Emily Blunt to Play the Villain in the Snow White-Less Snow White and the Huntsman Sequel

By  · Published on January 19th, 2015

Walt Disney Pictures

I really enjoyed Snow White and the Huntsman. But then, I’ve never had any problems with Kristen Stewart as an actress, and also the production design of that world is a fantastic distraction from any faults the movie has anyway. That admitted, I haven’t been terribly excited for the sequel, which is simply titled The Huntsman and surprisingly still a thing in spite of not involving the main character of Snow White (Stewart) nor the original director (Rupert Sanders). Moving forward on what’s basically become a spin-off more than a straight-up follow-up makes Universal seem desperate for franchises even if they lose their primary element. It’s like Disney doing Frozen 2 but centered solely on Kristoff. Except with a property that nobody really cares that much about.

Speaking of Frozen, The Huntsman has a new addition that gives it something to start getting excited for. According to The Wrap, Into the Woods star (and newly minted Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in an Action Movie winner) Emily Blunt will return to the land of fairy tales to play The Snow Queen, a villain who is clearly modeled after the same Hans Christian Andersen story that fuels Disney’s hugely popular 2013 animated feature. She’s also the sister of Ravenna (played by Charlize Theron in the first movie) – and therefore I guess also of Finn (Sam Spruell) – and seeks revenge for that other evil queen’s death. Meanwhile, Eric the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) rises to front and center for a plot that has him searching for Ravenna’s stolen magic mirror.

Theron is also reportedly returning, despite the fact that in the last paragraph I spoilerishly acknowledged that her character died. Not on board, however, is director Frank Darabont, who has left the movie apparently over creative differences. The timing is likely only coincidental and probably not because he hates Blunt with a passion (who could hate Blunt even without a passion?). He was previously something to start getting excited for, and his departure could be a sign that The Huntsman is still in trouble with little more than a year to go before its April 22, 2016, release date.

So, now the big question is: should they retitle this movie to Snow Queen and the Huntsman and confuse a whole lot of people?

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Christopher Campbell began writing film criticism and covering film festivals for a zine called Read, back when a zine could actually get you Sundance press credentials. He's now a Senior Editor at FSR and the founding editor of our sister site Nonfics. He also regularly contributes to Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes and is the President of the Critics Choice Association's Documentary Branch.