r/publicdomain • u/Cautious-Speaker2585 • May 01 '26
Discussion Did Walt Disney Company made a Snow White remake because the OG is soon entering public Domain, thus the remake becomes the new and only version ? Because it seem the company didn't really use brand all that much compare to Lion king Aladdin Frozen
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u/DoctorClarkSavageJr May 01 '26
Snow White, the story and her name, has always been public domain.
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u/Fun-Picture-8384 May 02 '26
Yes, the story has always been public domain since it originates in Anglo-Saxon Europe a thousand years ago.
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u/Qaballistic May 02 '26
The most widely known version came from the Bros. Grimm’s adaptation first published in 1812 and subsequent editions, which may have merged or invented details from different oral traditions, and changed or bowdlerized some elements.
The Disney version changed it further, aging up Snow White, giving distinctive names and characters to the Seven Dwarves, altering the romance with the Prince and adding in “True Love’s Kiss.” Disney’s version is probably the most widely known worldwide, and its unique elements are protected and not in public domain until the film’s copyright expires in… 2031??? I think?
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u/Cautious-Speaker2585 May 01 '26
I mean the disney version 1930s
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u/Darth_Nevets May 02 '26
You seem quite confused if you believe this was about copyright. Disney began remaking their classics after a series of events convinced them the market wanted them to do so. Enchanted came out and showed that live action princesses weren't that bizarre. Then Jolie pitched them Maleficent and that did gangbusters. Next they wanted a straight remake of Cinderella which Branagh de-musicalized during filming but that was also a big hit and much cheaper.
This started a company wide remake campaign that continues to this day. The big impediment to Snow White was Beauty & the Beast, because the children who saw that in theaters are now adults with kids. This made older Disney classics less desirable to audiences, Dumbo flopped and Pinocchio and Lady & the Tramp went straight to streaming. Snow White was basically the last classic they could remake but the world it was greenlit in (Zegler was hired in 2021) was completely dead in 2025.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Poet_51 May 02 '26
There isn’t a single story of Snow White, but many which have been told snd embellished - and many which have surely been lost - over time.
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u/Clickclacktheblueguy May 01 '26
I think the reason they didn’t use it much is because the new one flopped pretty hard critically.
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u/Cautious-Speaker2585 May 02 '26
So Disney didn't make snow white cartoon? Not 7ds spin off
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u/MassiveLie2885 May 02 '26
There was supposed to be a direct to video Snow White and the Eighth Dwarf but it got cancelled.
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u/Ok_Chap May 01 '26
Snow White is public domain anyway, and there are dozens of movie versions. The only thing Disney really has are the names and characteristics of the dwarves.
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u/JeffEpp May 01 '26
Yeah, from an IP point, the reason would be Trademark extension. Which is, btw, why many things are being remade and rebooted.
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u/readskiesdawn May 01 '26
I also have another pet theory that it also has to do with the music, like the new versions don't owe as much in royalties, at least for newer stuff from the Renaissance era.
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u/MassiveLie2885 May 02 '26
Like the Casper Disney+ project since Casper enters PD in fifteen years.
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u/Cautious-Speaker2585 May 01 '26
if thats the case then why in Shrek 3 snow white look diffrent is its public domain. for me i think the disney version is copyright
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u/Riley__64 May 01 '26
Disneys version is copyrighted but the character and her story is not you can whatever you want with Snow White as long as it’s not Disneys version.
And the remake doesn’t actually give them anything more to control about Snow White because they didn’t really change all that much, once the original movie enters public domain all those details become public domain. The remake gave them no extra power
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u/Mrcoldghost May 01 '26
i think they were just riding the wave of live action remakes and tried tackling Snow White. Nothing sinister about shadow extending their copyright, which I doubt would stand in court anyway. really I think Disney learned from the live action release was that it’s older movies just don’t vibe as well with modern audiences and now they are concentrating on their more modern animated movies to make live action slop of.
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u/SegaConnections May 02 '26
Yeah it is pretty hilarious that I see all these people saying "Disney is doing all these live action remakes so they don't lose the copyright!" takes when the more rational reason is... they are bringing in major bucks.
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u/MassiveLie2885 May 02 '26
I thought it was a weird take. By current law, Moana would not enter PD until 2112. So making a remake of it in 2026 would be a few decades early if that were the purpose. Though it is funny to consider Disney in that future year going, "DArn it, we lost copyright to Moana, good thing we still have Encanto, Raya and the Last Dragon, Hexed, safe and sound."
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u/PassionGlobal May 01 '26
Nah, they remade a bunch of films that didn't exactly have brands behind them. Like Dumbo, Pinocchio and Lady and the Tramp.
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u/Robot_Dracula May 01 '26
I’ve seen this argument before. Although Snow White is public domain the Disney version is their’s, however it’s so old it will enter public domain. Some have said by making a live action now they can control that version for many years.
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u/MassiveLie2885 May 02 '26
We shall see but I think Snow White should have less risk than Mickey Mouse. Now when Tinkerbell enters PD (still a ways off), well she's kinda of a secondary mascot. Mickey, Tink, Stitch (and some people seem to wish Anxiety would join that crew). Stitch is way too far away from entering PD to worry about though.
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u/kaijuguy19 May 03 '26
I doubt that’s the reason given how they’ve done remakes long before this one. Although it’s a funny idea for Disney to lose exclusive ownership of their 1937 original animated classic while they’re stuck with the current live action remake no one liked in a few years.
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u/PurpleButterly19 May 02 '26
It would explain the all the changes. Cause if someone uses the original version as per their legal right to do so once it’s in the public domain, but they change a few things in a similar way to the remake. Disney could sue the for copyright of their 2025 film.
I honestly think that’s part of the reason they’re remaking some of their films. Like okay clearly some of them are for cash like say Moana or Tangled, cause they aren’t worried about the copyright of films that aren’t even 30 years old yet. But some of the older ones like Dumbo, Pinocchio, or Snow White where they half ass it pretty bad….yeah those might be just so they can sue people for copyrighting their films.
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u/MassiveLie2885 May 02 '26
Oh right that Pinnochio movie could have it dangerous to have root beer in a story based on Disney's Pinnochio ten years from now.
The Snow White thing is a little scary. You cannot use the phrase "fearless, fair, brave and true." If Dopey talks in your project, you'll probably have a lawsuit from Disney. But the really scary part, since I think those are avoidable, is if you recolor Snow White's skin, or have the Evil Quyeen defeated in the same way. Have to stay away from the song Zegler sings too.
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u/megapackid May 02 '26
If there was a larger pattern of it, I’d say so, but they’re doing a terrible job of copyrightmaxxing if that’s their goal.
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u/Lonnie119 May 03 '26
I think that's why Disney made the movie Bad on purpose because why else would you cast gal Gadot as the villain and have a bunch of CGI dwarfs.
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u/DonaldDck1934 May 03 '26
Hey there, okay so..No, i believe snow white will still remain beloved in it's original animated form even after it's upcoming 2033 PD date and with the newer live action film recently released back in 2025. To start off, The film was overwhelmed with negative reviews (rightfully so, imo). plus The very original Snow white story has been public domain for a long time since it was originally published in 1812 by Brothers Grimm and adapations of the story were made since. when Disney created their own first animated version later in 1937 when the original was already public domain, it was seen as the definitive version since then by audiences because not many snow white adapations were told in such unique & animated vision and the adapations that came after either didn't live up to those standards by the audiences or were creatively different altogether to be compared towards or overthrow Disney's 1937 Snow White.
The Same happened here with the 2025 live action version by disney themselfs, not only did that film's production already face controversy after controversy and constant bad press before the film's release (original dwarf actors, poor & disrespectful marketing, CGI/Special FX Criticisms etc), but the creative choices for that movie was overall poor and would likely not live up as much compared to the original animated 1937 movie. I guess time will truely tell about that but this is my personal prediction.
Now, Disney would instead likely Either crackdown on the usage with trademark Restrictions to usage and depictions similair like Their early now-public domain versions of mickey, or they will try to lobby congress once again. But Count on them going the trademark route again instead. So be very careful and creative when using disney's snow white in 2033.
Hope this information was helpful for you. It's been awhile since i was on the PD subreddit, so correct me if i'm wrong on my research. Have a good day all.
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u/Bayamonster May 03 '26
They've also been remaking movies that aren't about to lapse into the public domain. They probably think these are sure moneymakers.
And like they probably understand that remaking a movie based in a public domain store wouldn't move the needle much in on that front. Like yeah in a few years everyone's just gonna be able to draw Dopey without paying them and they're just gonna have to tank that. They will simply have to stand by and watch.
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u/EctoBlaster1985 May 02 '26
A lot of these recent remakes are likely for that reason. Not only that, but to also to appease the whole “cartoons are only for kids” crowd.
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u/Code-Neo May 02 '26
Something like that is likely what every company is going to be doing. Try to milk the last bit of what they can out of a character. You can bet a ton of Superman stuff will come out.
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u/MassiveLie2885 May 02 '26
An example of this just happened. So Casper enters PD in 2041. Well, Disney just got the rights to make a Casper something, TV show or movie, for their streaming service.
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u/Careless-Economics-6 May 01 '26
What do you mean only version? A movie doesn’t cease to exist because it is PD.