The Huntsman, the upcoming prequel to Snow White And The Huntsman, has shed some key personnel from the original, including Kristen Stewart’s Snow White, original director Rupert Sanders, and Frank Darabont, who was originally tapped to direct. Darabont’s been replaced by Sanders’ second unit director, Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, although the production’s still using Darabont’s draft of the script. Toby Jones and Eddie Marsan, who played dwarves in the first film, will also not be returning.
The original caught some flack for not casting dwarf actors as the dwarves, instead digitally altering taller actors to appear short. So it’s only natural that, given the opportunity to recast…they’re again not using dwarf actors, instead casting Rob Brydon, Alexandra Roach, and Sheridan Smith, who will join a returning Nick Frost.
A few elements from the first film are returning, chiefly Chris Hemsworth’s Huntsman and Charlize Theron’s evil queen Ravenna, as the film tells the story of what happened before they met Snow White. Jessica Chastain and Emily Blunt have also joined the cast in as-yet-unspecified roles.