20 The Powerful Anti-fandom of The Snow White Live-action Remake
Anna Varga
Audiences are complex and filled with juxtaposing views, rooted in varying ideologies. This analysis will cover the controversy about the not-yet-released Snow White live-action remake. The film was originally set to come out in 2024 and is now set to come out in 2025. Specifically, this analysis will look at the discourse circulating the film, to understand the role of the anti-fandom that has developed for this film and what their role is in influencing culture. This analysis will be conducted through the collection of a diverse set of data from the main source of the controversy – TikTok. With a few exceptions to other platforms. The data recorded and assessed are opinion videos on interviews, various comments from the comment sections, trailers, interviews, shortened podcasts on TikTok, and more. TikTok is a widely used platform allowing for a wide range of discourse to be assessed. The analysis will be focused on the anti-fans of this film, as they lend themselves to demonstrate the power of the audience. Within this anti-fandom, subcultures were found, about the audience in defense of original Disney classics, and other subcultures who are fighting for an anti-woke agenda. In addition to this, there will be a cross-analysis of the counterargument to the controversy to understand the wide scope of the audience. Audience study concepts such as bad object, hate-watching, free lunch, communicative capitalism, networked publics, and cynical hate watching, to name a few, unpack the meaning behind these discourses and the power audiences cultivate. In addition, the power of larger stakeholders is understood through the concept of audience commodity. The analysis was designed to use a majority of the texts starting from August of 2023. The analysis was designed this way to best obtain the changes in discourse based on multiple stakeholders. This film has circulated discourse since 2022. However, this analysis starts from texts that appeared 3 months before the update of the film release date. Analysis from this point allows for a thorough investigation as to what the discourse and controversies circulating were, directly before the massive change to the film. It simultaneously covers the discourse after the change. Which highlights the various motivators within subcultures in the anti-fandom. It is also important to note that this analysis is a small indicator of a wider phenomenon, accruing within audiences and specifically within the anti-fandom related to the film. Furthermore, the contrasting discourse surrounding Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White exemplifies two core motivators for their anti-fandom, one being the defense of the original film and the second, a wide variety of anti-woke ideologies as a core motivator. Moreover, the audience’s pushback has shown the power of the prosumer as a strong influencer of culture, developed through concepts such as audience commodity, anti-fan, public relations, and fandom.
Why The Anti-fandom
Disney’s live-action Snow White film, (which is yet to be released) has caused large amounts of controversy. There are two motivating factors. In discussion of the first factor, using concepts from anti-fandom one can conclude the anti-fandom surrounding the project stems from the defense of the original classic of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which can be understood through the concept of the competitive fandom. Scholar Jonathan Gray say’s, “fandom can easily lead to a form of anti-fandom when dislike (whether serious or playful) is directed at a perceived rival of one’s beloved fan object.” (2019, p. 26). The original is competing with the new film. One can view it as a rival because the film has been interpreted as lacking timeless qualities and pushing a modern edge for the time. Someone commented on TikTok, “it’s not Snow White it’s a whole new movie” (GT-Calio24z, 2023). David Hale son of the original director of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs say’s in an interview, “he would prefer if Disney’s original animated films remained untouched, calling the remake a “disgrace” for “trying to do something new with something that was such a great success earlier” (Taylah_walker, 2023). It is clear one of the main problems people have with the remake is that it is not true to the story and therefore should not be a remake. A comment on the TikTok reviewing Hales interview agreed saying “I think people would actually be more receptive to this film if they didn’t label it as a snow white remake” (Hemingway, 2023). Based on the audience’s distaste for the remake one can conclude they will partake in cynical hate watching, which is that “the goal is less to watch an individual title than to bear witness to an entire cultural institution in collapse” (Gray, 2019, p. 36). As discussed, Hale coined the film as a ‘disgrace’ to Disney. Many of the fans of Disney classics have felt as though the remakes have taken a downward trajectory. Snow White being released with so many changes would be continuing in the cultural collapse of classics. Moreover, the concept of bad object, highlights the complexities behind the motivations of the anti-fans of the remake. The concept of bad object outlines that a collective fandom,
“may be based on a widespread agreement—whether moral, aesthetic, affective, or political—about what is inappropriate in the media world. But we should also expect that bad object anti-fandoms are coalitional and intersectional, as the object finds itself at the crossroads of multiple types of anti-fandom” (Gray, 2019, p. 29).
In the case of this analysis, the anti-fandom for the new Snow White film holds intersecting motivators. The other main motivator of distaste for the film is the claimed ‘woke’ agenda the film pushes. Much of the pushback stems from anti-woke ideologies. The main issues addressed are first, the attempted switch from dwarfs to magical creatures. A photo circulated in the media showing that “the dwarves have been replaced by a racially and gender-diverse cast of mostly able-bodied, average height actors – the Daily Mail labelled them “magical creatures” – with the exception of one person with dwarfism” (Child, 2023, para 5). People were in uproar that there would be no dwarfs. Following the switch Disney made to adding dwarfs, (that are CGI) actors with Dwarfism spoke about their frustration because seven roles were taken from actors in the community (Perry, 2023). Another issue, people had with the film was that a Latina woman would be acting in the role of a German princess with skin as white as snow. Pink News stated, “the decision to reimagine the characters as a more diverse group was quickly branded as “woke” and “politically correct” by social media users and right-wing publications” (Perry, 2023, para 27). The last main issue is the change in plot concerning the story and love interest. Rachel Zegler (who is casted as Snow White) said in an interview back in 2022,
“I just mean that it’s no longer 1937. And we absolutely wrote a Snow White who is not – she’s not gonna be saved by the prince – she’s not gonna be saved by the prince and she’s not gonna be dreaming about true love, she’s dreaming about the leader she can be” (Variety, 2022, 1:47).
This interview was the start of the controversy back in 2022. However, it remains relevant today. A TikToker said, “thinking that a woman is any less valuable because she falls in love or because she accepts help from somebody instead of girl bossing her way through her problems is not feminist” (Cosywithangie, 2023, 02:40). Many are frustrated with this plot change. The discourse circulating exemplifies that people are displeased with Zegler’s comments, giving way to Zegler anti-fandom. There is a strong distaste for Zegler. This distaste for Rachel Zegler was ignited by her own comments on the original film, which deeply offended Disney fans. Prosumer on TikTok says, “the movie right now has such bad publicity because of her and her interviews. I think sometimes when she talks she doesn’t think before she says words” (Jessweslie, 2023, 00:20). The mutual hate for Zegler has created a bond between anti-fans in defense of the original and anti-fans against the woke agenda. One can see how, “bad Object anti-fandoms unite groups that may otherwise not work together” (Gray, 2019, p. 29). Therefore anti-woke Ideologies are seen as an integral motivator to this anti-fan group.
The Other Side of The Fandom
As this analysis is conducted it is important to understand the response to the film from all sides. While there is major controversy motivated by defense of the original film, and motivation through anti-woke ideologies, one can also see that many are unbothered by the remake of Snow White. A video circulated TikTok that expressed a man’s frustration with the people ridiculing the Disney remake. He said, “I’m so tired of hearing ‘ohh but I grew up with the original so it’s just what I’m used to. I’m tired of Disney changing things’ as if this changes the original” (4chancookie, 2022, 00:43). He felt that while there are changes to the remake, the original will still be the same. Another who had a widely heard voice regarding the matter of dwarfs was Peter Dinklage. He is a well-known actor with dwarfism and he described the original as, “that fucking backwards story about seven dwarves living in a cave together” (Child, 2023, para 1). Dinklage’s comment was what partially led to Disney’s original decision to remove the dwarfs from the story, before receiving all of the pushback. As well, since the release of the photo with the dwarfs and the first look of Zegler as Snow White audiences part of the fandom have had a favourable reaction. “Disney is learning and listening and will give us a well-lit, well-saturated movie this time around. I’m pleasantly surprised by this image” (Kain, 2023, para 5). While this audience member was unimpressed before, Disney’s changes brought her to a new conclusion. Furthermore, the juxtaposing view to the anti-fandom remains a small part of the overall influence of the changes of the film.
The Goal of The Controversy
As discussed, the anti-fandom for the remake of Snow White is motivated by two existing factors. Defense of the original film and ideologies against the ‘woke’ agenda. However, they are working towards one goal. The cancellation or change to the Disney film. A comment on TikTok wrote, “me waiting for Disney to cancel this trash” (Sweetgirl495, 2023). They have created so much controversy surrounding this film which has spread all over media. This was able to happen through networked publics, which are, “publics that are restructured by networked technologies; they are simultaneously a space and a collection of people” (Demirdis et al, 2023, para 2). Social media has opened up a wide space for communication, allowing individuals to share their opinions and dominate discourse surrounding the film. The use of hashtag publics which, “emerge on Twitter in response to political events and crises” (Demirdis et al, 2023, para 4), was used as a method of accruing online allegiance. They used hashtags such #snowwhiteliveactioncancelled and #canceltheliveactionsnowwhite. This drew more and more controversy and consumers were then able to engage and become prosumers in the anti-fandom. Engaging in a social capital enabling, “an effective transfer of information and strengthens solidarity in communities” (Pyo et al, 2023, p. 1). Prosumers were strengthened by each other in their online discourse. The anti-fans demonstrated fandom activism as they used, “all their consumption-related skills, practices, and competencies with the support of networked communications to make a difference” (Fuschillo, 2020, p. 356). The Daily Mail wrote, “’Disney had to delay Snow White because they have spent so much money on it” (Weakland, 2023, para 5). Continuing to say that the delay is worth the money they would save by having a good box office. This is a demonstration of how enough controversy was able to impact the film’s arrival date.
The Power of Audience Commodity
Before addressing the audiences power, it is important to understand the process behind their power. One can see how they function through the lens of the audience commodity, which influences and enacts culture. To start, one must not look at anti-fans and fans separately, as the power they hold is caused by their similarities. Fans participate in active engagement as do anti-fans. One can focus in on their, “specific social and cultural interactions, institutions and communities that have formed through the close interaction of committed groups of fans in a subcultural context” (Bury, 2017, p. 124). Both fans and anti-fans can partake in creating content, dressing up, recreating scenes, etc. Their behaviour is similar. This can be understood as the mobius strip.
“Gray suggests that although fandom and anti-fandom could be positioned on opposite ends of the spectrum they perhaps more accurately exist on a Mobius strip with ‘many fans and anti-fan behaviours and performances resembling, if not replicating, each other” (Harman & Jones, 2013, p. 955).
This understanding of the anti-fan’s behaviour being as participatory as fans point to the idea of the audience commodity. One can understand audience commodity by, “being produced not by audiences, but by those rating agencies who measure the audience and thus create and package audiences as a marketable commodity to sell to advertisers” (Miller & Hogg, 2023, p. 4). Disney can use this data to gain an understanding of audience reactions. As well as the ability to track who has seen this data serves Disney, as they can then market to consumers who have participated with this content. The concept of free lunch can also be used in this instance. “In exchange for performing the informal labour of spending time essentially marketing things to themselves by watching advertisements, audiences are merely given the ‘free lunch’ of media content” (Miller & Hogg, 2023, p. 4). While audiences feel they are simply observing Disney’s Snow White content, Smythe says they are marketing to themselves. The controversy serves Disney as affective labour. This free labour occurs through the audience as a prosumer. This is Smythe’s notion,
“that audiences work by consuming media and producing themselves as commodities, prefaced contemporary characterizations of digital media, and particularly social media users, as ‘prosumers’ who both consume and produce media at the same time through their use of interactive digital media and communication platforms” (Miller & Hogg, 2023, p. 4).
The Snow White anti-fans are prosumers. They consume media surrounding Snow White, then form their own opinions on the topics and produce their own content. The audience is highly invested, “According to the logic of affective economics, the ideal consumer is active, emotionally engaged, and socially networked” (Henry, 2006, p. 20). The function of a prosumer has been demonstrated through this analysis when anti-fans would make videos on TikTok responding to Zegler’s interviews. Social media serves as a communicative capitalism, “the notion of communicative capitalism conceptualizes the commonplace idea that the market, today, is the site of democratic aspirations” (Dean, 2005, p. 54). Social media has created a market place for ideas for all from all. However, this democratic system is a source of profit for companies like Disney to benefit from. In addition to Disney’s benefits of communicative capitalism. Daily Wire is also highly benefiting from this market place. The controversy around the Snow White remake has outlined exactly what the audience does not want and what they do want. Moreover, Daily Wire is, “making their own live-action Snow White movie in response to backlash from right-wing over Disney’s upcoming live-action Snow White adaptation” (Jha, 2023, para 4). This is a large-scale example of the power of the prosumer. Daily Wire is trying to give the audience what they want, and they have received a positive response. A video on TikTok displayed, “when you realize Daily Wire is making a rival “Snow White” movie trolling Disney and the woke agenda” (darkervibess, 2023), and the video was of the Daily Wire’s Snow White smiling. Due to the audience commodity, the idea of communicative capitalism, and the consumer as prosumer, one can argue the influence on cultures is increased through the power of producing and consuming content.
The Anti-fandoms Demonstration of an Audience Cultural Power
The anti-fans of the Snow White remake hold a great deal of power over this film. Linden says, “organised fandom has the ability to push for certain types of entertainment” (Linden & Linden, 2017, p. 11). The anti-fandom surrounding the film stirred so much controversy that Disney delayed the film’s release date by an entire year and there is evidence that they are changing characters and plots. Inside the Magic Wrote,
“upon the news breaking, many speculated that The Walt Disney Company was delaying the release, not just because of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes but because of all the a fore mentioned controversy. Some thought that the year delay might be a ploy to recoup the reputation of the upcoming live-action movie and get potential audiences back on board” (Hitchen, 2023, para 11).
In addition, there was a post made from Disney that was covered in Inside the Magic captioned, “the film — which stars Rachel Zegler — invites audiences back into the magical world of Snow White with beloved songs and recognizable characters” (Hitchen, 2023, para 15). This confirms that Zegler will still be Snow White, but will also have recognizable characters (meaning the dwarfs). The photo that accompanied the post shows the CGI Dwarfs. While there is still a lot of controversy circulating as audiences wait for more information, one can see how their hard stance for change to the movie was heard. The idea of audience commodity public relations reaffirms these ideas. Disney had to make changes because the audience holds profitable value. As well as no one will want to see the movie if they hate Zegler. This is why Zegler has released multiple videos explaining her thinking and apologizing. In addition, the audiences controversy fueled an entire other movie, claiming the audience as a maker of meaning and influence over forms of culture.
Concluding Thoughts
In conclusion, this analysis has highlighted the source of controversy within the discourse surrounding the Snow White live-action film, as issues being motivated by 2 factors. The first is the defense of the original classic for a concern related to losing the qualities of timeless classics. The second motivating factor is rooted in anti-woke ideologies, about the missed opportunity to have actors with dwarfism play the role, and the removal of dwarfs as characters. In addition to that, the overall push of progressiveness, in regard to the casting of Snow White and the plot. In succession to this, one could see using audience study concepts; what the goal of their anti-fandom is, and how they strive for this goal using networked publics. Moving forward, the concept of audience commodity revealed how the audience is valued and that their engagement on networked platforms increases their power. The analysis concluded that the role of the audience holds power and can have a high-value influence over culture. Disney’s live-action Snow White anti-fandom is fueled by two motivators one stemming from defense of the classic film and fandom for Disney, and the other motivated by anti-woke ideologies. The controversy circulated demonstrated the power of the prosumer as a strong influencer of culture. The point of this analysis was to uncover the role of the audience and their powerful role within society in influencing culture. In addition, to understand how audiences cultivate this role. This analysis has shown that audiences are never satisfied. As well, as that audiences hold a great deal of power. This is an important analysis because it is important to understand the power, and mechanisms one has that can help cultivate the world. The biggest challenge of writing this analysis was gaining relevant materials from concepts that make sense of the functions occurring in this audience analysis. Furthermore, this is a start to an analysis on audiences about their role in influencing culture. This study hopes that future explorations surrounding controversies’ impact on influencing decisions will be further explored. Perhaps in more films, over a larger period. The idea that an audience can have so much power as to change the trajectory of massive film project is worthy of further exploration.
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