Disney\’s Snow White Remake Banned in a Single Nation: The Controversy Unfolds

Disney\’s live-action

Snow White

A recent report indicates that the remake has been prohibited in at least one nation. The film, directed by Marc Webb, revisits Disney\’s 1937 animated masterpiece with Rachel Zegler portraying the lead as the iconic princess. She teams up with seven dwarfs to protect her realm from the menacing Evil Queen, portrayed here by Gal Gadot.
Snow White
has been mired in controversy
Even prior to its theatrical release on March 21, the film garnered mixed reactions from critics and saw a lukewarm reception at the box office.

Variety
now reports that

Snow White
has been banned from playing in theaters in Lebanon

Several purported causes for the decision trace back to Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar. According to local media accounts, the nation’s film and media regulatory body urged Hajjar to prohibit the movie because of the civilian casualties stemming from Israel\’s continued assaults against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

However, a spokesperson for Italia Films, a distributor based in Beirut focusing on the Middle East market, indicates that this choice is due to actress Gal Gadot’s participation.

Gadot is apparently included in Lebanon’s \”boycott of Israel\” list.

Because of her public stance supporting Israel amid the continuing Israeli-Palestinian dispute. The representative points out that none of Gadot’s movies have ever been distributed in Lebanon due to this issue. This same representative also confirms that
Snow White
Has not been prohibited in Kuwait, contrary to what was previously reported.

What This Implies for Snow White

The Film\’s Banning In Lebanon Is The Latest In A Long Line Of Controversies

Since the October 7 attacks by Hamas, Gadot has been vocal about her backing for Israel. During a recent address on March 4 at the Anti-Defamation League’s yearly conference in New York City, she stated: \”
I never thought that in the streets of the United States and various cities across the globe, we would witness individuals not criticizing Hamas, but instead applauding, defending, and enthusiastically supporting an atrocity against Jewish people.
,\” per the same
Variety
report above. It hasn\’t been Gadot, however, who has been the main source of controversy surrounding the movie.

Snow White
ended up in trouble due to comments made by Zegler several months prior to the film’s release,

The celebrity highlighted how the movie refreshes some of the clichéd portrayals of female characters.

, rendering the iconic Disney princess more proactive and self-reliant. Zegler’s remarks intensified the ongoing discussion, following her casting – along with Disney and Webb\’s wider strategy of inclusivity across their projects.
Snow White
cast
– facing a racist backlash, particularly the one triggered by Zegler due to her Latin heritage.

Regarding how the movie has fared, it hasn\’t lived up to expectations and has been quite a letdown.
Snow White
reviews
led to a mediocre 40% score on
Rotten Tomatoes
Despite favorable reviews from audiences with a 72% approval rating, the movie isn\’t performing well financially at the box office. Given its approximate production cost of $250 million, the film has so far earned just $182 million globally, suggesting significant losses for Disney.

Our Perspective on Snow White Getting Banned in Lebanon

The Live-Action Adaptations Find Themselves in a Tricky Situation

Though
Snow White
Playing in Lebanon probably wouldn\’t significantly affect its box office success; however, it marks another hurdle for a movie that hasn\’t experienced a seamless theatrical release.

The Disney live-action remakes, in general, continue to face criticism for being cash-grabs due to their lack of artistic risk

However, the scenario surrounding this recent release indicates that attempting to update or adapt the initial narrative brings about its own set of challenges.

It\’s unclear how the

Snow White

The situation will affect Disney\’s strategy for future live-action remakes in the long run, but it\’ll be intriguing to observe how perceptions of the movie evolve over time as the controversies fade away.

Source:
Variety