Harvest pastor Greg Laurie has criticised Disney’s live-action remake of ‘Snow White’ for stripping away what he sees as its original gospel-centred message.
Originally published by the Grimm Brothers in 1812 and adapted by Disney in 1937, the ‘Snow White’ remake opened to disappointing box office numbers, earning just $43m against a hefty $209m production budget.
Pastor Laurie believes he knows he knows why: the reimagined version abandons the classic tale’s moral and biblical themes in favour of contemporary ideals like self-reliance and empowerment – losing what he believes made the story resonate spiritually and emotionally for generations.
In a recently posted YouTube video, he said that the classic ‘Snow White’ tale was a story of a battle between good and evil, likening the Evil Queen’s obsession with beauty and power to the pride and fall of Lucifer within the Bible.
“That’s principally the story that we examine within the Bible, about Lucifer, a once high-ranking, powerful angel who desired to take the place of God with himself,” Pastor Laurie said. “The problem with Lucifer is he was in love together with his own image; he desired to be within the place of God.”
Laurie knows a thing or two about making movies, having produced the 2023 faith-based hit, Jesus Revolution starring Kelsey Grammer, which told the story of his own conversion within the Seventies.
His major criticism of the Snow White re-make targets Disney’s reimagining of core elements from the unique film, especially the removal of the long-lasting song “Some Day My Prince Will Come”. In its place is a recent song, “Waiting on a Wish,” performed by lead actress Rachel Zegler.
He argued that the change reflects a shift away from themes of affection and redemption and toward self-sufficiency and feminine empowerment – values he believes deviate from the story’s gospel-inspired roots.
“Heaven forbid we acknowledge the timeless human desire for love, redemption, and rescue,” he remarked.
He identified that the resurrection “from her death-like sleep” in the unique version of ‘Snow White’ is akin to the Christian concept of salvation through rescue.
Zegler herself has also drawn criticism. In previous interviews, she referred to the unique film as “dated” and dismissed the concept her character needs to be dreaming of true love. Instead, Zegler emphasised that her Snow White aspires to be a pacesetter, fulfilling the vision her late father had for her.
Laurie contends that the daddy figure, often known as the Good King within the film, could be seen as a Christ-like symbol, representing divine authority and love. Snow White’s awakening, he argues, symbolises a spiritual revival empowered by her father’s legacy.
