The Walt Disney Co. is opting for a subdued Hollywood premiere of its upcoming “Snow White” remake after weathering criticism over the live-action film’s casting.

The studio will hold a scaled-back pre-party and screening at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on Saturday, limiting media access to a select group of photographers and a house crew. With “Snow White” set to debut to wide audiences on March 21, Disney is reportedly treading carefully.

The decision follows years of controversy surrounding the film, much of it fueled by lead actress Rachel Zegler’s outspoken political and cultural views. The 23-year-old, cast as the first Latina Snow White, has dismissed the 1937 animated classic as “extremely dated” and criticized its central romance.

“[Snow White’s] not going to be saved by the prince. She’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be,” Ms. Zegler told Variety at Disney’s D23 Expo in 2022.

Many Disney fans took issue not only with her remarks but also with her casting, arguing that the studio prioritized diversity over preserving the story’s original character.

“Game of Thrones” actor Peter Dinklage, who has dwarfism, ripped the film’s production for its contradictions.

“Literally no offense to anyone, but I was a little taken aback [when] they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White, but you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” Mr. Dinklage said in a 2022 episode of the WTF With Marc Maron podcast. “You’re progressive in one way, but then you’re still making that f——— backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together. What the f—- are you doing, man?”

Disney responded by saying it had “consulted with members of the dwarfism community” and was “taking a different approach” to the characters “to avoid reinforcing stereotypes.” The studio then replaced the seven dwarfs with “magical creatures” of various sizes and genders, further fueling accusations that Disney pushes a progressive agenda.

Ms. Zegler’s past political activism has also drawn scrutiny. In 2020, she attacked Trump supporters on Instagram, writing, “May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace.”

She later apologized, though she has recently used her platform to advocate for Palestinians, a stance that has put her at odds with her Israeli co-star Gal Gadot, an outspoken supporter of her home country.

• Emma Ayers can be reached at [email protected].