The original Snow White director’s son slams the upcoming live-action Snow White movie, calling it a “disgrace” to the original version and a disrespect to his father’s work.
He disagrees with the “whole new concept” of the remake and finds it insulting that Disney is incorporating “woke things” into the story.
Claims that the new movie lacks respect for the achievements of Disney and his father, suggesting that they would be disapproving if they were alive.

The son of the director of Disney’s animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has slammed the upcoming live-action Snow White movie starring Rachel Zegler. Snow White stars Zegler as the titular character, opposite Gal Gadot’s Evil Queen. The film has been the subject of backlash, though, partially due to Zegler, who is of Colombian heritage, being cast as Snow White.

Speaking with The Telegraph, the son of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs director David Hand – also named David Hand – slammed Disney’s live-action Snow White remake as a “disgrace” to the work his father and Walt Disney put into the original. Hand finds it insulting that Disney is putting “woke things” into the new Snow White, which he disagrees with. Check out what Hand had to say below:

It’s a whole different concept and I just totally disagree with it, and I know my dad and Walt would also very much disagree with it…. I disagree with this whole new concept. [It’s a] disgrace [Disney is] trying to do something new with something that was such a great success earlier … their thoughts are just so radical now. They change the stories, they change the thought process of the characters … they’re making up new woke things and I’m just not into any of that. I find it quite frankly a bit insulting [what] they may have done with some of these classic films … There’s no respect for what Disney did and what my dad did … I think Walt and he would be turning in their graves.

Why Disney’s Live-Action Snow White Is Already So Controversial

Hand’s comments seemingly reflect some sentiments surrounding the live-action Snow White remake and the changes Disney is making compared to its animated counterpart. Aside from Zegler’s casting, the story of Snow White will change from the original, giving the titular character a more active role in the story. Disney is also approaching the Seven Dwarves differently, following comments from actor Peter Dinklage about the perceived offensive nature of their portrayal in the original.

Zegler has defended her casting and the movie’s updated story on numerous occasions. This includes spreading positivity despite the Snow White backlash, posting images of herself dressed as different Disney princesses when she was a child, including Snow White. However, everything from the pushback against the backlash to Hand’s comments about the movie, the Snow White controversy won’t be dying down anytime soon.

Snow White‘s controversy reflects that of Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid remake, which was criticized for casting Halle Bailey, a Black woman, as Ariel. In addition, Snow White has yet to release any footage, meaning backlash against the film is based only on what Zegler, Gadot, and others involved in the movie have said. While it’s unlikely, perhaps Snow White won’t be as controversial once footage of the film finally arrives.