8 Ways Disney's Snow White Remake Is Completely Changing The Classic Story

The remake transforms Snow White's core motivation from seeking love to pursuing leadership. Zegler has described the original film as "extremely dated" in its portrayal of women, emphasizing that her version won't be a damsel in distress waiting for a prince. This modern Snow White instead harbors ambitions of becoming a leader who positively impacts her kingdom and fights for herself.

In a striking departure from tradition, the prince character has been eliminated and replaced by Jonathan, an entirely new character played by Andrew Burnap. This change suggests a different romantic dynamic, potentially emphasizing partnership over rescue. By introducing this new character, and replacing a fan favorite, the film explores fresh relationship dynamics while moving away from the "love at first sight" narrative. 

The remake reimagines the explanation for Snow White's iconic name. Rather than referencing her skin tone, her name now commemorates her survival of a snowstorm as an infant. This change transforms her name into a symbol of resilience and strength, removing the emphasis on physical appearance.

Following Peter Dinklage's criticism about stereotypical portrayals in the original story, Disney has taken a different approach. Acclaimed Game of Thrones star Dinklage drew a lot of attention to the dared nature of these characters during an episode of WTF  with Marc Maron, saying,

I was a little taken aback [that] they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White, but you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. You’re progressive in one way but you’re still making that f*cking backward story of seven dwarves living in the cave. What the f*ck are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soapbox? I guess I’m not loud enough.

They were so proud of that, and all love and respect to the actress and the people who thought they were doing the right thing but I’m just like, "What are you doing?"

Facing a public relations issue, Disney responded. After consulting with the dwarfism community to avoid reinforcing stereotypes, the studio has reimagined the seven dwarfs as magical creatures created through visual effects and performance capture technology, while maintaining their distinctive personalities.

Gal Gadot portrays an Evil Queen who transcends the one-dimensional villain obsessed with beauty. The remake explores complex motivations involving power, insecurity, and personal identity. This psychological depth transforms her from a symbol of vanity into a nuanced antagonist whose fears and ambitions mirror contemporary concerns about aging, relevance, and influence.

The casting of Emilia Faucher as young Snow White suggests the film will explore the character's childhood and formative years. This expanded backstory is set to provide context for Snow White's development and establishes her connection to her kingdom before the Evil Queen's arrival. These early experiences could illustrate her character growth and the foundation of her leadership qualities.