It’s been announced that Disney is to make a live action version of its much-loved animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, hot on the heels of last month’s announcement they’re also planning a live action version of The Lion King.
Disney's original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was their first animated film, and came out in 1937. Based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale, Snow White was a huge success when it was released, and provided the template for many other much-loved stories to come to life on the silver screen.
Hollywood keeps coming back to the story and there have been a number of modern versions over the years, including the 2012 film Mirror Mirror, starring Julia Roberts, while Kristen Stewart helped to take the story in a darker direction in Snow White and the Huntsman in the same year.
Disney has been on a roll with its new takes on its animated classics recently, including The Jungle Book and Cinderella. The studio's next live-action fairytale release will be Beauty and the Beast, next March, starring Emma Watson. Disney also is developing a live-action version of Mulan for 2018 and a new take on The Lion King. Phew! They are busy!
Apparently screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson, who adapted The Girl On The Train for the big screen, has been brought on board to write the script for the new Snow White, although no director has yet been announced. Marc Platt, who already is working with Disney on Mary Poppins Returns, is attached to produce.
The songs should be great, though, since we do know that Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who worked on the much-praised La La Land, are in charge of the songsmithing – as long as they don’t take out the classics we all remember, and just add in some extra magic. Whistle while you work, anyone?
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