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Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot appeared at the world premiere of Disney’s Snow White at El Capitan Theatre in LA yesterday.

The film, which will be in theatres March 21, was also celebrated by attendees like Disney CEO Bob Iger and producer Marc Platt, as well as members of the Boys and Girls Club of San Fernando and Malibu affected by the Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year.

Other cast members on the carpet included Martin Klebba, Lorena Andrea, Jason Kravits, Dujonna Gift, and Indriss Kargbo. Other cast members like Tituss Burgess, Andrew Barth Feldman, and Andrew Burnap did not attend the event.

According to a press release, guests at the premiere participated in activities including ‘forest friends grove with rabbits, professional glamour shots, a fairytale glam station, and opportunities to create your own jeweled crown, pocket mirror, and candy salad.’

The premiere comes amid continued controversy surrounding the remake of the iconic Disney classic.

The backlash began nearly four years ago when West Side Story actress Rachel Zegler, who is of Colombian descent, was cast as Disney’s original princess, most famous for having ‘skin as white as snow.’

The racist complaints are reminiscient of those that Halle Bailey faced after being picked to play Ariel in The Little Mermaid, with some fans being left outraged at Disney’s push for more culturally representative storytelling.

Snow White ran into more negative press coverage when Game Of Thrones star Peter Dinklage branded the studio ‘backwards’ for their decision to remake Snow White.

The actor, who has a common form of dwarfism known as achondroplasia, said he was ‘a little taken aback when they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White but you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’

‘Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there. It makes no sense to me,’ he added on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast in January 2022.

Dinklage argued Disney was ‘progressive in one way’ and yet still making a ‘backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together.’

Disney eventually clarified that the film was ‘taking a different approach with these seven characters’ and had been ‘consulting with members of the dwarfism community’ in order to ‘avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film.’

As well as dropping half the film’s original title, director Marc Webb opted to portray the characters using CGI– the depiction of whom was pulled apart when the Seven Dwarfs were first unveiled in the movie’s teaser trailer in August – after reports that Disney would be using diverse ‘magical creatures’ instead.

But even as this controversy unfolded, Zeglre faced more backlash after a series of flippant remarks she made at D23 in 2022, which made it clear she wasn’t a fan of the original story.

The 23-year-old (then 21) criticised the original film – released nearly 88 years ago, and based on the 1812 German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm – as ‘dated’.

Zegler characterised the prince in Snow White as a ‘guy who literally stalks her’ in an interview with ExtraTV, calling it ‘weird’ repeatedly, while she also revealed in a separate interview with Variety that Snow White was ‘not going to be dreaming about true love’ anymore and rather ‘about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave, and true.’

The son of one of the 1937 film’s animators and supervising director, David Hand, also reacted poorly to Zegler’s remarks, seemingly horrified to hear of what may be sweeping changes to the original plot, saying Disney and his father would be ‘turning in their graves.’

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It’s true that everything that was once fashionable comes back around again – and the same can be said about your favourite films.

Some of the biggest movies of the 90s and 00s are coming back to the big screen, but not exactly as you remember them.

After rumours of a reboot since its initial release, District 9 director Neill Blomkamp is set to direct a remake of classic 1997 film Starship Troopers.

Based on the 1959 novel by Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers is set in a distant future where Earth is at war with a race of giant alien insects, with the Mobile Infantry fighting for the survival of the human race.

The film centres on Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) who has recently joined the Mobile Infantry, doing his part and serving his planet in the intergalactic war.

The beloved sci-fi film isn’t the only blast from the past being updated for the 2020s as it was announced that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is returning in the not-too-distant future.

Various legacy sequels and franchise reboots are also in the works, reviving classics such as Final Destination 6 and Happy Gilmore 2 as well as Stephen King’s It being turned into a prequel TV series.

Here, we’ve rounded up all the nostalgic 90s and 00s remakes heading your way – from disturbing horror films to blockbuster thrillers.

Cape Fear (1991)

Cape Fear is set to hit the big screen for a third time, this time as an Apple TV Plus series.

The 1957 novel The Executioners was turned into the movie Cape Fear in 1962, which was then remade in 1991.

That film starred Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Joe Don Baker, and Juliette Lewis.

It followed the story of convicted violent rapist Max Cady (Robert) who used his newfound knowledge of the law and its numerous loopholes to seek vengeance against a former public defender whom he blames for his 14-year imprisonment.

A release date has not yet been announced, but we do know that Javier Bardem will be taking on the role of Max.

The synopsis for the 10-episode series teases: ‘A storm is coming for happily married attorneys Amanda and Steve Bowden when Max Cady, a notorious killer from their past, gets out of prison.’

It will be executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese too.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (1992)

Last year it was announced disturbing 90s thriller The Hand That Rocks The Cradle is being remade.

The film first hit the big screen in 1992, introducing us to Peyton (Rebecca De Mornay) whose doctor husband took his own life after getting caught sexually assaulting pregnant patient Claire (Annabella Sciorra).

She tragically lost her own baby and vowed to get revenge by becoming their nanny, attempting to usurp Claire’s place in the family.

Ghostbusters’ Ernie Hudson, Julianne Moore, Matt McCoy and Madeline Zima were also in the cast.

Deadline reported Longlegs and Watcher actor Maika Monroe will take on the role of the creep childminder, while Mary Elizabeth Winstead will star as the family matriarch.

Michelle Garza Cervera is slated to direct.

Cliffhanger (1993)

Lily James and Pierce Brosnan are set to start in an adaptation of 1993 action flick Cliffhanger.

The original film was directed by Renny Harlin and starred Sylvester Stallone as mountain climber Gabe who becomes embroiled in a heist of a US Treasury plane flying through the Rocky Mountains.

Variety reported in October last year that filming was underway in Austria, with Pam and Tommy actor James in the lead role.

The film will be directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, who previously helmed Carry-On and Non-Stop.

Anaconda (1997)

Jungle adventure movie Anaconda is returning to cinemas with an all star cast.

The 1997 original – starring Jon Voight, Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Owen Wilson, Eric Stoltz, and Danny Trejo – follows a documentary crew and snake hunter Paul Sarone (Voight) deep in the Amazon Rainforest as they come into contact with a deadly 25ft anaconda.

A remake of the film was announced in 2020 with Jack Black and Paul Rudd among the cast.

Earlier this year, Black announced the remaining cast members through a song recorded onset.

The School Of Rock icon and Clueless star Rudd will be joined by Thandiwe Newton, Steve Zahn, Selton Mello, and Daniela Melchior in the remake.

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

It was previously announced that we’d be getting a follow-up to this iconic 90s slasher flick, nearly 30 years after it was first released.

Following a sequel, with an even longer title, it was confirmed that Freddie Prinze Jr would be reprising his role as Ray Bronson for a new sequel.

Jennifer Love Hewitt, who played Julie James in both films, will also appear in the new film set for release on July 18.

The 1997 film, starring Jennifer, Freddie, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Phillippe, focused on a group of teenagers seemingly killing a man and covering up the murder in sheer panic.

On the year anniversary of the attack, they found themselves stalked by a chilling hook-wielding serial killer.

It will be directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who previously helmed Do Revenge.

Blade (1998)

A remake of vampire action film Blade is on the way – or maybe it isn’t.

The original 1998 film starred Wesley Snipes as the titular vampire hunter who sets out to rid the world of the undead and avenge his mother’s death.

It seems the film is stuck in development hell as it searches for a new director after Bassam Tariq and Yann Demange left the project alongside several writers

Mahershala Ali is still in the role of Blade thus far, but the film has reportedly been removed from Disney’s 2025 release slate.

The Faculty (1998)

The Faculty is the latest film to be given the remake treatment, with Companion director Drew Hancock helming.

The original, released in 1999 and directed by Robert Rodriguez, followed a group of students at a high school forced to work together when an alien species takes over the bodies of their teachers and fellow classmates.

It starred the likes of Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood, Clea DuVall, Jordana Brewster, Laura Harris, and Usher.

Rodriguez is attached to produce the remake, according to Variety, alongside Barbarian production company BoulderLight.

Audition (1999)

This year kicked off with news that 1999 Japanese horror film Audition is being remade.

Based on the book of the same name by Ryu Murakami, Takashi Miike’s Audition tells the story of middle aged widower Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) who enlists the help of his film producer friend Yasuhisa Yoshikawa (Jun Kunimura) to hold auditions for a new wife under the illusion they are auditioning for a film role.

He meets and falls in love with Asami Yamasaki (Eihi Shiina), unaware of her dark and dangerous past that threatens him and his son Shigehiko (Tetsu Sawaki).

Deadline reported in January that the Audition remake is being directed by Christian Tafdrup, who created the original Speak No Evil.

He is co-writing the film alongsider his brother Mads Tafdrup.

Cruel Intentions (1999)

Amazon Prime Video is currently airing new episodes of a Cruel Intentions TV adaptation.

Released in 1999, the teen romantic drama Cruel Intentions was a modern retelling of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 1782 novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillipe, Reese Witherspoon, and Selma Blair.

Set in New York City it followed privileged high school students fighting for control of their campus after a brutal hazing incident who stopped at nothing to secure it, including a twisted bet to seduce the daughter of their new headmaster.

The Amazon Prime series centers around elite Manchester College, with Caroline (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lucien (Zac Burgess) battling for control of the campus.

Following a fatal hazing injury, Caroline uses her stepbrother to seduce the Vice President’s daughter, Annie Grover (Savannah Lee Smith), to ensure that their time on campus is not affected.

Idle Hands (1999)

After working on horror comedy Hell Of A Summer, Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk have teamed up for a remake of 1999 hit Idle Hands.

Orignally starring Devon Sawa, Jessica Alba, Seth Green, and Elden Henson, the film tells the story of slacker teen Anton Tobias (Sawa) when his right hands becomes possessed be a demonic entity.

Jason Reitman will produce the remake after working with Wolfhard and Bryk on two Ghostbusters films and Saturday Night, according to Deadline.

Speaking in a statement, Reitman said: ‘Finn and Billy crushed their directorial debut and have a completely original take on Idle Hands that captures a disaffected generation.

‘We are excited to support them as they bring their unique take to the screen and summon the demons.’

Scary Movie (2000)

Idle Hands isn’t the only horror comedy being reimagined decades later – the Wayans brothers have also reunited for a reboot of Scary Movie.

The hit series, mainly spoofing horror movies, first hit the big screen in 2000 and became an instant hit after parodying teen slashers including Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

Keenen Ivory Wayans directed the original, as well as 2001’s Scary Movie 2, while Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans wrote and starred in the first two movies.

Marlon confirmed their involvement in the sixth instalment earlier today, sharing a picture of him posing in front of a parody of Ghostface.

He wrote: ‘WE’RE BACK!!! After nearly 20 years, the Wayans brothers are finally going to give the fans what they’ve been asking for… a return to the SCARY MOVIE franchise!

‘We’re looking forward to having fun on the big screen again.’

It is set to be released on June 12, 2026, marking 13 years since the last film in the franchise was in cinemas.

Anna Farris and Regina Hall have not yet announced whether they will reprise their roles as Cindy Campbell and Brenda Meeks respectively.

American Psycho (2000)

News that American Psycho is set to be remade was announced last year with fans almost immediately sharing who should be cast as Patrick Bateman.

The original film was released in 2000 but set in the 1980s with Christian Bale playing Patrick Bateman, a Wall Street yuppie and serial killer.

The remake is set to be directed by Luca Guadagnino, best known for his work on Call Me By Your Name, Queer, and Challengers.

Elvis star Austin Butler is set to star as Bateman, it had since been announced.

The announcement from Variety read: ‘Austin Butler is set to star in Luca Guadagnino‘s new interpretation of the book “American Psycho” by Bret Easton Ellis for Lionsgate.’

Last month, however, novel author Bret Easton Elis expressed his doubts the film will be remade.

Speaking on his self-titled podcast, he said: ‘I have a feeling it’s fake news.

‘I heard somewhere, from someone, that there are no contracts. Austin Butler hasn’t signed anything to play Patrick Bateman. Luca doesn’t have a deal.

‘Scott Burns, who is supposed to write the screenplay, doesn’t have a deal either. From various sources that I have, this is just fake news that was put out there to see how an audience is going to react.’

Holes (2003)

Classic 00s teen drama Holes is set to be remade by Disney Plus as a gender-swapped TV series.

The 2003 film stars Shia LeBeouf as Stanley Yelnats, a young boy sent to a juvenile detention camp where he and the other inmates are tasked with digging holes day in, day out.

Variety announced last month that Alina Mankin of The Mindy Project is set to write the script and serve as executive producer.

The film’s original producer Mike Medavoy is also attached to the project.

Casting details have not yet been announced, however, we do know this time around it will focus on a group of young girls.

The series’ official logline reads: ‘In this reimagining of the beloved 1998 book from Louis Sachar, a teenage girl is sent to a detention camp where the ruthless Warden forces the campers to dig holes for a mysterious purpose.’

A version of this article was published on February 7

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First reactions have landed for Disney’s latest big-budget release Snow White, with the movie being branded one of the studio’s ‘strongest ever’ live-action remakes.

Critics have largely praised leading lady Rachel Zegler as ‘enchanting’, called the film a ‘visual feast’ and so far complimented the screenplay after reports of the traditional fairy tale’s storyline being updated.

But it’s been hard to shake the feeling that Snow White has seemed like a poisoned apple ahead of its fast-approaching release, given the fierce and consistent ‘woke’ backlash its faced.

The film will finally open in cinemas on March 21, after being pushed a full year from its original 2024 slot thanks to the extensive effects of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

Disney has raised eyebrows in recent days with its decision not to roll out the red carpet for the movie at a glitzy premiere in London, as would usually be expected, instead opting for a smaller, far less media-focused event in Segovia, Spain on Wednesday night.

The evening’s celebrations had plenty of younger fans in attendance and were held at Alcázar de Segovia in a nod to the 1937 animated original, as it served as the inspiration for the castle featured in Snow White.

And it was largely the same at Saturday’s world premiere in Los Angeles, which also had no regular red carpet media line, in order to prevent its stars Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot from needing to answer any questions on the fly.

While calling the premiere ‘scaled back’ back not be entirely accurate, The Hollywood Reporter claims that Disney said it chose ‘a more celebratory, family-friendly afternoon event to match the tone and target audience for the film’ – which is, lest we forget, mainly aimed at those young enough to be more interested in the magic than the media frenzy surrounding Snow White.

But this is far from being the first or last headache that this mega-budget Disney ‘reimagining’ has faced on its long and very rocky road to release.

Ever since 2021 it seems that the studio has been forced to confront near-constant criticism and backlash that largely revolves around the culture war of today, which sees a sharp divide over the term ‘woke’ – and whether or not it’s positive to be classified as such.

The sniping about Snow White first began nearly four years ago when West Side Story actress Rachel Zegler, who is of Colombian descent, was cast as Disney’s original princess, most famous for having ‘skin as white as snow’.

Such ugly complaints echoed those that Halle Bailey faced after being picked to play Ariel in The Little Mermaid, with some fans being left outraged at Disney’s push for more culturally representative storytelling (perish the thought that talent should be an important factor in the decision).

Disney then hit a more tricky obstacle to navigate when Game Of Thrones star Peter Dinklage branded the studio ‘backwards’ for their decision to remake Snow White.

The actor, who has a common form of dwarfism known as achondroplasia,said he was ‘a little taken aback when they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White but you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’.

‘Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there. It makes no sense to me,’ he added on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast in January 2022.

Dinklage argued Disney was ‘progressive in one way’ and yet still making a ‘backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together’.

Disney rushed to clarify that the film was ‘taking a different approach with these seven characters’ and had been ‘consulting with members of the dwarfism community’ in order to ‘avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film’.

Dinklage undoubtedly had a point given how offensive the film could seem to those in the community, depending on how sensitively Disney opted to handle the dwarfs.

As well as dropping half the film’s original title, director Marc Webb opted to portray the characters using CGI – the depiction of whom was pulled apart when the Seven Dwarfs were first unveiled in the movie’s teaser trailer in August – after erroneous reports that Disney would be using diverse ‘magical creatures’ instead.

Fans acted fast with the one show of disapproval they had, the dislike button, as the trailer attracted more than 1.4million ‘thumbs down’ from its 11million views – and a paltry 102,000 likes in comparison.

This issue was later raised again just ahead of the LA premiere, when dwarf actors expressed their fury over the use of CGI characters, calling Disney’s decision ‘discriminating in a sense’ and claiming it was detrimental to their careers.

‘I think Disney is trying too hard to be politically correct, but in doing so it’s damaging our careers and opportunities,’ bodybuilder and performer Choon Tan, 31, told MailOnline.

‘There really is nothing wrong casting someone with dwarfism as a dwarf in any given opportunity. As long as we are treated equally and with respect, we’re usually more than happy to take on any acting roles that are suitable for us.’ 

So far, so understandable (with the contentious issue of the dwarfs, at least) – but meanwhile the backlash had been intensifying against leading lady Zegler after a series of flippant remarks she made at D23 in 2022, which made it clear she wasn’t a fan of the original story.

The 23-year-old (then 21) drew the ire of some fans by criticising the original film – released nearly 88 years ago, and based on the 1812 German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm – as ‘dated’.

Zegler characterised the prince in Snow White as a ‘guy who literally stalks her’ in an interview with ExtraTV, calling it ‘weird’ repeatedly, while she also revealed in a separate interview with Variety that Snow White was ‘not going to be dreaming about true love’ anymore and rather ‘about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave, and true’.

It’s true her casual tone was perhaps a misstep, especially when Disney is usually so careful about the reverence with which it treats its animated classics – plus, its fan base is famously highly invested and protective.

The 93-year-old son of one of the 1937 film’s animators and supervising director, David Hand, also reacted sensitively to these remarks, seemingly horrified to hear of what may be sweeping changes to the original plot, telling The Telegraph Disney and his father would be ‘turning in their graves’.

And here’s where we seem to leap into the deep end of the truly baffling, for Zegler’s comments started circulating on social media, with ‘fans’ using them as justification to tear the actress down for her perceived ‘attitude’, alongside Disney, over the storyline changes.

These are storyline changes which we are still, years later, yet to be able to confirm and judge for ourselves by actually watching the movie because it’s not out yet.

But the term ‘woke’ was now firmly being co-opted by the dissatisfied, who directed a lot of their annoyance straight at Zegler, calling for her ‘destruction’ online and slamming her as ‘disgusting and unbecoming’.

Meanwhile she’d also revealed she’d been ‘scared’ by the 1937 animation and (possibly the most heinous crime of all) only watched it once, making her immediately unworthy of her casting in some Disney fans’ eyes.

She also ran into the ‘tradwife’ community online, who took it as a personal insult that Snow White would now be dreaming of something other than being a wife and mother – TikTokkers also told her that ‘criticising Disney princesses is not feminist’ and garnered millions of views and likes while doing so.

So because Zegler and Disney suggested that falling in love was no longer Snow White’s priority, it seemed like manyjumped to assume they were being judged harshly for their own personal choices.

It’s also rather ironic that until this point, Disney was usually being criticised for supposedly pushing old-fashioned ideals within its narratives – but as soon as they made a move against that, the backlash doubled.

Zegler addressed this pretty gracefully with a carefully worded response to the situation (after likely further media training from Disney) in an interview for Vogue Mexico’s March issue.

‘I interpret people’s sentiments towards this film as passion. What an honor to be a part of something that people feel so passionately about. We’re not always going to agree with everyone who surrounds us and all we can do is our best,’ she commented, as the film’s release loomed.

While you’d be forgiven for thinking that we were surely finished cataloguing Snow White’s extensive woes, the release strategy has also been further complicated by politics.

Pro-Palestinian activists have called for a boycott of the movie over Disney’s casting of Israeli actress Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, while others have criticised her casting as the villain.

Wonder Woman star Gadot, who has publicly advocated for Israel over the years, was so far solo and low-key on the Snow White publicity trail other than a co-presenting gig at the Oscars with Zegler, until the LA premiere.

Meanwhile, Zegler made her thoughts clear while directly promoting the film as she thanked fans for their ‘love’ in response to the trailer in the summer, before adding on X: ‘And always remember, free Palestine.’

She had also previously been forced to apologise after declaring that she hoped Trump supporters would ‘never know peace’ following the US President’s election victory in November.

So there you have it – a potted history of all the reasons Snow White has become an unfortunate magnet for controversy as we’ve moved ever closer to its release.

In some ways the film has been a lightning rod for several major issues, and in another it just shows what happens when people get a bee in their bonnet over something and sound off inside the comforting echo chamber of their social media communities.

Critics commenting positively on the film on social media have already been branded ‘Disney shills’ by disgruntled people yet to see the movie and determined to hate it, with rumblings of a review-bombing campaign planned for when the film opens on Friday.

But the furore around Snow White’s release is almost history repeating itself, given Walt Disney famously mortgaged his house to bet on his studio’s first-ever feature length animation with Snow White while naysayers dubbed it ‘Disney’s Folly’ due to the scepticism surrounding it.

As we all now know, he was proven absolutely right, building the most successful animation company in history – and come next week, audiences will finally be able to properly judge the 2025 gamble for themselves.

Snow White releases in cinemas on Friday, March 21.

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