Why The Seven Dwarfs In The Live-Action Snow White Are CGI

Disney’s live-action Snow White remake is on the way, and here’s why the Seven Dwarfs are CGI characters in the upcoming film. The Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs remake has been surrounded by controversy in recent years, with the development of the upcoming film being questioned by fans of the original, activists, and critics of Disney. Disney eventually revealed that the Seven Dwarfs would be CGI in the Snow White remake, with this decision leaving some potential viewers scratching their heads.

The first trailer for Disney’s live-action Snow White is out now, with it giving a first look at Rachel Zegler’s Snow White, Gal Gadot’s Evil Queen, and the computer-animated Seven Dwarfs. While there are a lot of questions surrounding some choices made in the trailer, the big controversy surrounding the film at this point has to do with the Seven Dwarfs. Ever since the remake was first announced, the question of how Disney would handle these characters in the modern era has been lingering, and the remake’s first trailer has answered this question.

Disney Decided To Create Snow White’s Dwarf Characters Through CGI Instead Of Hiring Actors

They Can Be Seen In The Trailer

Despite Disney marketing the upcoming Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs film as a live-action remake, the studio decided to create Snow White‘s dwarves through CGI instead of hiring actors. The first trailer shows off animated versions of Dopey, Grumpy, Doc, and the rest of the gang, although the film attempts to stylize them as photo-realistic. While this may have been seen as a safe bet by Disney, it has undeniably caused more controversy surrounding the remake, with the complicated and sensitive subject dividing audiences.

Why Disney’s Dwarf Casting Decision Led To Controversy

Way Back In 2022

Back in 2022, actor Peter Dinklage called out Disney due to the announcement of their Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs remake. Dinklage explained that he believed that Disney was being hypocritical, explaining that it isn’t right for them to be progressive by casting a Latina actress as Snow White while still telling a “backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together.” Dinklage has long used his celebrity platform to advocate for people with dwarfism, with him frequently calling out Hollywood’s typecasting of people with dwarfism as fantasy creatures. Here are Dinklage’s full comments:

“Literally no offense to anyone, but I 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. You’re progressive in one way but then you’re still making that fucking backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the fuck are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soap box? I guess I’m not loud enough. I don’t know which studio that is but they were so proud of it. All love and respect to the actress and all the people who thought they were doing the right thing. But I’m just like, what are you doing?

This started a massive conversation surrounding the handling of Snow White‘s Dwarf characters in the modern day, and while nothing has been confirmed, Disney undoubtedly considered this controversy while developing the film. This could have had a hand in Disney’s decision to make Snow White‘s dwarves CGI characters rather than casting actors with dwarfism, although this choice didn’t appease everyone.

Upon the revelation that the Seven Dwarfs would be CGI, other critics pointed out that this decision takes away the potential for Disney to give a platform to new talented actors with dwarfism. According to these critics, a high-profile remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs would guarantee that seven actors with dwarfism would get a chance to be in the spotlight, and as long as the material is updated and handled respectfully, live-action actors could be a positive addition to the film.

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How Snow White’s Trailer Fueled The Dwarf Character Controversy

It Has Made Nothing Better

This divisive subject has been the topic of online debate for years now, and the release of the Snow White trailer only added fuel to the fire. While the dwarf characters are now CGI, the trailer shows that the film maintained their cartoonish and stereotypical depictions from the original 1937 movie. Now, critics are pointing out that the film not only doubled down on the points that Dinklage had previously criticized, but it also did so while not even elevating the voices of actors with dwarfism.

Since Disney’s live-action Snow White remake isn’t out yet, it is entirely possible that the film could contain commentary on this issue that the trailers haven’t highlighted. However, the trailers haven’t yet eased the concerns of critics on either side of the issue, causing Disney’s upcoming Snow White remake to continue being a hot topic online.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Disney’s iconic first feature-length animation tells the story of Snow White, a young princess whose beauty is coveted by an evil queen. After she orders that Snow White should be killed, the girl escapes to the forest, where she meets seven dwarfs who take her in. However, the queen knows that Snow White survives, and hatches a deadly plan involving a poisoned apple.   

Director

David Hand , Perce Pearce , William Cottrell , Larry Morey , Wilfred Jackson , Ben Sharpsteen

Release Date

December 21, 1937

Studio(s)

Walt Disney Productions

Distributor(s)

RKO Pictures

Writers

Ted Sears , Richard Creedon , Otto Englander , Dick Rickard , Earl Hurd , Merrill de Maris , Dorothy Ann Blank , Webb Smith

Cast

Adriana Caselotti , Roy Atwell , Pinto Colvig

Runtime

83 Minutes

Budget

$1.5 Million

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