Warning: This article contains spoilers for Snow White.
Rachel Zegler is a Disney princess for the 21st century in director Marc Webb’s live-action Snow White.
The reimagining, written by Erin Cressida Wilson, retains the essence of what made the 1937 animation a cultural touchstone but also sprinkles a smidge of fairy dust to revitalize the familiar story for a new generation — all without diverging too far from the original. Zegler’s Snow White is a princess who not only finds true love but also the courage to be the type of leader that her late father taught her to be.
“When it came to reimagining the role of Snow White, it became about the fairest of them all, meaning: Who is the most just? And who can become a fantastic leader?” Zegler previously told Entertainment Weekly. “Snow White has to learn a lot of lessons about coming into her own power before she can come into power over a kingdom.”
Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett
Below, the few ways the ambitious live-action differs from the original.
A new soundtrack that captures the magic of Disney
Courtesy of Disney
Snow White isn’t Snow White without “Whistle While You Work” and “Heigh-Ho,” beloved classics that Webb and co. kept in the live-action remake. But those are also accompanied by new originals from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the EGOT-winning songwriting duo known for their work on La La Land, The Greatest Showman, Dear Evan Hansen, and, of course, Disney’s 2019 live-action remake of Aladdin. The new tracks, including Zegler’s “Waiting on a Wish” and Gal Gadot’s Evil Queen anthem “All Is Fair,” are fresh additions but still capture the distinct nostalgic magic of Disney compositions. Other memorable new additions include “Princess Problems” and “A Hand Meets a Hand,” both of which feature duets from Zegler and her Tony Award-winning costar Andrew Burnap, who plays Snow White’s love interest Jonathan, the remake’s new version of the Prince.
A new kind of Prince that evokes another animated Disney classic
Burnap plays Jonathan, a reimagined but still very much swoon-worthy version of Snow White’s love interest who even evokes a character featured in another animated Disney classic: Robin Hood, the virtuous outlaw who steals from the rich to give to the poor. Snow White meets this updated version of the Prince early in the film, discovering that Jonathan has managed to sneak into the Evil Queen’s castle to steal some bread and other goods for his fellow starving village folk. Together, Jonathan and Snow White join forces to fight for what’s right and fair, offering a new — and quite literal — twist on the princess’ moniker as fairest of them all. But more on that fight later.
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Heigh-Ho! A Dopey who speaks!
Perhaps the most unexpected (but on brand) divergence from the original is that Dopey, one of the seven dwarves, learns to speak. The beloved character is mute throughout the animated feature, communicating through gestures and emotions. Happy informs the princess in the original that Dopey has simply never tried to speak. Though the dwarf starts mute in the live-action, he eventually finds his voice and speaks, shocking his companions. Finding one’s voice has been an empowering throughline in many Disney remakes of recent years. Andrew Barth Feldman, who last appeared in Saturday Night and the R-rated Jennifer Lawrence comedy No Hard Feelings, voices Dopey in the remake.
A reimagined ending fit for a modern fairytale
Courtesy of Disney
The biggest change of all is the ending, one fit for a princess of the 21st century. In the original, the Evil Queen is defeated in her old lady form after she climbs atop jagged boulders to escape the dwarves and woodland creatures, who were in attack mode after she poisoned Snow White with the red apple. The Prince, who has searched far and wide for the princess, finds her in her glass coffin and, with a kiss, breaks the spell. He takes her to his castle, and they live happily ever after, with the animated feature ending there.
In the remake, after being kissed back to life, Snow White confronts the Evil Queen, who is still alive and well at the castle, and announces her intention to reclaim her late parents’ realm. In a fit of rage, Gadot’s Evil Queen shatters her Magic Mirror, which then sucks her into its shadow realm before returning to its original unbroken form, trapping her inside.
With her enemy vanquished, Snow White is left to rule over her fair Kingdom in peace.
Snow White is in theaters now.
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