Why was the LEGO Snow White Ideas project rejected?

The LEGO Snow White project has been rejected during the latest LEGO Ideas review stage, raising questions for the reasons behind the decision.

Harry Finkel's LEGO recreation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves first appeared in the First 2021 Review stage, when it was announced the project needed further review. Sadly, that review hasn't resulted in approval: the second 2021 review has confirmed the set will not enter production.

LEGO and Disney have gone hand in hand for several years now, with multiple sets inspired by the company's films appearing on shelves. An official Disney Princess line popped up in 2014, allowing characters like Rapunzel, Ariel and Cinderella to receive LEGO versions. The LEGO Ideas range has also been kind to Disney: sets inspired by Steamboat Willie, Winnie the Pooh and even TRON: Legacy have popped up since the theme's launch.

The rejection of the Snow White project may be for a few different reasons. The first may be that its large-scale recreation is out of step with LEGO Disney Princess sets more broadly. Generally speaking, these sets tend to favour a younger audience: relatively simple builds and low price points abound here, and a big, complex Snow White set would take a wrecking ball to that idea.

Another reason might be that Snow White simply isn't popular enough to warrant a set this expensive. Although Snow White is historically significant – she's the first Disney Princess and star of Disney's first feature film – she pales in comparison to the likes of Elsa and Rapunzel. That idea is reflected in other LEGO Disney sets: to date, Snow White has only appeared in a single LEGO set at minifigure scale.

Ultimately, the recent controversy surrounding Disney's live-action remake of Snow White might have sealed the deal. Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage has criticised the project as backward, arguing that the the film's use of dwarf characters is regressive. While the film is reportedly a long way from production, any lingering aromas of controversy may have been enough to deter the LEGO Group from exploring this project.

From that perspective, the rejection of the project isn't awfully surprising (even if the true reasons will probably remain a mystery). However, with luck, we'll get another Snow White minidoll at some point in the future.

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