Last time we got word about a potential retelling of the classic Snow White fairy tale, it was gonna be Brett Ratner directing and Natalie Portman expressing interest in the starring role. That project may very well still be in development, but it might not be much longer, as Universal has picked up their own new version of the story.
According to THR, the script comes from Evan Daugherty and with newbie director Rupert Sanders and producer Joe Roth already attached. Their spin on the story involves expanding the role of the Huntsman, who in the original fairy tale merely drops off Snow White in the woods when he can't bear to kill her, but in this one will be chained with her as they make their escape from the forest. Presumably the two run into the dwarves at some point-- they're not even mentioned in the brief synopsis-- but apparently the Huntsman serves as a mentor to Snow White as she learns to fight and survive on her own.
Sanders and Daugherty are both pretty new to Hollywood, which might mean they can bring a fresh perspective to the story, which sounded just awful when Ratner was planning to make it edgier for a modern audience. There's still an inherent booby trap in adapting Snow White, since Disney put a pretty definitive stamp on the story way back in 1937, but change things enough and we may not even notice. Best of luck, guys.
