Disney Studios is well-known for its countless classics that have shaped and impacted childhoods worldwide. Its many theme parks, original stories and household-name characters have given the studio a rich history. That history has grown into a legacy in which the company is held to high standards. In addition to its beloved films and characters, its innovation within the animation industry is almost unmatched.
Though they’ve received their fair share of criticism, the studio managed to maintain its reputation and continues to produce well-respected movies that have received high praise from audiences of all ages. It is believed that every 25 years, Disney remakes a classic film so a new generation can experience the magic of the movies that put the studio on the map. The most recent character to meet this fate is another Disney Princess. It’s Snow White’s turn to step up to the plate this time, but will she strike out or hit a home run?
The 2025 Disney remake of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” seemingly took the internet by storm. Before it was released in theaters, it was already under fire for its controversial casting choices. Between Gal Gadot’s military history and previous statements on the Palestine-Israel conflict and Rachel Zelger’s comments on the current United States president, the film was going to be in for a long and bumpy ride.
On top of the casting, another complaint from audiences was for the studio itself, as many were becoming bored and uninterested in another remake of an original or older story. Regardless of all the criticism and opposition, the film was already greenlit, and production had already begun.
As the trailer was released, social media users were not merciful, and the movie and cast received another wave of criticism, which has continued since. You may be wondering: Why? If you remove the cast and the fact that it’s a live adaptation of the originally animated film and view the movie in its own context, it becomes unfortunately clear “why.”Â
In remakes, the plot of the film often changes, so it’s no surprise that parts of the original story were altered in this retelling. The real issue arises when the viewer slowly realizes that in this movie, the only person who can sing or hold a note at all is Snow White, who was played by Rachel Zegler. Zegler notably has the most impressive vocal range throughout the entire movie. However, those watching the film wouldn’t know otherwise, as the songs she is given to perform seem to nullify those skills.
The song, “Waiting on a Wish” takes this film’s Snow White in a direction that is the exact opposite of the original, which is not a bad thing, but given the blunt cut bob and the dress Zegler wears in the film (that heavily resembles the one worn in the 1937 version), it appears that was not the intention.
The light and dainty voice the original actress, Adriana Caselotti, had was replaced with the most recent popular style of singing for Disney original movies. With its belty sound, it left many disappointed, hoping to hear the classic songs. This caused the film to slowly but inevitably lose parts of what made the original movie so charming.
Gal Gadot plays the Evil Queen and Andrew Burnap plays Johnathan, Snow White’s love interest. They both were disappointing as neither one of them are strong singers. Many of their solo songs felt more like spoken word and simplicity in the lyrics did not help.Â
Though the costumes were not horrible, the material used for Snow White and the Evil Queen appeared cheaply made. The mesh on Snow White was comparable to a Halloween costume and the Queen wore something I’d seen at my high school homecoming. The use of CGI was another unfortunate addition to the production. The Dwarfs were uncanny and made me uncomfortable every time they appeared on screen.Â
Overall, I’m sure the film was important and meaningful to so many and it’s truly saddening that cast members such as Rachel Zegler have to be subjected to hate and blamed for the failure of the film, when all she did was accept a role. Remember that this film is for children, and often enough, kids love things adults don’t understand. While I don’t think this film can use that excuse, I still understand if individuals enjoyed it.