Controversial Live-Action 'Snow White' Dumps the Seven Dwarfs
Heigh-Ho! The live-action Snow White remake is off to work. With an anticipated release date of spring 2024, some details have begun to emerge about the production which most notably dropped "the Seven Dwarfs" from its title.
Snow White is just the latest Disney movie to get the live-action treatment. The movie comes on the heels of the release of The Little Mermaid and announcements that live-action Moana and Hunchback of Notre Dame movies are in development. From the cast to the director to the surprising writing team, here is everything you need to know about the modernized live-action Snow White.
Related: We Ranked All 15 Live-Action Disney Remakes
When will Snow White be released?
Snow White will be released on March 22, 2024 in theaters.
Where to watch Snow White
Snow White will be released in theaters—at least initially. Considering the shrinking theatrical window, it will most likely stream on Disney+ a couple months after the movie premieres. We'll update this space when streaming details are available.
What is Snow White about?
Little has been revealed about the plot of the new Snow White, but it’s inspired by the 1937 animated film (which was, in turn, inspired by the original fairytale from the Brothers Grimm). According to the original 2016 announcement, the new movie “will expand upon the story and music from the beloved animated classic.”
What happened in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?
The original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs follows Snow White, whose life is made difficult by her stepmother, the Evil Queen. The Evil Queen fears that Snow White will end up being more beautiful than her (“the fairest of them all”). When the Evil Queen’s magic mirror tells her that Snow White is the fairest, she orders the huntsman to kill the young woman in the forest. The huntsman finds himself unable to harm her and ultimately lets her go. She flees to the cottage of the Seven Dwarfs, who give her shelter. When the Evil Queen learns that Snow White is still alive, she attempts to kill her with a poison apple. Only love’s first kiss can undo the poison of the apple, which the Prince supplies after showing up to kiss a deeply sleeping (and seemingly dead) Snow White goodbye.
Who is in the cast of Snow White?
Only three official casting announcements have been made so far. Check out the details below:
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Rachel Zegler
Rachel Zegler is Snow White. Zegler, who first came to fame for her work as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, is fresh off of a starring role in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. The 22-year-old actress will next appear as Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, the prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy.
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Gal Gadot
Gal Gadot is the Evil Queen. Gadot gained international attention for her work as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman 1984 and Justice League, among other DCEU properties. She also starred in Kenneth Branagh’s Death on the Nile and is slated to star as Cleopatra in the upcoming version of the famously controversial 1963 Elizabeth Taylor movie.
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Andrew Burnap
Andrew Burnap is Jonathan, a new male lead meant to replace the traditional Prince. The Tony winner, currently starring as King Arthur in the Broadway revival of Camelot, also appeared in WeCrashed and Under the Banner of Heaven.
Martin Klebba
No official announcement has been made so far, but Martin Klebba has stated that he'll be playing Grumpy, one of Snow White's "companions."
Related: Who Stars in the West Side Story Remake Vs. the Original? Take a Look at the Cast Then and Now
Who is the director of Snow White?
Marc Webb is the director of Snow White. He is best known for directing 500 Days of Summer and the Andrew Garfield Spider-Man movies, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Webb is also a prolific television and music video director, featuring credits on The Office, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and videos for Maroon 5, My Chemical Romance and Green Day.
Who are the writers of Snow White?
Greta Gerwig and Erin Cressida Wilson are the writers behind the latest retelling of Snow White. Gerwig is the mastermind writer-director of Barbie, Little Women and Lady Bird while Wilson is best known for thrillers like Chloe and The Girl on the Train. Wilson was announced as writer when the project first broke and Gerwig was brought on later in development.
What happened to the 'seven dwarfs'?
Disney notably opted to not include the "seven dwarfs" in the title of the film. The change-up from the original story came amidst pushback when the project was first announced. Peter Dinklage criticized the decision to make the movie in 2022. "Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there. It makes no sense to me," he shared on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast. "You’re progressive in one way, but then you’re still making that [expletive] backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together? What the [expletive] are you doing, man?"
In response to Dinklage's comments, Disney told The Hollywood Reporter: "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. We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period." While no other details were offered, recent unofficial leaked set photos from The Daily Mail showed stand-ins for Snow White and Jonathan accompanied by seven companions that the publication described as "a mix of genders, ethnicities and heights."
Is there a trailer for Snow White?
The is no trailer for Snow White yet but check back here for updates.
Next, Everything We Know About Disney’s New Haunted Mansion Movie
