2 and the live-action Moana, but Disney eventually delayed the latter to 2026.
Spring 2025 will be interesting for Disney, and only time will tell just how much the discourse surrounding Snow White has affected its chances at the box office. Watch the latest trailer here:
Disney’s Snow White is set to release on March 21, 2025. Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot star as Snow White and the Evil Queen, respectively, alongside Andrew Burnap as Jonathan, Ansu Kabia as the Huntsman, Dujonna Gift as Maple, Martin Klebba as Grumpy, and Colin Michael Carmichael as Farn.
Marc Webb directs from a screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson and Greta Gerwig.
How do you feel about the live-action Snow White? Are you disappointed it won’t be released with much fanfare? Will you be heading to the theaters to see it? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!