Movies

With live-action ‘Snow White,’ Disney finds itself again in culture war crosshairs

BBG News

Right from its inception, the live-action remake of “Snow White” by Walt Disney Co. ignited a flurry of political debates.

Initially, there was a response that suggested racial bias when the casting choice for the title role, Rachel Zegler of Colombian heritage, was announced. Originally, the character’s skin was described as “as white as snow.”

At first, there was an apparent reaction based on racial prejudice following the announcement that Rachel Zegler, who has Colombian ancestry, would play the main role in a production where the character traditionally had very pale skin.

Later, ardent supporters became vocal about Zegler’s statements that the tale would be revised for contemporary settings, with Snow White’s aspirations for Prince Charming taking a back seat. In the original 1937 animated movie, the royal admirer “actually pursues” the princess, she noted.

During its journey, the film has encountered debates regarding its portrayal of people with dwarfism and the perspectives of its main actors concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict. Zegler is vocal about her support for the Palestinians, whereas Gal Gadot, who assumes the role of the wicked queen, has expressed backing for Israel, where she was born and served her compulsory military service.

A flurry of problems are arising just prior to the live cinema premiere of this movie next week, marking a tense debut for Disney, based in Burbank. This film, said to have cost $250 million in production costs alone, excluding advertising, is another attempt by the company to revive its classic animated titles under their generally successful strategy.

Inside the Disney Vault resides Walt Disney’s inaugural full-length animated masterpiece, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” often hailed as the most enchanting amongst its peers.

Currently, the latest Disney reinterpretation is getting drawn into the cultural conflict whirlwind. Earlier, Halle Bailey, a Black actress, who played Ariel in the 2023 “Little Mermaid” retelling, encountered racial opposition following her casting as Ariel, who was portrayed as white in the original 1989 animated movie.

Disney often finds itself at the center of significant controversies: it’s faced criticisms for its approach to diverse casting in the “Star Wars” series, and it’s been vocal in opposing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Florida, which has resulted in a lengthy conflict with Governor Ron DeSantis. Furthermore, Disney has received heavy criticism from conservatives regarding their efforts towards diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Disney has become the most esteemed brand in America, and with that status comes a mark that makes it a target,” said Stephen Galloway, dean of Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. “This isn’t the small animation studio that Walt Disney started. As a massive corporation, every problem you encounter is connected to an intricate, global web of issues that you can’t ignore.

This weekend, Disney is set to hold a grand opening for the movie at its El Capitan Theatre, but unlike usual, there won’t be a row of microphones for interviews with actors on the red carpet. However, rest assured, journalists will still be present at the premiere event.

Disney did not make executives available to comment.

The impact that all these various problems might have on the ticket sales for “Snow White” remains unanswered, according to analysts and professionals in the field. If the film turns out to be strong enough, it may manage to stand out amidst the general hubbub of culture. At present, reviews from critics have not been released.

Galloway stated, “Is their film truly exceptional? If so, it’ll overshadow any other issues. If not, it’ll reinforce the current storyline.

Disney’s live-action adaptations of their animated films are now key elements in the company’s movie planning.

It’s projected that ‘Snow White’ will earn approximately $50 million during its first weekend at the US and Canadian box offices based on insights from those who’ve analyzed early audience polls.

The given figure indicates that this Disney live-action remake falls short of the average when compared to past ones, as reported by analysts. However, this could be because the film’s source material is relatively old, rather than any current controversies, according to Shawn Robbins, an analytics director at Fandango and founder of Box Office Theory.

As a devoted cinephile looking back on recent live-action adaptations, I can’t help but notice the success stories that harken back to my childhood favorites. Take, for instance, “The Lion King” (2019) with its staggering $191.8-million domestic debut, or “Beauty and the Beast” (2017), which raked in an impressive $174.8 million. Fast forward to 2023’s “The Little Mermaid,” earning a respectable $95.6 million, and we can’t forget “Aladdin” from 2019, with a solid $91.5-million opening. These modern reimaginings are all derived from the timeless animated films of the late ’80s and early ’90s – what some call Disney’s Renaissance era. It seems these remakes have struck a chord, appealing to the nostalgia of millennials and Gen X moviegoers, many of whom are now parents themselves, as Robbins pointed out.

In my humble opinion, the enchanting 2010 adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland” was yet another box office triumph, raking in a staggering $116 million on its opening weekend alone. This timeless tale marked an impressive beginning for Disney’s wave of live-action reimaginings, leaving audiences spellbound and eager for more.

Even though Snow White is featured at Disney theme parks, it’s possible that her character and tale might not be as familiar to a more youthful audience, according to Robbins.

He mentioned, “It’s likely that this will tap into the generational allure often associated with Disney remakes.” However, he also pointed out, “There’s no denying that certain contemporary narratives surrounding ‘Snow White’ in recent times have not been beneficial.

Despite a potentially weaker showing for “Snow White,” Disney’s plans for live-action adaptations won’t be slowed down. They are already set to debut a live-action version of “Lilo and Stitch” in May, and have also announced a remake of the 2016 animated film “Moana” as well.

Currently, “Snow White” dominates the family film market with few rivals. In contrast, Warner Bros. Pictures is set to release “Minecraft,” an adaptation of the popular video game franchise, in April. Earlier options for children this year were “Dog Man” from Universal Pictures and “Paddington in Peru,” distributed by Sony through StudioCanal.

Robbins pointed out that family films have been particularly successful at the box office over the past few months.

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2025-03-13 02:01

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