FAIRY TALE SHOWDOWN: 'Snow White & The Huntsman' Vs. 'Mirror Mirror'

In one corner: Universal Pictures' Snow White & The Huntsman, weighing in with Kristen Stewart as Snow White, Academy Award Winner Charlize Theron as The Queen, and Chris Hemsworth as The Huntsman. In the other corner stands Relativity Media's Mirror Mirror, with Lily Collins as Snow White, Academy Award Winner Julia Roberts at The Queen, and Armie Hammer as Prince Alcott.

Both films will also feature the Seven Dwarfs in their storylines and have a magical backdrop. But that may be where the similarities end. Huntsman promises a dark medieval journey, featuring a Snow White with a warrior's edge wrapped up in a suit of armor. It is likely to also carry a PG-13 rating with its heightened level of violence and scares. In contrast, Mirror Mirror will present a whimsical colorful kid friendly tale with an easy earned PG rating.

Lily Collins and the Seven Dwarfs from Mirror Mirror

The star power of the casts provides an interesting angle for selling each film. Mirror Mirror is banking predominantly on Julia Roberts' appeal with her lighthearted portrayal of the evil Queen. Leading man Armie Hammer is not yet a household name (though that may change after starring in The Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp), and Lily Collins doesn't really have any proven box office clout. In contrast, Huntsman has a scary dark magic empowered evil Queen in Charlize Theron, an international star with Twilight's Kristen Stewart, and a fast growing familiar face with Chris Hemsworth from Thor and The Avengers.

Theron as The Queen in Snow White & The Huntsman

As far as the Dwarfs are concerned: Huntsman has cast Ian McShane, Nick Frost, Toby Jones, Ray Winstone, and Bob Hoskins as Snow White's allies. The actors will be digitally shortened in stature and not bear the familiar names made famous by the Disney classic. Mirror Mirror has kept it closer to the fairy tale and cast little people who are mainstream unknowns.
 
In addition, it's always interesting to observe when dueling movies emerge at nearly the same time to battle it out at the box office. Independence Day fought off Mars Attacks! in 1996. Dante's Peak took on Volcano in 1997. Armageddon had to fend off Deep Impact in 1998. Even on the small screen this year, NBC's Grimm has a fairy tale theme that competes with ABC's Once Upon A Time (which coincidentally also has a version of Snow White as one of its main characters). And in the fall you could see two competing shows based on Beauty and the Beast, with green lit pilots set for ABC and The CW.

That said, here are the trailers to each film and their official synopses:

"In the epic action-adventure Snow White and the Huntsman, Kristen Stewart (Twilight) plays the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen (Oscar® winner Charlize Theron) who is out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth, Thor) who was dispatched to kill her. Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) joins the cast as the prince long enchanted by Snow White’s beauty and power."

"Snow White is a princess in exile, and the evil Queen rules her captured kingdom. Seven courageous rebel dwarfs join forces with Snow White as she fights to reclaim her birthright and win her Prince."

How this will all play out remains to be seen. Mirror Mirror hits theaters on March 30th, while Snow White & The Huntsman is set for a June 1st release.

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