Dwarfs replaced by creatures and a feminist heroine. David Hand, son of the director of the first Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs released in 1937, did not like the remake by Mark Webb. “Don’t destroy a classic or a work of art,” he claimed in an interview with the American newspaper The Telegraph. The release of this new adaptation of Snow White is scheduled for March 2024.
“It doesn’t feel like the origin stories anymore. They invent new woke things and I don’t like it very much. I even find it insulting. There is no respect for the work of Disney and that of my father,” criticized David Hand, 91. For him, Disney “shouldn’t take a classic and rewrite it. Take something else. Invent new characters. If you want to, fine, but don’t destroy a classic or a work of art.” And to add: “That’s another concept. I’m against. I know my dad and Walt would have opposed that.”
In a podcast by Marc Maron in 2022, Peter Dinklage, an actor himself suffering from dwarfism, accused Disney of “hypocrisy” when Disney announced that it was working on a live action version of Snow White. “On the one hand you’re progressive, and on the other hand you keep pushing this damn backstory about seven dwarfs who live together in a cave – but what do you do? Did I do nothing to advance the cause on my scale? I guess I’m not strong enough.”
To this first controversy, Disney had then responded in the columns of Hollywood Reporter: “To avoid reinforcing the stereotypes of the original animated film, we are adopting a different approach with these seven characters, and we have consulted members of the dwarf community.
In this adaptation of the Brothers Grimm’s tale, the seven dwarfs have been replaced by “magical creatures”. Snow White, meanwhile, will not “be saved by the prince and will not dream of great love”, defends Rachel Zegler, interpreter of the feminist heroine and will give the reply to Gal Gadot, chosen to embody the wicked stepmother .
