Mirror, Mirror - Who's the Wokest of Them All?

Once upon a time, Snow White dreamed of true love’s kiss. In 2025, she dreamed of independence, leadership—and perhaps a more favorable box office reception.

Disney’s Snow White remake, released earlier this month, has become one of the studio’s most polarizing—and underperforming—live-action adaptations. Depending on whom you ask, the film is either a bold reimagining of a classic fairytale or a misguided attempt at modernizing a beloved story.

From Disney's Snow White remake

Beyond the headlines and social media debates, this remake prompts a deeper reflection: what do we want our modern fairytales to convey, and who are they intended for?

Box Office Performance

Despite Disney’s hopes for a fairytale debut, Snow White opened to a modest $43 million domestically and has earned just $87 million globally to date. These figures are concerning for a film with a production budget reportedly between $240–270 million.

For comparison, 2023’s The Little Mermaid opened to $95 million and eventually grossed over $560 million worldwide.

Marketing and Promotion

While Disney allocated an estimated $100 million for marketing, this was notably less aggressive than previous live-action remakes.

Several factors may have influenced this strategy:

• Casting and Storyline Changes: The decision to cast Rachel Zegler, a Latina actress, as Snow White, and to modify elements of the original story, sparked debates and backlash from various groups.

• Public Statements: Zegler’s candid remarks about the original 1937 film and her vision for a modernized Snow White led to polarized reactions.

• Internal Tensions: Reported political differences between Zegler and co-star Gal Gadot further complicated promotional efforts.

These controversies may have led Disney to adopt a more cautious promotional approach to mitigate further backlash.

Reimagining a Classic

In the remake, Snow White is portrayed as a woman determined to lead her kingdom, moving away from the traditional narrative of being saved by a prince. This shift reflects an effort to modernize the character and make her more relatable to contemporary audiences.

However, this reinterpretation has been met with mixed reactions. While some applaud the progressive approach, others feel it strays too far from the original story that generations have cherished.

Addressing Stereotypes

The depiction of the seven dwarfs has also been a point of contention. Actor Peter Dinklage criticized the film for perpetuating stereotypes, stating:

“You’re progressive in one way, but you’re still making that f—ing backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the f— are you doing, man?”

In response, Disney consulted with members of the dwarfism community and opted to portray these characters as CGI representations to avoid reinforcing negative stereotypes.

This seems to have totally missed the point of Dinklage's comments, and in doing so alienated both sides on the issue while furthering the replacement of actor's with CGI.

Cultural Impact and Audience Reception

The film’s attempt to balance honoring the original while introducing modern themes has sparked widespread debate. Some view it as a necessary evolution of storytelling, while others see it as an unnecessary departure from a classic narrative.

This discourse reflects broader societal conversations about representation, tradition, and the challenges of updating beloved stories for new generations.