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 modern 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 in the Bible.
“That’s basically the story that we read about in the Bible, about Lucifer, a once high-ranking, powerful angel who wanted to take the place of God with himself,” Pastor Laurie said. “The problem with Lucifer is he was in love with his own image; he wanted to be in 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 in the 1970s.
His main criticism of the Snow White re-make targets Disney’s reimagining of core elements from the original film, especially the removal of the iconic song "Some Day My Prince Will Come". In its place is a new song, “Waiting on a Wish,” performed by lead actress Rachel Zegler.
He argued that the change reflects a shift away from themes of love and redemption and toward self-sufficiency and female 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 pointed out that the resurrection “from her death-like sleep” in the original 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 original film as “dated” and dismissed the idea that her character should be dreaming of true love. Instead, Zegler emphasised that her Snow White aspires to be a leader, fulfilling the vision her late father had for her.
Laurie contends that the father figure, known as the Good King in the film, can 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.
