It looks like one apple may have rolled out of the bag, and a little too far from Disney’s grip. There is now leaked “footage” of Disney’s live-action Snow White, and it reveals one of the characters that we will be seeing and hearing in the movie.
Things have been looking rough for the success of the live-action Snow White film, which has not even come out yet, nor has one trailer or any real previews. The hatred has been unprecedented, and it may lead to Disney’s decision to do something unprecedented: pull the film entirely.
Over the past few years, we have seen Disney attempt to be much more diverse and inclusive in all aspects of the company, including casting choices. This, for some, has recently gone too far — and now Disney is seemingly looking to make it right.
Previously, Disney launched the Reimagine Tomorrow initiative, stating that “We haven’t always got it right.” This came after the Cast Member dress code changed when it came to the “Disney Look,” allowing Cast Members to express themselves more while at work. On top of that, we have already heard of the progress coming along on the new Princess and the Frog attraction, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, that is replacing Splash Mountain’s racist undertone scenes due to the Song of the South IP, as well as changing the storyline on both Walt Disney World Resort’s and Disneyland Resort’s Jungle Cruise attraction to ensure cultural appropriation disappears.
We have also seen the company move forward in a direction that strongly supports live-action films with Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, Jungle Book, Cinderella, and more coming to light in a non-animated way. One live-action movie that ruffled some feathers was The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey. Disney made the decision to diversify their cast, and chose to make Ariel Black, which is different from her Caucasian represenation in the cartoon.
While some applauded Disney for this, others were upset that Disney was changing the iconic look of Ariel. Some chose to boycott the film, and #NotMyAriel began trending on Twitter.
Now, with Snow White peaking in the media, Rachel Zegler has caused a much stronger headache for Disney than Halle’s skin color ever could have.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfsholds a pivotal place in the history of animation and cinema as a whole.
It was not only the first full-length animated feature film ever created but also the inaugural production from Walt Disney Productions. This pioneering achievement revolutionized the entertainment industry, setting the stage for the rich legacy of Disney animation that continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
The film showcased the potential of animation as a medium for storytelling, proving that animated features could be both artistically and commercially successful. Its impact transcended the boundaries of animation, influencing the development of the entire film industry and inspiring generations of animators, filmmakers, and artists.
Beyond its historical significance, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs remains a timeless classic that has endured for generations. The film’s enduring appeal lies in its universal themes, relatable characters, and enchanting storytelling. Snow White’s journey from innocence to resilience, her bond with the seven endearing dwarfs, and her ultimate triumph over the wicked Queen resonate with audiences of all ages.
Over the last few months, Inside the Magic has detailed the changes that Disney has made to the live-action version of the film. Disney has abandoned essentially every key aspect of the original and, instead, is making a live-action version that will look nothing like the original. In addition, Rachel Zegler— who has been cast as Snow White– has received a significant amount of backlash due to comments she has made about the film, but she’s not the only star in the film who has ever received threats.
In the midst of the controversial production, comments have resurfaced from Gal Gadot— who is set to play the Evil Queen in the live-action adaptation– about her career being threatened. She has also recently spoken out on director abuse she received. The Wonder Woman star recently had her filming experience shared by Patty Jenkins detailing the harsh filming conditions that Gadot had to endure that nearly left her hospitalized.
Rachel Zegler, who portrays Snow White in the upcoming film, made a name for herself with films like West Side Story (2021), Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) and will star in this year’s expansion of the Hunger Games franchise with The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
The initial decision to cast Rachel Zegler as Snow White was met with some backlash due to her Latina heritage, but it grew to a fury as fans began to hear Rachel Zegler talk about the upcoming film. The actress shared in multiple interviews that this movie would be nothing like the original and that the 1937 version– which had been created by Walt Disney himself— was “strange” to her.
In addition, Zegler shared in other comments that Andrew Burnap– who plays the role of Jonathan since there is no prince– could see his role completely cut if the executives decided to do so.
The initial viral interview that surfaced shared Zegler’s sentiments on the film. “I just mean that it’s no longer 1937,” Zegler said. “We absolutely wrote a ‘Snow White’ that … she’s not going to be saved by the prince, and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love; she’s going to be dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave and true.”
This quickly had social media creators sharing the video, and giving their opinion. Many, especially women, believed it is wrong to change a female character who is a caregiver type role, and enjoys the idea of true love and the fairytale into a “leader” role, as the original depiction of Snow White was not weak due to those other qualities.
There are two main instances that caused fans outrage with the upcoming film. Firstly, there will be no dwarfs in the film, but seven magical creatures, which deviate from the iconic story that Walt Disney himself created on screen. Many have not understood why the characters were removed, with a point being made that this is depriving little people with dwarfism the opportunity to gain a role in a major feature film.
The second comes from an interview where Zegler and Gadot say that Snow White will not have a prince charming, and there is no one who needs to save her.
At this point, fans accused Disney of creating a totally different film, and creating a pseudo-feminist film that makes Snow White’s ideals and behavior be seen as wrong, creating a corrupt narrative for females who may dream of finding their “prince charming”, or behaving as more of a softer character, than someone who is constantly trying to be the leader, as Zegler said Snow White will now be. With this, fans have been outraged at Disney pushing their “woke” agenda.
The hatred toward the film became so strong that many rumors accusing Disney of replacing Zegler or cutting the film entirely came to light.
Zegler has been cut from Paddington 3, but there has not been any confirmation that she will not be appearing as Snow White. Zegler has been photographed wearing a lot of Snow White merch lately, which points to her still being cast in the role.
Now, a snippet of Snow White has been leaked! The iconic “mirror, mirror, on the wall” scene is now public in audio form.
Esailower took to TikTok to share a vocal clip from the film, where we can hear Gal Gadot’s Evil Queen voice.
mirror mirror…
@esailower mirror mirror..😊
It seems that this account gained hold of a teaser trailer that many are expecting to be released on October 15. The overall reaction of the comment section was quite different to the recent hatred of the film, as many wanted to see more, and were begging for screen grabs. Snow White will be debuting in 2024.
What do you think of this leaked footage from Snow White?
