‘My father and Walt would be turning in their graves’: Son of original Snow White director blasts ‘pathetic’ new version starring Rachel Zegler and accuses ‘radical’ Disney of having no respect for classics

The son of the original director of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has blasted Disney’s “pathetic” live-action “radical” remake of the film, accusing the company of disrespecting classics.

David Hand, 91, whose father of the same name directed the original 1937 animation, chided Walt Disney Studios for pursuing an “offensive” and “awake” remake of the film that sought to “destroy” its predecessor.

He said the new adaptation would make both his father and Walt Disney himself “turn in their graves” as he slammed the upcoming movie starring Rachel Zegler as the titular character.

This is just the latest Disney remake in a long line of live-action “reimaginings” reimagining classic 20th-century animation for today’s audiences.

It comes after several videos surfaced online of Zegler, 22, throwing out the original movie – saying she “hated” it and thought it was “extremely dated.”

David Hand, 91, whose father of the same name directed the original 1937 animation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (pictured), slammed Walt Disney Studios for pursuing an “offensive” and “awake” remake of the film

Rachel Zegler attends the premiere of Warner Bros. in Los Angeles at. ‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’ at the Regency Village Theater on March 14, 2023 in Los Angeles

Mr. Hand told The Telegraph that many young people have not even seen the film and therefore ‘don’t know what they are talking about’. He said their views “misunderstand” the film.

He said that the information known so far about the new film, due for release in March 2024, turned out to be a “completely different concept.”

“I know my dad and Walt would very much disagree, too,” he told the publication, adding that the first film was produced in “good taste.”

Mr Hand added that it was ‘pathetic’ that people should feel animosity towards the photo which will soon be nine decades old.

Amid the outcry over other Disney remakes – including this year’s The Little Mermaid – Mr Hand chided the company for feeling it had to remake classic films.

He called their thoughts “radical” and said he was afraid to see what they would continue to do with other early films, adding that it was a “disgrace.”

Mr Hand said some of the remakes had changed so much that the characters and the original stories weren’t the same anymore.

He said they “made up new waking things” and that they have “no respect for what Disney did and what my dad did.”

Rachel Zegler will play the Disney princess in the upcoming live action remake

The latest photos from the film’s set in Bedfordshire, UK, show a stand-in actress in Snow White’s outfit

Rachel Zegler attends as SAG-AFTRA members hold ‘Rock The City For A Fair Contract’ rally in Times Square on July 25

While Disney has focused on remaking live-action versions of its classic films in recent years, it called on company bosses to turn their attention to new original ideas.

Mr Hand said they should create new characters and not destroy a classic.

It comes after Zegler said she thought the prince in the 1937 animation was a “stalker,” whose “weird” storyline won’t appear in the new remake.

The West Side Story actress also said her character would make “a fantastic leader,” amid speculation that the movie won’t be the classic love story.

Zegler told Variety in an interview, “She won’t be saved by the prince and she won’t dream of true love.”

Mr Hand said Snow White’s original voice actor Adriana Caselotti – whom Mr Hand said he had met several times – said she would be ‘terrified’ of suggestions that her character was not a feminist.

Zegler stars alongside Gal Gadot who will take on the role of the Evil Queen

In an interview with Variety, Zegler (left) also said she would not portray the beloved character as she was seen in the 1937 cartoon.

Other changes in the new production include seven dwarfs being replaced by “magical creatures.” The characters all seem to be a mix of genders, ethnicities and heights.

Disney decided that the seven dwarfs would be replaced in the new version to “avoid stereotypes” after Game of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage criticized the “f****** backwards story” last year. Given the changes in the characters, the movie will be called Snow White, dropping the seven companions from the title.

There are also suggestions that the classic ‘Someday My Prince Will Come’ has also been scrapped.”

MailOnline reached out to Disney for comment, but they did not immediately respond.