Disney's upcoming live-action remake of Snow White is stirring controversy among fans, most of whom have taken to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the film. Set to feature Rachel Zegler as the titular Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, the film has faced significant backlash, particularly following the release of several trailers and promotional materials.
On Christmas, Disney released what it calls a Special Look at the film. This form of marketing follows two recent trailers, which have collectively accumulated over 2 million dislikes on YouTube. Many fans are using various browser extensions to track these disdainful numbers, clearly showcasing their discontent. The latest promotional clip also fared poorly, garnering approximately 20,000 dislikes compared to just 3,200 likes, resulting in nearly a 6-to-1 dislike ratio. Shockingly, the views for this Special Look are drastically lower compared to those for the earlier trailers.
Fan comments overwhelmingly reflect disappointment toward Zegler's casting as Snow White, with many supporters of Gadot advocating for her character, the Evil Queen. Indeed, several commentators have expressed their desire for the Evil Queen to triumph over Snow White, implying they would not watch the movie if their wishes were unfulfilled. They overwhelmingly indicate Gal Gadot should be the film's winner, stating, “The people have spoken. We want to see Gal Gadot win.” This sentiment encapsulates the general mood across various platforms, with dozens of comments echoing similar themes.
Among the most liked comments on the Special Look, one simply states, “End of this move should be: The Queen and the Prince lived happily ever after,” implying supporters are not only interested in the Queen's victory but also want to see her rewarded alongside the Prince. Others have humorously commented, “If the evil Queen doesn't win we riot,” illustrating their passions surrounding the cinematic outcome.
Strikingly, many comments reference Gadot even though she isn’t featured prominently within the promotional footage. For example, one comment reads, “Love how Gal Gadot wasn’t in the clip yet 99% of the comments are about her.” It highlights how the audience's fixation on the character goes beyond the immediate content, hinting at Gadot’s star power.
Viewers are gearing up with phrases like, “Let the evil queen win” and the amusing quip, “Mirror Mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of them all? Mirror: You, my queen,” pointing to the classic fairy tale's themes of beauty competition, now ironically flipped to favor the villain. Others echoed the idea, emphasizing entertainment value with, “People will only watch this movie if Evil Queen wins.”
This fervent interest showcases not just extreme fan engagement but also poses potential challenges for Disney as it heads toward the film's release. The strong desire for the Evil Queen's character to prevail over the traditional fairy tale narrative offers insight on how audiences are increasingly vocal about their desires for character arcs and story endings.
With the film set to release in just three months, the fervor surrounding the plot's direction and casting choices may affect box office returns. “The Best Ending Will Be Gal Gadot Winning And Prince And Evil Queen Marrying Each other,” summarized one viewer's revisionist fantasy for the film. Such reimagining of storylines hints at fans wanting innovative storytelling over rigid adherence to classic narratives.
Overall, the avalanche of negative responses could force Disney to rethink its engagement with fans or alter future casting choices and storylines to align more harmoniously with viewer expectations. The upcoming release of Snow White may not only be about retelling audiences' favorite childhood stories but also about grasping the shifting zeitgeist surrounding hero and villain dynamics.