The upcoming live-action Snow White film has drawn criticism from renowned lyricist Tim Rice, known for his musical theatre work on classics like Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, as well as Disney animated films like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Aladdin.
Rice expressed skepticism about Disney’s trend of remaking its beloved animated films in live-action. He noted the challenges of believably expressing emotion through photorealistic CGI characters.
However, Rice’s main critique centered on whether the new Snow White can genuinely be called a remake when it diverges significantly from the 1937 classic. With major changes to characters and plot, Rice believes it may make more sense for Disney to promote this as a fresh reimagining of the fairy tale rather than a remake.
While the new film’s merits can’t be fully judged until its release, Rice’s illustrious career lends weight to his questions over Disney’s approach. As a legend behind multiple Disney classics, his perspective provides food for thought on remakes vs reimaginings of iconic stories.
