Confirming an earlier report by The Daily Mail, now Variety confirms that Disney is scaling back significantly on the Red Carpet premiere in the U.S. for Snow White.
Last week saw The Daily Mail report that the UK premiere for Snow White had been canceled and that instead, there will be a “handful” of tightly controlled press events.
Snow White Red Carpet premiere coverage limited
Now it’s learned those “handful” of tightly controlled press events also include the U.S. Red Carpet premiere. Variety says Disney scaling back comes amid the controversies surrounding Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot:
The afternoon festivities will include a pre-party and screening at the El Capitan Theatre with titular star Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen, expected to attend. However, the red carpet will not include the dozens of media outlets usually invited by Disney to interview the cast and creatives at its premieres.
Instead, coverage will be limited to photographers and a house crew.
Disney actually filmed the $250 million Snow White movie in the UK, so not having a big Red Carpet premiere in the UK is a surprise. Likewise, large movies normally get the big Red Carpet treatment in Hollywood, which includes the stars of the movie walking down the red carpet and getting interviewed and photographed by various members of the media to promote the film.
Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot controversies
It’s thought the reason Disney is scaling back is so Rachel Zegler won’t say the wrong things as she has done in the past. The Red Carpet is typically held the week of the film’s release, so if Zegler did say something that didn’t go over well, that could obviously negatively impact the box office which already seems to be on shaky ground.
Zegler has previously said things against the original Disney classic, and she’s a supporter of Palestine, while Gal Gadot is a supporter of Israel who came out against Hamas.
The Marvel Red Carpet premiere for Captain America: Brave New World also went unaired, thought due to pro-Palestinian protestors showing up with signs stating “Disney Supports Genocide” and to “Boycott Captain America.”
With a limited number of photographers and a “house crew,” Disney can obviously control things.
Disney’s Snow White gets released on March 21, 2025.
