Disney’s upcoming Snow White film has sparked controversy ever since details of the remake were confirmed, and the corporation has reportedly now scrapped plans for a UK premiere in order to avoid backlash for what some deem a “woke” adaptation.
The highly-anticipated re-imagining of the 1937 classic, starring Latin actress Rachel Zegler, has already been blasted for its decision not to include “the seven dwarves” in its title but has been met with a string of other complaints from both sides of the “woke” debate.
Disney remakes usually see a celebratory red carpet premiere in London, but the capital won’t be enjoying such an event for Snow White, with reports suggesting the decision was made to swerve any potential “anti-woke” reaction.
It’s understood there will be a “handful” of strongly managed press events, Mail Online reports.
A source told the publication: “Disney are already anticipating an anti-woke backlash against Snow White and have reduced the media schedule to just a handful of tightly controlled press events.
“That is why they have taken the highly unusual step not to host a London premiere for the film and are minimising the amount of press questions that Rachel Zegler gets.”
Zegler, 23, has previously been deemed “a waking PR disaster for Disney” following comments she has made about her role in the film.
During a 2022 interview, the actress labelled the film as “dated,” describing Prince Charming as “a guy who literally stalks [Snow White]”, going on to deem the story “weird”.
The new Snow White adaptation has also been criticised for its CGI use
Disney
Her casting in the role has also sparked some criticisms following Disney’s recent commitment for cultural accuracy.
Zegler is half-Columbian and half-Polish, while the character of Snow White is German, which has led some to question the casting choice.
The film is set to hit the big screens later this month, with the trailer having been released at the end of 2024.
In response to the first-look, the use of CGI displayed in the advert also led to complaints, with some commenting it seemed overdone.
Meanwhile, David Hand, whose father, also named David Hand, worked on the original movie, has slammed the look of the remake.
He remarked in 2023 that his father, along with Walt Disney, “would be turning in their graves” over the re-doing of the classic animation, which went on to win Disney an honorary Oscar.
A further criticism in the string of complaints against the film before its release comes from the casting of Israeli actress Gal Gadot.
The 39-year-old portrays the evil queen in the film and has publicly advocated for Israel in recent years, leading to fury from pro-Palestinian activists.
GB News has contacted Disney for a comment on the reports.
It comes as one of the latest examples of the Disney brand being blasted for what some argue is a “woke” focus in its newer releases.
Earlier this year, Hudson Thames, the voice actor for Marvel’s new animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, has sparked controversy after revealing he initially feared the Disney+ show would be “annoying and woke”.
His remarks came just days before the series premiere on Disney’s streaming platform.
Thames, who voices the titular web-slinger in the new Marvel timeline, expressed his early concerns about the show’s potential direction, though he later praised the series after reading the script.
Snow White is set to hit cinemas later this month
Disney
“I thought it was awesome. I mean, my biggest fear was that it was gonna be annoying and woke, and it wasn’t,” the actor commented during an interview with Collider.
The actor expressed his satisfaction with the show’s writing quality, stating: “Yes, this is great, it’s so well written, like it feels real.”
