Snow White Live Action – Is it too scary for kids?

The wait is over! Snow White opens in theaters today!  Families with young children will want to know that this latest Disney cartoon is rated PG for some action and rude humor, but there are also some scary moments.  Today I am sharing my official Mom’s Review of Snow White so you can decide if this newest Disney re-imagined live-action movie is safe for kids.  This parent’s review of Snow White contains no spoilers.

I had the privilege of attending a pre-screening of Snow White. When my kids were younger, my number one question about new movies is “Is it safe for little kids?”  I have a reputation for being protective of what my kids watch.   We are also well aware that every family and every child is different.  While some things might be OK for our family, it might not be a good fit for yours.  We always suggest you reading more than one review to decide what is best for your child.

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How has Snow White been changed from the original?

As a huge fan of Disney animation, I have a sweet spot for Snow White. As the first ever feature-length animated film, Snow White broke the mold in how cartoons were seen and how full-length movies could be made. While I love seeing a re-imagined Disney film in live action, I always wonder how they might update some themes that have become more problematic in the current day. While almost every movie from decades ago has apparent issues when viewed through a modern lens, Snow White takes the cake.

I wondered how the new film would approach iconic parts of the Snow White storyline. In the original 1937 version, Snow White’s worth is due not only to her beauty, but her very pale skin. Princess Snow White, in the newest version, is played by the talented and beautiful, Rachel Zegler. I do love that in the newest film, the name “Snow White” is that the princess was born during a snowstorm. As always, I am thankful for Disney’s evolution over recent years to include more people of color in their universe. Rachel Zegler has a beautiful voice and is the perfect modern Snow White.

Snow White Live Action Disney T-shirts — <— check them out!

Some may have noticed that this modern day “Snow White” does not include “and the Seven Dwarfs” in the title, but one cannot make a film about Snow White without including the 7 miners she meets in the enchanted forest. I am honestly still mulling over my feelings about these beloved characters. I will say I found the home in the woods charming and nostalgic. The seven dwarfs are now magical, which somehow seems more ‘othering’ than before. I will say that the film is very inclusive with people of all shapes and sizes and ethnic backgrounds; but the handling of these seven beloved characters did not sit right with me. 

Snow White’s Prince isn’t even a Prince!

I absolutely love the changes in Snow White’s Prince! In the original, the unnamed Prince is much too old for the barely teen Snow White. The unnamed price has absolutely no relationship with Snow White in any way before kissing her while she sleeps. In the newer version, Jonathan is a young man closer to Snow White’s age.  Jonathan is part of the resistance against the evil Queen. Jonathan fights for the people of the kingdom he remembers from when Snow White’s father was king.  Jonathan is not a Prince by blood, but has the heart of a good and fair king. Most importantly; Jonathan and Snow White have the opportunity to develop a friendship and even a little chemistry before his kiss of true loves wakes her from the spell. As a parent of girls and a boy; I absolutely love this new version of ‘Snow White’s Prince’.

We have to talk about Dopey

I want to focus on the positive; and without any spoilers; I think true Disney animation fans might be mad about Dopey. Without any spoilers again, I think that parents with differently abled children might also be a bit upset by some of the changes with Dopey’s character. Personally, as a mom of a child with a speech delay; and a friend of a few kiddos who are non verbal; my heart sank a bit in a couple scenes with Dopey. I do believe the makers of this film had it cut out for them when they wanted to bring Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs into the modern era. While I don’t know how to do it respectfully; this wasn’t it. As many Disney fans may know, Dopey began a long tradition of a non-verbal character in every Disney film, I love this tradition. I may have already said too much, but I just wish that Dopey could have been celebrated as he was.

What is Snow White Rated?

The Live action film, Snow White is rated PG. Why is the new Snow White film rated PG? The PG rating in the case of Disney’s Snow White is for violence, some peril, thematic elements and brief rude humor. It is important to note that while the original 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was given a G rating, it also has some of these themes. I personally find the original Snow White as scary or more so than some of the later animated films that received PG ratings.

I believe Snow White’s PG rating is fair. Without spoilers, there are some scary scenes. While there is very little blood and no gore at all, it has some very scary moments. The evil queen absolutely lives up to her reputation and the graphics make the live-action scary scenes scarier than the original classically animated film.

Music in Snow White

Snow White featured songs from the original Snow White, as well as new songs. The nostalgia of “Whistle While You Work” was the sweetest. I also loved that Snow White and Jonathan share two songs; the silly “Princess Problems” and the dreamy “A Hand Meets Hand”. As already mentioned, my favorite part of this film over the original was the relationship between the fair princess and her handsome ‘prince’. I also loved the song “Waiting on a Wish” which holds its own in a long line of Disney Princess songs. Not only is the song reminiscent of decades of Disney princess songs; Zegler seemed to be the perfect fit. As a true Disney fan and musical theatre fan, I have been listening to the soundtrack on repeat.

Final Thoughts of Snow White

I am one of the biggest fans of the Disney animated film to  re-imagined live-action with lots of CGI pipeline. I love all of them. I do. I love seeing a twist on the films I watched over and over again. I love seeing real people in the place of the cartoons; because as a little girl, I saw the real me in the place of these characters in my mind. The re-imagined versions are like dreams come to life for me. The live-action version of Snow White has that same feel in my heart. That said, this one did throw me off a bit.

I loved the evolution of some characters but disliked the evolution of others. I loved the music, but was not a fan of the costumes and some of the animation. I loved the woodland creatures but was not a big fan of the handling of Sleepy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey, Bashful, Happy, and Doc. As a parent; I would think twice about bringing a very small child as it does have some very scary moments that might be too intense for a little one. I was very cautious with my kids when they were little, but I would have probably brought my kids as early as 7 years old to see Snow White on the big screen.

Snow White – Official Trailer

Behind the Scenes of “Waiting on a Wish”

Sweet Moments from the Snow White Movie Premiere

SNOW WHITE – (Pictured): Rachel Zegler with fans. Photo by Sami Drasin. © 2025 Sami Drasin. All Rights Reserved.

At the world premiere of Snow White, guests and their families, which included children from the San Fernando and Malibu chapters of the Boys & Girls Club who were affected by the recent fires in Los Angeles, were treated to a variety of activities, including a forest friends grove with rabbits, professional glamour shots, a fairytale glam station, and opportunities to create your own jeweled crown, pocket mirror, and candy salad.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 15: Members of the Boys and Girls Club of San Fernando affected by the fires attend the World Premiere of Disney’s Snow White at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 15, 2025. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for Disney)

“Disney’s Snow White” is directed by Marc Webb, written by Erin Cressida Wilson, and produced by Marc Platt, p.g.a., and Jared LeBoff, p.g.a., with Callum McDougall serving as executive producer, and features all-new original songs from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, including Waiting on a Wish, the recently released single from the film’s Original Soundtrack. Waiting on a Wish is available now digitally on Amazon, Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify. The Original Soundtrack for “Disney’s Snow White” is available now as well.