The live-action remake of Snow White has caused controversy online due to the depiction of the dwarves.
Some are applauding the filmmakers’ decision to commit to presenting Snow White’s companions as dwarves.

Others are lamenting the CGI effects used to bring the dwarves to life.

The dwarfs in the upcoming live-action remake of Snow White have provoked a divisive reaction online. The Disney remake of their original 1937 hit Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will star Rachel Zegler in the eponymous role and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Directed by The Amazing Spider-Man‘s Marc Webb, the movie will feature reinterpretations of the original songs as well as new compositions by The Greatest Showman and Dear Evan Hansen duo Pasek & Paul.

Disney recently announced that the release date of the live-action Snow White would be delayed by a year, at the same time sharing a brand-new image of Zegler’s Snow White with the dwarfs. Some social media users are celebrating the fact that the characters are now actual dwarves, a major change from the original intention to have her companions be not be depicted as a homogenous group of dwarfs. However, many others are criticizing the CGI used to bring the characters to life. Check out select reactions below:

BitSaga shared a gasping GIF, saying “Sweet mother of uncanny valley.”

the cgi 💔💔 — Chappie (depressed steelers fan) (@my_chappie) October 27, 2023

Chappie said “the CGI…” along with two broken heart emojis.

One user repeats the same sentiment, saying, “The CGI looks awful.”

RJ was confused, asking “So they’re actually gonna have the seven dwarves in the movie? I thought they were gonna be magical creatures?”

Faceless Art said “This looks horrendous lmfaooo.”

Leo Rydel said “I dunno about the look of Snow White family…” sharing the image along with a doubtful look.

Frank J. Fleming celebrated that “we successfully bullied them into changing the dwarves. It’s Sonic all over again.”

MCU Portal joked “First look at my next nightmare!”

Preetam Rao asked “What’s the possibility of it getting cancelled or script altered altogether?… Cuz that’d be better.”

Lofti Pixels spoke about Peter Dinklage, one of the most vocal detractors of the movie, saying “So Peter Dinklage fought really hard for a bunch of f—ing losers to take jobs away from little people and now they got fired and replaced with CGI? And this all took place during an actors strike hellbent on securing jobs for human actors?“

that the only time Hollywood thinks to cast real dwarf actors besides Peter Dinklage is when they make fairy tale and/or fantasy films. Studios need to do better and find ways to cast little people in roles that do not other them. It’s really that simple. — Allan “Is THIS my last tweet?” Mott (@HouseofGlib) October 27, 2023

Others leapt to Dinklage’s defense like Allan Mott, who said “Blaming Peter Dinklage because Walt Disney made a terrible decision about a live action remake they shouldn’t have actually made or at the very least completely reimagined is peak idiot-a–hole behaviour. The issue isn’t that real dwarf actors were denied an opportunity, it’s that the only time Hollywood thinks to cast real dwarf actors besides Peter Dinklage is when they make fairy tale and/or fantasy films. Studios need to do better and find ways to cast little people in roles that do not other them. It’s really that simple.”

The Snow White Dwarf Controversy Explained

The Snow White dwarf controversy has been brewing since before the movie began filming. Back in 2016, it was originally announced that the 1937 movie, which was adapted from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale of the same name, would be getting the live-action treatment. However, it wasn’t until Rachel Zegler was cast years later that Peter Dinklage called Disney hypocritical for promoting their diverse casting choices while still presenting the story of “seven dwarfs living in a cave together” unchanged.

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In response to the Peter Dinklage Snow White criticism, as well as statements from others in the community, Disney made some alterations to their plans for the movie. This included dropping “and the Seven Dwarfs” from the title and announcing that the dwarfs would be replaced by unspecified “magical creatures.” However, this led others still to denounce Disney for ignoring the iconic original characters and deviating too far from the source material.

It seems that, in this new image, Disney has attempted to land in a happy medium with Snow White. While the characters seem to be specifically being presented as “dwarfs,” they are CGI creations that allow them to look more cartoonish and less like real-life people who could be otherwise misrepresented. As this has not satisfied the majority of viewers, it remains to be seen if the look of the characters will continue to be altered ahead of the movie’s release.