When Disney first got into the live-action adaptation game, remaking their classic animated IP with the use of ever-advancing visual effects, first with “The Jungle Book” in 1994, then officially with Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” in 2010, it felt odd they would not kick off the endeavor with their first animated film, made in 1937, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”
For the most part, many of these remakes, from Guy Ritchie’s Will Smith-led “Aladdin” to Jon Favreau’s photo-realistic “The Lion King,” failed to meet the magic of their source material. But they did rake in big bucks at the box office, and that’s all Disney needs to keep the factory churning them out. But after unveiling the first teaser for “Snow White” at D23 on Friday, August 9, the Mouse House may be whistling all the way to the bank.
In development since 2016, interest was piqued when Disney and Marc Platt Productions assigned the script to Erin Cressida Wilson, mostly known for her erotic films like “Secretary” and “Chloe.” By 2019, Marc Webb, known for directing “The Amazing Spider-Man” films with Andrew Garfield, was announced as director and Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the Oscar and Tony-winning songwriters who previously contributed new music to the “Aladdin” adaptation, were brought on board to craft new songs. Rounding out the team, Greta Gerwig was brought on to co-write with Wilson in 2021, around the same time when Rachel Zegler was cast in the title role and Gal Gadot was set as the Evil Queen.
Production on the film was rife with issues, first with the COVID-19 pandemic pushing back the original start in 2020, then with a fire causing damage to sets in 2022, not to mention the unfortunate controversy of it being too “woke” that has surrounded the film. However, all this work may actually pay off, with the first footage from the film showcasing Zegler’s beautiful singing voice, elevating the original music and immersive visuals that promise a fantastical journey both wondrous and terrifying.
The film was given an official release date of March 21, 2025, so there’s probably still more work to be done and also more to see before we can say for sure, but it’s starting to look like the best live-action adaptation yet.
Watch the teaser for “Snow White” below.
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