Disney’s 2025 live-action remake of Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler, has sparked debate over its casting and narrative choices, leading some to argue that the title Snow Brown might be more fitting. Zegler, of Colombian descent, brings a fresh cultural perspective to the role, but her casting has drawn criticism from those who point to the original 1937 animated film’s description of Snow White as having “skin white as snow”—a defining trait rooted in the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Critics, including voices on X, argue that this casting reflects a deliberate shift away from the character’s traditional depiction, with one user noting that changing the origin of Snow White’s name to a snowstorm survival story (as Zegler revealed in a Variety interview) seems like a convenient workaround to justify diversity casting. This sentiment suggests the title Snow Brown could better align with the remake’s reimagining of the princess’s identity, prioritizing modern inclusivity over historical fidelity.
 

Beyond casting, the remake’s narrative overhaul further supports the Snow Brown moniker as a reflection of its departure from the classic tale. The film, directed by Marc Webb, reimagines Snow White as a leader rather than a damsel in distress, a shift Zegler emphasized in interviews by distancing herself from the 1937 version’s focus on true love, which she called “dated” and centered on a “stalker” prince. This modernized Snow White, who battles alongside a new character, Jonathan, and focuses on inner strength over traditional beauty standards, feels like a new character altogether—one whose story aligns more with contemporary values than the pale, passive princess of the original. The title Snow Brown could symbolize this transformation, capturing the essence of a character whose cultural and narrative “color” has been reshaped to reflect today’s ideals, even if it risks alienating purists who see the changes as a betrayal of the source material.
 

Additionally, the film’s handling of the seven dwarfs—or lack thereof—adds another layer to the Snow Brown argument, as it underscores Disney’s broader effort to redefine the story’s framework. Following criticism from actor Peter Dinklage about the “backward” depiction of dwarfs, Disney opted for CGI “magical creatures” instead of casting actors with dwarfism, a move that sparked backlash for sidelining little people from roles they could have played. This decision, combined with the film’s title change to simply Snow White (dropping “and the Seven Dwarfs”), reflects a conscious effort to distance itself from the original’s potentially problematic elements. By reimagining nearly every aspect of the story—from Snow White’s ethnicity and motivations to the nature of her companions—the remake crafts a narrative so distinct that Snow Brown might better encapsulate its essence, signaling a new character and story that, while inspired by the classic, stands as a fundamentally different tale for a new era.