Disney’s live-action remake of its beloved 1937 classic Snow White could be headed for disaster, according to some experts, due to comments made by the lead actress, Rachel Zegler.
The 22-year-old actress recently made headlines with her opinion of the film, saying she “hated” it, thought it was “weird,” and labeled the prince a “stalker” for his pursuit of Snow White. Furthermore, she alluded to some major changes to the remake, saying that Snow White would not be “saved by the prince” or “dreaming about true love” this time around.
Carla Speight, a branding expert, told the Daily Mail that even though Disney movies “hold old values,” changing the narrative to the “opposite extreme” could be a huge mistake. Speight continued, saying that Disney “will need to be careful with how they have portrayed Snow White” and must ensure their “actors to be so vocal in their own personal opinions during promotions.” She warned that this could have a “huge impact on ticket sales.”
PR expert Nick Ede echoed Speight’s concerns, citing Zegler’s apparent eagerness to promote the new version of Snow White and her lack of respect for the previous version of the story and other versions of the tale. He warned that this could turn out badly for Disney, saying “I am sure Disney executives must be having crisis talks and thinking perhaps their new Snow White isn’t the best person to promote the film and ensure it is a box office success.”
With the film’s 2024 release date still, a ways away, all eyes are on Disney to see how they handle the damage control. The studio must work extra hard to create a positive narrative around the remake and fans are anxiously awaiting the first previews and trailers to see what changes have been made and how the story will be told this time around.
Only time will tell if Disney’s Snow White remake will be a success or a colossal failure, but one thing is for sure, it’s never too soon to start damage control.