You Won’t Believe What Disney’s New Snow White Movie Stole From Robin Hood

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The 20XX film titled Snow White seems to be a revival and modern take on Walt Disney’s 1937 masterpiece Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. However, it’s intriguing to note that Disney might have utilized this opportunity not just for a remake but also as a subtle re-imagining of another cherished animated tale from their past. It seems they may find it challenging to produce a straightforward remake of this particular story, hence the creative reboot approach in Snow White. Contrary to some online critics’ predictions that this film would feature significant deviations from the original movie plot, with novel additions like a revised conclusion.

In the original story, Snow White’s love interest was a prince, typically referred to as Prince Charming from the tale of Cinderella. In this modern retelling, however, the prince is transformed into a bandit named Jonathan (played by Andrew Burnap). Unlike the knight in shining armor stereotype, Jonathan is an outlaw who resides in the woods with his own gang of robbers. They are rebels, fighting against the Queen and even stealing what they need to survive. If this sounds familiar, it’s because Jonathan bears a striking resemblance to Robin Hood, lacking only the iconic name. This adaptation, therefore, can be seen as a reimagining of the 1973 Robin Hood tale, explaining why Disney chose to remake Snow White in this unique way rather than creating a direct Robin Hood remake.

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The Similarities Between Jonathan and Robin Hood

Robin Hood is a character who steals from the wealthy and gives to the poor. This narrative takes place during the Third Crusade era, with Prince John temporarily ruling as King while his brother, King Richard, was away at war. In the movie Snow White, some of Robin Hood’s traits are given to a character named Jonathan, and certain aspects from the original Robin Hood story are added to enhance Snow White’s tale.

In the woods dwell two outlaws, Robin Hood and a fellow named Jonathan. They lead groups of vibrant misfits – Robin’s Merry Men and Jonathan’s own band – in a battle against a tyrannical ruler who amasses wealth at the expense of the people (Prince John or The Evil Queen). Meanwhile, the rightful king is away, engaged in war (King Richard or Snow White’s father).

Both Robin Hood and Jonathan target the affluent and find themselves drawn to young women with ties to the royal family (Maid Marian or Snow White).

As Robin Hood-like, I’ve been portraying a struggle against the corrupt monarchy, aiming for a just reinstatement of the rightful ruler. However, the truth is, my actions have been nothing more than a facade. My gang of thieves and I were once actors, merely surviving in this harsh world with no grand aspirations. Yet, everything changed when I encountered Snow White. It was then that our group transformed from mere performers into genuine freedom fighters.

Molding Snow White’s Love Interest Into a Robin Hood Figure Solves an Issue With the Original Prince

In this movie adaptation, the links between Jonathan and Robin Hood are new inventions, as the reimagining chooses to exclude Snow White’s traditional prince. Although Rachel Zegler’s comment about the original prince being a “stalker” stirred controversy, removing the Prince was crucial for this remake. One key advantage is that it places focus on Snow White, making her the central figure who must reclaim the kingdom rather than being transported to a prince’s domain or having him rescue and rule instead.

Instead of being captivating, it’s worth noting that the original Prince lacks depth and often fits into a well-worn archetype, earning the nickname “Prince Charming.” Notably, he doesn’t have a defined name; instead, he is often recognized as Prince Florian in Disney on Ice productions. Shirley Temple referred to him as Ferdinand at the 1938 Academy Awards, but this was a reference to the bull story, which is why some fans call him Prince Ferdinand. When interacting with guests at Disneyland, The Prince typically signs autographs under his title rather than any specific name. He serves more as a neutral backdrop that allows the more distinctive dwarfs to shine.

If Disney wanted to give Snow White’s love interest more depth and intrigue, emulating Robin Hood could be an effective approach. With his vibrant personality and captivating allure, Robin Hood is reminiscent of the world in which Snow White resides, making the character from 12th-century England fit seamlessly into a magical kingdom.

In a nod to Han Solo and Princess Leia’s relationship in “Star Wars,” this storyline also resembles the classic pairing of a cynical character with an optimistic hero in a romantic setting, creating a gender-swapped version of Superman and Lois Lane. Here, the role of Superman is filled by Snow White, while Jonathan assumes the part of Lois Lane. While it appears that Snow White may be falling for Jonathan, a careful observer might predict a future where Snow White and Robin Hood live happily ever after.

On occasion, Disney has linked their Snow White and Robin Hood narratives. For instance, in the TV show Once Upon a Time, often regarded as Disney’s live-action fan fiction, Robin Hood and the Evil Queen/Regina develop a romance beyond the usual endings of their tales. This could be an enjoyable Easter egg reference to how Disney films from different eras might share animation sequences. In the 1970s, to save costs, Walt Disney Animation occasionally reused scenes for their movies. For example, the 1973 Robin Hood reuses animation from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, as seen when Maid Marion dances to “Phony King of England,” this is identical to Snow White dancing with the dwarfs during ‘The Silly Song.’

In the previous discussion, it was pointed out that the upcoming 2025 remake of the stories seems to pair Snow White with Robin Hood, although not by name. This raises the question of whether Disney should now remake the story of Robin Hood itself. However, even though Disney had initially announced a remake for their streaming platform in 2020, it is possible that they might choose not to remake Robin Hood because what makes the original memorable also poses significant challenges when translating it into live-action.

Why Disney Can’t Just Remake ‘Robin Hood’

To clarify, Disney’s choice not to remake Robin Hood isn’t due to the poor performance of previous adaptations like Universal’s 2010 Robin Hood or Lionsgate’s 2018 version. Just as Disney moved forward with a live-action series and a new Snow White movie after two disappointing films in 2012, they might still be planning a remake of Robin Hood despite the struggles of contemporary King Arthur retellings like The Sword and the Stone.

The main challenge Disney encounters when creating a live-action Robin Hood is that their version of the story depicts an animal-populated world, unlike other films such as The Lion King, Bambi, The Jungle Book, or One Hundred and One Dalmatians where animals can talk but resemble real animals, or human worlds with talking animals. Instead, Robin Hood falls under the category of movies like Zootopia and Chicken Little, where humans are absent and anthropomorphic animals act as the dominant species.

1973’s “Robin Hood” distinguished itself from other adaptations of the tale due to its unique all-animal cast, earning it the title of a timeless classic for many generations and arguably the most cherished version of the story among audiences. However, this unconventional approach poses challenges when trying to fit into Disney’s live-action remake format. While the realism of animals in recent Disney live-action adaptations such as “The Jungle Book,” “Lady and the Tramp,” and “The Lion King” is debatable, at least they look like genuine animals. If Disney were to attempt a live-action recreation of the anthropomorphic animals, it could resemble the poorly received 2019 film “Cats,” which no one desires. Even the CGI dwarfs in “Snow White” have faced significant criticism.

Disney can’t abandon the animal theme in Robin Hood because it sets their film apart from others, giving it a unique appeal. If they do, they’d lose the key selling point for audiences, making a remake of Robin Hood unnecessary. That’s why Robin Hood is nearly the only Disney animated film that seems difficult to remake effectively.

As a movie enthusiast, I’d rephrase it like this: If Disney found it challenging to incorporate the anamorphic animals from Robin Hood into a potential remake, they could instead interweave elements of that property into Snow White. With Snow White needing a more robust foundation, introducing characters such as a charming outlaw and his band of merry men, originally from Robin Hood, would not only provide Snow White with a fresh romantic interest but also allow Disney to reimagine Robin Hood in a roundabout way. Since the animal-based hook for Robin Hood is no longer essential, as the Robin Hood elements will be merely a minor component of the expanded Snow White narrative, they wouldn’t need to greenlight a standalone Robin Hood remake.

Instead of marketing the movie as “Snow White and Robin Hood,” Disney chose a different approach to avoid potential backlash from audiences who might struggle with the idea of a Colombian actress portraying Snow White. By blending elements of Robin Hood with Snow White, both stories are enhanced, and the new version of Snow White is not just another carbon copy of the 1937 original like previous live-action Disney remakes. In essence, fans get two Disney remakes for the price of one. Catch Snow White in theaters now.

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2025-03-22 21:35