The long-awaited arrival of Disney’s remake of Snow White has been everything but peachy, as the multitude of controversies and setbacks have led to a noticeable disinterest in the film. The movie is set to release on the 21st of this month, but no positive buzz has been presented to hype up its arrival. It is clear to say that the film will likely not be a smash hit at the box office with how dicey its promotion has been.
The idea of remakes of Disney classics has continuously soured over the years, with older audiences seeing them as cash grabs intended for those nostalgic for the movies they grew up on. This is the least of this film’s worries, but it is still worth pointing out. The film was already hitting snags long before its first trailers because of the lead actress Rachel Zegler, who had much to say about the original animated Snow White. Most of the comments she made during interviews showed zero love or appreciation for the classic film, with her even suggesting that Andrew Burnap’s Prince Charming might just get cut from the movie entirely.
This initial look into the movie’s princess was unflattering and seemed to begin a domino effect of controversies around the film, like the film not using dwarf actors and the unfriendly interactions between Zegler and Gal Gadot over differing views on the Palestine conflict. You could feel the tension when both actors stood next to each other on stage during this year’s Oscars.
Disney and Zegler have done as much damage control as they can, but with the amount of trouble this movie has caused for their reputation and initial projections, it’s no wonder why the premiere was kept quiet. Hopefully, this whole ordeal will finally show Disney that they need to go a different direction with their adaptations and remember why people loved the originals in the first place.