Hitting numerous bumps along the road to the big screen, Snow White continues its pattern as Disney scales back the premiere. Perhaps this premiere won’t be the fairest of them all.
Usually boasting an over-the-top premiere in Los Angeles, the company has decided instead for a quiet laid-back pre-party and screening at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on March 15th. Disney has allegedly handpicked a few photographers and house crew to cover the event.
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Response to Scaling Back the Premiere
It’s not only the fans and moviegoers who are surprised at the premiere being smaller. Actor Martin Klebba, who voices the character Grumpy in the film, also voiced his opinion on the matter. Klebba was “disappointed” the premiere was scaled back but understands Disney’s decision to do so.
He goes on to comment to the New York Post that he’s “disappointed in the world,” stating, “…just because a couple of people have views that not everybody feels the same way, now we’re having to alter the fun part of making a movie, which is premieres.”
The world has come a long way from when the original animated film came out in 1937, but the amount of controversy this film has garnered is quite stunning.
Other Controversies Surrounding Snow White
Scaling back the premiere is just a piece of the puzzle when it comes to the news, issues, and events surrounding the live-action film’s creation. Below are a few more controversies that have plagued the production and advertisement of Snow White.
Rachel Zegler
Zegler, who is at the forefront of the film portraying Snow White, has also been at the forefront for other reasons. Some viewers think a Latina actress like Zegler should not have been cast for the role, claiming Disney has become too “politically correct” and “woke.” However, this is not the true problem surrounding Zegler.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes star spoke out about her dislike of the election of Donald Trump, claiming there is a “deep, deep sickness” in the United States for how many voted for a “man who threatens our democracy.”
She also made comments about the 1937 classic, calling it “extremely dated” and citing that the live-action film will be a more modern take on the original.
Zegler said at the Disney D23 Expo that “[Snow White] is not going to be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader…that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave, and true.”
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The Seven Dwarfs
The other focal point falls on the seven dwarfs. An early leak spread about Disney replacing the dwarves in favor of diverse characters to “avoid reinforcing stereotypes.” This caused fans and stars alike to go on the defensive. Fans believe the company is too “woke,” especially when Zegler, a Latina actress, is Snow White.
One star who had particular issues with the decision was Peter Dinklage, who also has dwarfism. On Marc Maron’s “WTF” podcast in 2022, he commented, “Literally no offense to anyone, but I was a little taken aback [when] they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White, but you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”
He goes on to talk about making one piece of the story more modern (Snow White) while still keeping the dwarves living in a cave together, projecting two sides of handling a more modernized version.
Disney later changed the dwarves back to their original form but is using CGI to create the characters rather than live actors.
Only Time Will Tell
Premiering on March 21st, time will tell if the newest live-action addition will be a box office success or flop. Hopefully, the story can overcome the obstacles during production and give a new breath of fresh air to a classic story.
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