<P> Evan Daugherty initially wrote the screenplay in 2003, when he was studying at NYU . At the time reboots of fairy tales were not a popular film genre and according to Daugherty "no one really knew what to do with it" More problems came when the release of Terry Gilliam's The Brothers Grimm (2005) flopped at the box office which caused potential buyers to be hesitant about the script . The script was finally greenlit after the success of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (2010). </P> <P> Film producers considered casting a lesser - known actress for the role of Snow White, with mention of Riley Keough, Felicity Jones, Bella Heathcote, Alicia Vikander, and Rachel Maxwell as possible picks . This idea became less likely as known actresses Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart were later rumored to be short - listed for the role . On March 4, 2011 a series of tweets from co-producer Palak Patel confirmed that Stewart was offered the role . Winona Ryder was initially considered to play Queen Ravenna, before the role went to Charlize Theron . Tom Hardy was supposedly first offered the role of Eric, the Huntsman, but turned down the offer . The role was then apparently offered to Michael Fassbender, and then Johnny Depp, but both claim to have declined it . Viggo Mortensen was said to have been in negotiations with Universal for the part, but supposedly turned down the role, too . It was claimed that Hugh Jackman was offered the role, but that he declined . In 2011, Thor star Chris Hemsworth was eventually cast in the role of the Huntsman . The Dwarfs were played by actors of average height who had their faces digitally superimposed onto small bodies . This caused a protest from the Little People of America . </P> <P> Principal photography took place in the United Kingdom . The beach scenes were predominantly filmed in Pembrokeshire, on the Marloes Sands beach near the village of Marloes between September 26 and 29, 2011 . Though the beach was not closed to the public during filming, as filming progressed, certain parts were advised to be off limits . A computer - generated castle was set on nearby Gateholm island . A field above the beach was used for production purposes, and a special wooden ramp was built for vehicles and horses to access the beach . The film used academic consultants from the University of Chichester and the University of Oxford for back - up research on fairy tales and medieval battles . The English band Florence and the Machine recorded "Breath of Life" exclusively for the film, which was reportedly inspired by Theron's character Queen Ravenna . </P> <P> The film had its premiere on May 14, 2012, at the Empire, Leicester Square, in London . </P>

Where was snow white and the huntsman filmed castle