Hold up movie fans something is going on with Disney's upcoming live-action 'Snow White' movie starring Rachel Zegler. Word is Disney is seriously scaling back the usual Hollywood premiere and it is making people wonder if all the recent drama around the film is the reason why. Let's break down what's happening and all the controversies that have been swirling around this remake.
Smaller Premiere for Snow White: Disney Reportedly Limits Media Access Amidst Growing Backlash
Usually Disney goes all out for movie premieres especially for biggies like live-action remakes. Think red carpets screaming fans the works. But for 'Snow White' it sounds like things are going to be way different. According to reports Disney is planning a much smaller premiere . Instead of inviting tons of media outlets they are supposedly only bringing in a small crew of photographers and their own in-house team. That means most journalists and entertainment reporters who would normally be there are getting the boot.
Disney isn't saying officially why they are doing this. But timing is interesting right? This decision comes after years of 'Snow White' facing one controversy after another. Could Disney be trying to dodge tough questions or limit bad press around the movie? It definitely raises eyebrows.
The premiere is still happening in Los Angeles at the El Capitan Theatre. Stars Rachel Zegler who plays Snow White and Gal Gadot who is the Evil Queen are expected to be there and will participate in a question-and-answer session. But the lack of open media access is definitely unusual and suggests Disney might be trying to control the narrative around this film.
From Casting to Feminism: A Rundown of All the 'Snow White' Controversies Sparking Debate
So what exactly are these controversies? Buckle up there are a few big ones:
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Diverse Casting of Snow White: Is Latina Rachel Zegler Too 'Woke' for the Fairy Tale?
Casting Rachel Zegler a Latina actress as Snow White caused a stir from the start. Some people got upset because in the original fairy tale Snow White is described as having "skin as white as snow." They think casting a Latina actress is not true to the source material. Zegler has defended her casting saying Snow White is popular in Spanish-speaking countries and she is proud to represent her heritage as a "Latina princess". She even joked the "Snow White" name will be explained by her surviving a snowstorm as a kid.
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Seven Dwarfs or Magical Creatures? Dwarfism Representation and Backlash
The Portrayal of the seven dwarfs has also been a major point of debate. Peter Dinklage an actor with dwarfism criticized Disney for remaking 'Snow White' at all because of the dwarf characters. He thought it was hypocritical to cast a Latina Snow White but still tell a "backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave". Disney responded saying they were consulting with the dwarfism community to avoid stereotypes. However leaked set photos showed only one actor with dwarfism and the rest were actors of different races which further fueled criticism from some groups who felt it took away jobs from actors with dwarfism. Others including conservative commentator Megyn Kelly accused Disney of being too "woke" and "racialized".
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Feminist Snow White? Will the Remake Ditch True Love for 'Girl Boss' Vibes?
Rachel Zegler made comments suggesting this 'Snow White' will be a more Feminist take than the original 1937 cartoon. She said Snow White won't be saved by a prince or dream of true love but instead focus on becoming a leader. This sparked backlash from some conservatives like Ben Shapiro who accused Zegler of pushing a "girl boss" agenda and ruining the classic fairy tale romance. Zegler later clarified that love story is still important in the film and she believes Snow White can want both love and independence.
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Political Views of Stars: Israel-Palestine Conflict and Social Media Controversy
Both Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot have faced political heat. Zegler criticized Donald Trump and his supporters on social media after the 2024 election which angered some conservatives. She later apologized. Gadot who is Israeli has been openly supportive of Israel in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Zegler has expressed pro-Palestine views. This difference in opinion has led to calls for boycotts of 'Snow White' from both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel groups adding another layer of controversy.
Disney Playing it Safe? Is 'Snow White' Premiere Scale-Down a Sign of Studio Jitters?
With all this controversy swirling around 'Snow White' it makes you wonder if Disney is getting cold feet. Are they worried about the movie bombing because of the backlash? Scaling back the premiere and limiting media access could be a way for Disney to try and control the message and avoid more negative attention.
Some are even suggesting Disney might be "burying" the movie trying to minimize its visibility and potential for further controversy especially in the current political climate. The idea is that Disney may be trying to "play it safe" and avoid anything that could be seen as too "woke" or politically charged. This comes after other instances where Disney seemed to backtrack on diversity and inclusion after facing conservative criticism.
Of course Disney still hopes 'Snow White' will be a box office hit. Initial projections suggest it could open around $53 million which would be decent but not a massive blockbuster number. Whether a smaller premiere and all the surrounding controversies will impact the film's success remains to be seen. One thing is for sure this 'Snow White' remake is definitely not going unnoticed even if it is for all the wrong reasons.