It’s not every day that an actress spends more time trashing her upcoming movie then she spent making it. Hired by Disney to star in a dubious remake of the 1937 movie "Snow White" that made Disney … Disney, wannabe starlet Rachel Zegler let the world know that she "hated" the original, with its "stalker" Prince, assuring an ever-more-annoyed public that nothing of the Oscar-winning original would be contained in the woke-apalooza of "Snow White" 2.0. But that tone-deaf lecture from a 22-year-old actress is a symptom of the problem that Disney is making for itself, in who is chosen to lead and what is sold.
At the heart of Disney’s dilemma seems to be its affinity with Bud Light as both companies appear embarrassed by the products that made them great and interested in the praise of those who don’t care about what they make at all.
Creating campaigns and giving interviews about how your customer base is subpar and the movies they like are flawed makes as much sense as starting a clothing line called "You’ll Look Like Dirt." Customer disdain is no way to build a relationship.
ORIGINAL 'SNOW WHITE' DIRECTOR'S SON ROASTS REMAKE AS 'INSULTING': 'TURNING IN THEIR GRAVES'
Forget reading tea leaves, how are you at balance sheets. Forbes reported, "Disney’s stock has far underperformed the broader market in recent years, shedding about 25% since February 2020." Meanwhile, Fox Business notes that "Bud Light sales are down nearly 30% compared to last year after a boycott in response to its partnership with a transgender influencer, according to a report."
The collapse of Bud Light and now of Disney is less about "boycotts" and more about having options. They’re not the only game in town.
But what exactly was "wrong" with Snow White, Rachel? Oh, it’s this, says she, "It’s no longer 1937…and she’s not going to be saved by the Prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love."
What is she going to be dreaming about, taxes? Also, did you WATCH the original movie?
The character, heir to the throne, was basically imprisoned by a would-be dictator who planned to kill her. She escaped her prison, got a job, and found a place to lay low … all with a sunny disposition that will assuredly be missing in the remake.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS
Yes, people helped her. Yes, a prince fought for her cause. Who couldn’t use a few allies like that in life?
That Boy-Hating, Anti-Man, Anti-Marriage theme isn’t the only message to young girls, though. The not-so-subtle misogyny that says women can’t balance career and family, relationships and education, personal growth, and concern for others all at the same time is offensive to most women, who do all of the above.
Zegler’s comments are only a bad remake of the famous feminist quote, "A woman without a man is like fish without a bicycle."
But a lot of women like aquatic cyclists. Without being too pointed, does Disney remember where baby customers come from? New audiences are born every day and often age out of their system.
Disney’s efforts to pivot to adults isn’t really taking shape, as streaming services lost 4 million overall subscribers in the second quarter of this year. By all means, double down on the message that everything the people with credit cards once loved about Disney is off the table.
No more magic. No more sparkle. Just women executives going about their business. So, the Lifetime Channel?
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Forget the remakes, Disney, here’s a film idea for you: It’s the story of a corporate HR head named Snow who controls an HOA at night, prowling her community like a hall monitor on steroids, citing people for the crime of independent thought. In the musical version, her co-workers and neighbors sing the blues.
Walt Disney took a real risk in making Snow White, telling a CBS reporter that his entire fortune was on the line.
The movie was an extraordinary shift in entertainment, a full-length animated feature, with children as a deliberate audience. In a print interview in 1938, Disney was asked about what he had learned "from the industry-shaking success of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’ His brown eyes twinkled. ‘I’ll tell you what it has taught me, Ed – a deep respect for the juvenile audience. I never had it before … all our work was slanted principally at an adult audience. ‘Snow White’ … proved that parents would pay even those prices for their children’s attendance."
Hey Disney, it's called R-E-S-P-E-C-T for kids and their parents’ love for them… it was a winning formula once before. Try it again.
Kristi Stone Hamrick is a media consultant, writer, and commentator. Follow her @KristiSHamrick
