Disney Quietly Fixes Snow White's Biggest Problem For Future Live-Action Films

Hugo van Dijk

5 min read

Post on May 14, 2025

4.2

Share

The Problematic Romance in the Original Snow White

The original Snow White story presents a problematic romance, rife with power imbalances and a troubling "prince charming" trope. Snow White's prince, far from being a romantic hero, is arguably a figure of questionable behavior. This "toxic relationship" highlights a larger issue within the narrative: Snow White's lack of agency. Let's examine some key aspects:

• Snow White's lack of agency: The princess is passive throughout much of the story, relying on others for her safety and happiness. She has little control over her own destiny, waiting to be rescued instead of actively participating in her own salvation.
• The prince's actions as a form of kidnapping/rescue fantasy: The prince's "rescue" involves entering her chambers while she is unconscious and kissing her without her consent – a clear violation of boundaries even within the context of a fairytale. This sets a dangerous precedent of normalizing such behavior.
• The lack of consent in the "awakening kiss": The most widely criticized aspect of the original story is the prince's uninvited kiss. This act, portrayed as romantic, is fundamentally non-consensual and perpetuates harmful ideas about romantic relationships and power dynamics, particularly for young Disney princess fans.

Disney's Subtle Shift in Narrative Approach

Disney's upcoming live-action remake of Snow White suggests a subtle yet significant narrative shift. While details remain scarce, the studio's approach points towards a modernized storytelling that addresses the original's problematic aspects. This includes a feminist interpretation that empowers Snow White and diminishes the prince's role.

• Casting choices and their significance: The casting of Rachel Zegler as Snow White and the deliberate choices in portraying other characters suggest a departure from the passive princess archetype of the original. This alone signals a commitment to a more nuanced and empowering portrayal.
• Focus on Snow White's agency and independence: Early reports and promotional materials hint at a stronger, more proactive Snow White. She will likely be portrayed as more independent and less reliant on the prince for her happiness and survival.
• Potential alterations to the plot to de-emphasize the prince's role: It's plausible that the live-action adaptation will downplay the prince's role, perhaps even reimagining or removing the problematic "awakening kiss" scene altogether, leading to a more respectful and empowering narrative.

The Importance of Addressing Problematic Tropes in Children's Stories

Addressing problematic tropes in children's literature is crucial for healthy child development. Fairytales, including Disney's classic princess stories, have a significant influence on how children understand relationships, power dynamics, and gender roles.

• Influence on children's understanding of relationships and power dynamics: The original Snow White's passive role and the prince's actions can unintentionally teach children unhealthy relationship norms, potentially normalizing abusive or non-consensual behavior.
• Responsibility of media corporations like Disney: As a major media corporation, Disney holds a significant responsibility in promoting positive and healthy messages in its content. Addressing problematic aspects in classic stories is an important step towards fulfilling this responsibility.
• Positive impact of revising classic stories to reflect inclusivity and contemporary ideals: Revising classic stories to reflect modern values and promote inclusivity not only benefits young audiences but also demonstrates a commitment to social progress and responsible storytelling.

The Future of Disney's Live-Action Remakes

Disney's shift in approach to the Snow White narrative has significant implications for future live-action remakes of classic stories.

• Potential changes in other classic princess narratives: This change could set a precedent for revisiting other classic princess narratives, leading to more nuanced and empowering portrayals of female characters in future adaptations.
• Ongoing conversation surrounding representation and inclusivity in Disney films: Disney's adaptation of Snow White continues the important conversation surrounding representation and inclusivity in children’s media, potentially encouraging other studios to follow suit.
• Impact of audience reception and critical reviews: The reception and critical reviews of the new Snow White movie will undoubtedly influence Disney’s strategy for future live-action remakes and further shape the discourse surrounding modernized storytelling in classic Disney films.

Conclusion

Disney's quiet yet significant adjustments to the Snow White narrative mark a crucial step towards more responsible and empowering storytelling. By addressing the problematic romance and the princess's lack of agency, Disney acknowledges the importance of reflecting modern values in its classic tales. This positive change sets a precedent for future live-action remakes and the ongoing conversation about representation and inclusivity in children’s media. We encourage you to share your thoughts on Disney's improved Snow White, and discuss the future of Disney's live-action Snow White and other modernized classic Disney films. How will these changes impact future adaptations? Let's discuss the future of Disney's reimagining classics and the overall impact of modernizing classic Disney films.