Best Snow White Movies

The newest adaptation of Snow White might bring back one of the most iconic princesses, yet it has failed to perform as well as expected at the box office. As one of the most beloved fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm, the character has received so many adaptations before the most recent live-action, each bringing their own flair to the story. As a result, Rachel Zegler is only one of the many actresses that have played the orphaned princess in the cinema.

While the story has been adapted into other formats, including TV shows and anime series, the movies were able to create quite a diverse range of remakes. Some of these focused on translating the classic story while others brought some lightness to a bleak story. Overall, a few of the many Snow White movies have been able to stand out by bringing a new perspective, great actors, impressive designs or even a classic fairy tale to life.

8

Snow White (2025)

A Controversial Live-Action With Moments Of Magic And Wonder

Snow White

Release Date

March 21, 2025

Runtime

109 Minutes

Director

Marc Webb

This movie has been marked by controversy from its early production days up until its release, ensuring its disappointing box office numbers. Yet, the movie still manages to bring a Snow White movie that is true to its predecessors despite some more surprising and controversial changes.

Related

10 Best Live-Action Disney Remakes, Ranked

Over the years, Disney has recreated some of its classic animated shows as live-action films, and these remakes are the cream of the crop.

Rachel Zegler might not be who fans envisioned as Snow White, but she brings a great performance of the princess that highlights Disney’s trademark levity stemming from catchy songs and simple storylines. As a result, this Disney live-action remake may have taken some misguided steps, yet it managed to bring an entertaining tale that has its own magic, especially for younger viewers.

7

Snow White: The Fairest of Them All (2001)

An Underwhelming Adaptation That Showed It Had Potential

Portrayed by Disney as one of the most evil villains, the Evil Queen is an iconic part of any Snow White adaptation and that is no exception in Snow White: The Fairest of Them All. In this version, Miranda Richardson plays the queen, and Kristin Kreuk plays Snow White, giving the protagonist, her family and the villain a new backstory.

This adaptation left the core of the tale but included some more fantasy-related elements to make it a more enthralling story, including a grant-wishing being called Green-Eyed One and dwarfs capable of transforming into a rainbow. Yet, its low budget becomes obvious at points through some pacing issues, underdeveloped plot lines and unnecessary details.

6

Snow White and the Three Stooges

A Crossover That Shined In Its Comedy But Lacked In Story

• Release Date: May 26, 1961
• Rating: PG
• Genres: Comedy and Fantasy
• Runtime: 108 minutes

With a humorous approach to the classic fairy tale, this movie brought the beloved Three Stooges into the story, as Snow White goes to the seven dwarfs’ house only to find the trio house sitting for them. Because of its focus on bringing comedy, the movie overlooks its story, being more of a funny and entertaining watch than anything else.

Due to its crossover of sorts, this remains a creative adaptation of the beloved story that does not take itself too seriously. Yet, as it tried to bring these two popular worlds together, the movie failed to give proper focus to both Snow White and the Three Stooges.

5

Mirror Mirror (2012)

A Beautiful Movie That Fails To Rise To Its Unique Concept

Mirror Mirror

Release Date

March 15, 2012

• 

  Julia Roberts

  Susan Gordon

• 

Gathering an impressive cast with Lily Collins as Snow White and Julia Roberts as her evil stepmother, the excitement for this movie was high, yet it also did not perform as well as expected. With so many promises to bring a new perspective filled with humor, this movie fails to settle on a tone.

Julia Roberts brings her unique take on one of the most evil stepmoms in a live-action that brings its own charm, especially through its color schemes and creative wardrobe. Regardless of its issues, the movie brings a beautiful live-action that tries to focus on the lighter elements of the tale while trying to offer a new take.

4

Snow White: A Tale of Terror (1997)

A Dark Yet Unique Perspective On The Tale

Snow White: A Tale of Terror

Release Date

July 18, 1997

Runtime

100 minutes

Director

Michael Cohn

Like most of their fairy tales, the original Brothers Grimm’s Snow White had some dark and twisted turns, unlike most of the movie adaptations. However, Snow White: A Tale of Terror tries to focus on the bleak nature of the original fairy tale by bringing a Gothic fantasy film.

By portraying a Snow White as a selfish princess who is responsible for the end of the Queen’s pregnancy, this movie does not shy away from its dark tones. Moreover, the movie had the iconic Alien actress, Sigourney Weaver, bringing a unique perspective on the villain. Ultimately, this version tries to resemble the tone of the original tale with a new story, even if not executed perfectly at every turn.

3

Sydney White

A Modernized And Cheesy Adaptation That Keeps The Fairy Tale’s Essence

Sydney White

Release Date

September 21, 2007

Runtime

108 minutes

Director

Joe Nussbaum

Sydney White is probably the adaptation that strays further from the classic story by bringing a modernized setting to the fairy tale. This classic 2000s movie is actually set in college as Amanda Bynes’ character, Sydney White, feuds with the Student Body President, who is the campus’ Evil Queen.

Sydney White is an alternate Snow White that goes to live with seven outcasts, portraying a unique background to the story. While it may come across as a cheesy 2000s movie at times, this adaptation has a new approach to a well-known story, while keeping the core of the fairy tale intact.

2

Snow White and the Huntsman

An Attempt At Complexity That Lacked Mostly In Its Execution

Even though this has been a very polarizing movie since its release, Snow White and The Huntsman tried to bring a more complex adaptation by changing the story and adding a darker undertone. Besides that, the movie brought a cast filled by big starts, with Kristen Stewart as the protagonist and Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen.

Yet, one of the main changes in the movie is Chris Hemsworth’s role as the Huntsman, which added a lot to the plot, but also to the love story. The movie manages to tell an interesting story that deviates from the original to add more elements to develop the characters, their motivations and relationships despite some script issues and uneven pace.

1

Snow White (1937)

A Classic That Changed Animation History With A Simple Tale True To The Original

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Release Date

January 14, 1938

Runtime

83 minutes

Director

Ben Sharpsteen, Larry Morey, David Hand, Perce Pearce, William Cottrell, Wilfred Jackson

While this may not feel like a new or complex adaptation of the fairy tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has been a classic since its 1937 release as Disney’s first animated movie. It is no easy feat to stay a beloved movie for all these years, yet this one still manages to captivate new fans, even if it has some outdated elements.

Related

Disney’s Snow White: 8 Biggest Differences From The 1937 Movie

Disney’s Snow White has been making waves online for many reasons, including the huge differences between it and the 1937 animated movie.

Despite its whimsical tone and magical story, it still captures the darker undertones of the original fairy tale, which makes it one of the scariest Disney animated films. At the same time as it relies on simple storytelling techniques, this animation brought forward many tropes, including the ever-classic true-love kiss. As a result, this continues to be one of the best adaptations of the princess’ tale with its charming art style, role in cinema and simplistic adaptation of the tale.

More

Best Fairy Tale Horror Movies, Ranked

These films take classic fairy tale stories or tropes and turn them into horrifying viewing experiences.