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Credit: DisneyLast night, the cast and crew of Disney’s Snow White (2025), including leading lady Rachel Zegler, attended a private event north-west of Madrid, Spain. As the run up to the movie’s global release enters its final week, a new wave of criticism has fired up.
Disney’s live-action Snow White is set to debut on March 21, 2025, but its journey to the big screen has been anything but straightforward. Directed by Marc Webb and starring Rachel Zegler in the title role, the film has sparked significant conversation since its early development.
The latest debacle sees Disney pull back from traditional press campaigns for movie premieres, removing the London premiere for a secluded event in Spain and altering the Los Angeles premiere to only include Disney’s in-house crews for questioning instead of traditional press outlets being present on the red carpet (per The Hollywood Reporter).
Early looks at the film back in 2023 showcased Zegler as Snow White alongside CGI-rendered versions of the seven characters, a shift from initial reports that they would be replaced with “magical creatures.” This change followed criticism about how the adaptation would handle its portrayal of the iconic characters.
Among the most vocal voices was Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage, who, while praising the film’s inclusive casting of Colombian-American Rachel Zegler, questioned its decision to retain what he called a “backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together.”
In response, Disney issued a statement: “To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community.”
However, when behind-the-scenes images revealed an array of actors portraying these characters, it reignited debate. Jason “Wee Man” Acuña (Jackass: The Movie) was among those who spoke out, stating, “You’re replacing jobs that people could have as little people. It’s for dwarfs. Why are you hiring ‘Snow White and the seven average people’?”
Disney later unveiled its final version of the seven characters—now fully CGI—alongside the announcement of the film’s delay from March 2024 to March 2025. Initially, only Martin Klebba was confirmed to voice Grumpy, but a new report has seemingly revealed the rest of the voice cast.
According to reports, the film’s cast includes Andrew Barth Feldman as Dopey, Tituss Burgess as Bashful, Martin Klebba as Grumpy, Jason Kravits as Sneezy, George Salazar as Happy, Jeremy Swift as Doc, and Andrew Grotelueschen as Sleepy.
Disney has yet to officially confirm these details, but the lineup suggests that the CGI characters were not cast with members of the dwarfism community. Additionally, the omission of “dwarfs” from the film’s title further supports speculation that the live-action adaptation is reinterpreting these characters in a new way.
Now, as March 21 inches closer, new criticism has flared regarding the controversial decision around using CGI for the dwarf characters.
Bodybuilder/ performer Choon Tan, who has dwarfism, told the Daily Mail that Snow White’s choice to use CGI for the dwarves is “absolutely absurd and discriminating in a sense.”
“He added: ‘I think Disney is trying too hard to be politically correct, but in doing so it’s damaging our careers and opportunities,'” the outlet wrote.
Tan expanded on his sentiments, adding: “There really is nothing wrong casting someone with dwarfism as a dwarf in any given opportunity. As long as we are treated equally and with respect, we’re usually more than happy to take on any acting roles that are suitable for us […] Plus it’s also an opportunity for young children to see someone with dwarfism, which they may have never seen before.”
The Daily Mail also spoke with performer Blake Johnston, who echoed Choon Tan’s comments.
“We have plenty of dwarf actors out there who are dying for roles like this. I think Disney [has succumbed] to peer pressure on political correctness, which has now given top dwarf actors less work,” he told the publication.
“The actor and businessman bemoaned the missed opportunities for dwarf actors, saying: ‘Once again this will limit us more’ […] ‘I’m offended by the decision because Disney had the greatest educational story of all time now they have made it as a joke.'”
The divisive casting and portrayal of the dwarf characters will forever be part of the live-action Snow White narrative, and with its track record of delivering controversy on almost all fronts, many are wanting–as THR reports–for it to be “over with.”
Zegler’s casting drew comparisons to Halle Bailey’s role as Ariel in The Little Mermaid (2023). Both actresses addressed the significance of representation in a 2023 Variety “Actors on Actors” interview, discussing their impact in bringing diversity to Disney’s iconic heroines. But beyond casting, Snow White has faced other creative revisions.
A change to the character’s backstory sparked discussion, particularly regarding the origin of her name. In an interview, Zegler stated, “The king and queen decided to name her Snow White to remind her of her resilience,” referencing how the character survived a snowstorm as a baby.
This is a departure from the original Grimm Brothers’ tale, in which her name symbolized “skin as white as snow.” A new international trailer reinforced this revision with Zegler’s voiceover: “To honor the day I was born, my father named me Snow White.”
The film will also introduce a new song, “Waiting on a Wish,” composed by Pasek and Paul, signaling a fresh musical direction. The song was performed by Zegler at the Alcázar de Segovia in Spain earlier this week in front of a small audience. However, Disney’s marketing strategy for the film has been notably subdued compared to its typical rollout for live-action adaptations, as made increasingly evident with these damage control premiere events.
The film’s development has seen no shortage of headline-making moments. Zegler’s 2022 D23 Expo comments describing the prince as a “stalker” and emphasizing Snow White’s story as one of “leadership and strength” rather than romance sparked widespread discussion among audiences.
Additionally, her outspoken activism during the SAG-AFTRA strikes and her political statements about former President Donald Trump while starring in Romeo + Juliet on Broadway have kept her in the public eye, drawing both support and criticism.
As for co-star Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen, her previous life as an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier has drawn criticism, particularly in this current political climate, as has her performance as the character itself.
From a financial standpoint, the stakes are high. Forbes reported that the film’s budget has potentially soared to nearly $300 million. Yet, notably, Snow White was absent from Disney’s Q4 2024 financial disclosures, despite updates on other major projects like Captain America: Brave New World and Avatar: Fire and Ash, raising speculation about the studio’s confidence in the film’s box office potential.
Disney later reaffirmed Snow White’s place in its 2025 release slate. A press release detailed:
“The Walt Disney Studios diverse and entertaining slate will feature highly anticipated releases like Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps from Marvel Studios; live-action adaptations of Snow White and Lilo & Stitch; eagerly awaited sequels Freakier Friday and Zootopia 2; a new original film from Pixar in Elio; new installments from fan-favorite franchises Avatar: Fire and Ash, TRON: Ares, and Predator: Badlands.”
Snow White is estimated to deliver an opening box office of between $50-56 million, which would place it as one of the poorest live-action remake openings.
As Disney’s first animated feature, the 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs remains one of the most significant films in cinematic history. The groundbreaking project grossed $8 million on an unprecedented $1.49 million budget during its initial run and earned Walt Disney an honorary Academy Award—one full-sized Oscar accompanied by seven miniature statuettes.
Now, nearly nine decades later, Disney’s live-action reimagining must walk a fine line between honoring that legacy and adapting to modern sensibilities. With a screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson and Greta Gerwig, Disney’s Snow White is slated to premiere on March 21, 2025.
But will its audience be there?
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