Disney Downgrades Snow White Premiere Due to Gadot-Zegler Controversy

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The latest version of “Snow White” might be Disney’s next live-action remake, but instead of the usual grandeur associated with Disney premieres, they are opting for a more subdued approach for this film’s launch. In contrast to their typical extravagant celebrations, Disney is actually reducing the scale of events for this new adaptation.

For quite some time now, Disney has been earning substantial profits from live-action remakes of its classic animations. This penchant for adaptations started as far back as the mid-’90s with films like “The Jungle Book” (1994) and “101 Dalmatians” (1996). Both have since been reimagined on a larger scale in 2016 with “The Jungle Book” and 2021 with “Cruella”. Following the massive success of “Alice in Wonderland” at the box office in 2010, which raked in over a billion dollars worldwide, Disney has been delving into its history to find every animated film it can transform for additional earnings. “Snow White” is just the latest example of this ongoing trend.

The new report from Variety states that Disney is planning a low-key premiere for Snow White this week, as opposed to their usual grand events. Instead of inviting numerous media outlets for interviews with the cast and crew, they will only have photographers and a small team on site. This change may seem unusual given the high-profile nature of Snow White, which carries an estimated production cost of over $250 million, but it could be due to the overwhelming attention this film has received in anticipation of its debut.

Snow White Has Been A Controversy Magnet

How Many Poison Apples Can One Project Handle?

To start, let’s discuss the controversy surrounding the casting of Rachel Zegler in the lead role for a Disney project. Some fans voiced their disapproval when they learned that Zegler, who is of Colombian descent, was chosen to play the part, sparking discussions about representation and inclusivity in Hollywood. Despite this, it’s important to note that Zegler had already delivered an exceptional performance as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaptation of West Side Story, demonstrating her potential to headline big-budget musical productions.

Adding fuel to the fire was a series of critical comments made by Peter Dinklage about the project, which Disney responded to and other actors with dwarfism also weighed in on. In the end, the creative team behind the film opted to use CGI characters designed to resemble those from the 1937 original, likely due to the ongoing discussions surrounding representation and inclusivity in Hollywood.

Back in 2022 at the D23 Expo, I had the pleasure of hearing some intriguing insights from the talented cast member, Zegler. She pointed out that the original animated film from 1937, while a classic, certainly shows its age. The creative team behind our upcoming movie is putting a modern spin on it, and one aspect they’re addressing is the love story between Snow White and her stalker-esque suitor. Thankfully, this new version will not be focusing on that aspect at all, which is truly refreshing. Some online commentators have raised eyebrows about Disney’s plans to create a “feminist” take on Snow White, but I, for one, can’t wait to see the fresh perspective they’re bringing to this timeless tale!

The most contentious aspect regarding both Gal Gadot and Rachel Zegler is their views on the persistent Israeli-Palestinian dispute. As an Israeli citizen who served in the military for two years, Gadot has sparked much debate and controversy. On the other hand, Zegler has long supported Palestine, which has garnered her criticism from some of Trump’s supporters due to her anti-Trump sentiments. This could potentially cause issues when trying to use them as spokespeople for a family-friendly production.

One company consistently striving to avoid controversy at every opportunity is none other than Disney. However, they seem to have found themselves in a film that has been nothing but troublesome for them over the years. Lately, Zegler has tried to minimize the controversy, yet it’s challenging to contain something as contentious as this.

Snow White is set to hit theatres on March 15, 2025.

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2025-03-11 22:14