After the tremendous success of Cinderella, Disney is about to take on another live action film adaptation: Snow White. Erin Cressida Wilson, who wrote the script for The Girl on the Train, is in negotiations to write the script for this film. What makes this version unique is Disney's desire to expand beyond the original story and plotline.
The film will feature new songs with songwriters, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul at the helm. Marc Platt, who is working with Disney on Mary Poppins Returns, is expected to produce.
The original Snow White was Disney's first feature film and it was released in 1937. Based on the Grimm's fairytale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was a massive success for the studio. It won an honorary Oscar at the 11th Academy Awards and is considered one of the most successful animated films of all time.
The story of Snow White has reached such popularity as to be turned into other recent live action films such as 2012's Snow White which featured Lily Collins as the lead character. This particular character has also made a major splash in the ABC television series Once Upon a Time in which story book characters are stranded in our world and must find a way back to their respective kingdoms.
Disney has been turning many of its animated classics into live action films in recent years. In March of 2017, Beauty and the Beast will be released as a live action. It is certain to captivate audiences with Emma Watson playing Belle in this version. Also, Disney is planning to release a live action Mulan in 2018 as well. Other future live adaptations include: The Lion King and Aladdin.
Along with writing The Girl on the Train, Wilson also wrote the script for Jason Reitman's Men, Women and Children and produced the HBO series, Vinyl.
Pasek and Paul are an award winning Broadway songwriting team whose off-Broadway hit Dear Evan Hansen is about to open on Broadway. They recently worked on La-La Land and are currently in production on the Fox musical film, The Greatest Snowman on Earth starring Hugh Jackman, for which they wrote all the songs. They are repped by CAA and Schreck Rose.
With this much amazing talent on board, it is safe to say that Disney will likely produce many more successful live action movies for a whole new generation of young viewers to enjoy!
