Disney's Snow White (2025): A Box Office Struggle Amid Controversy

Boxofficehype
Mar 23
2 min read

Disney's live-action remake of Snow White (2025), directed by Marc Webb and starring Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, and Andrew Burnap, has had a rocky start at the box office. Released on March 21, 2025, the film opened to $16 million on its first day, including $3.5 million from Thursday previews, setting it on track for a $45–55 million opening weekend. This marks a significant decline from earlier projections of $63–70 million, indicating that audience interest has been lukewarm despite Disney's efforts to modernize the beloved classic.

Box Office Performance: A Disappointing Start

With a production budget of $240–270 million, Snow White was expected to be a major blockbuster. Analysts initially compared its potential success to 2014’s Maleficent, which had a $69.4 million debut. However, as the release date approached, projections were revised downward, signaling that the film was struggling to generate excitement.

Disney has been heavily promoting Snow White, emphasizing its reimagined storyline and diverse casting, but early indicators suggest that the film may struggle to recoup its hefty budget, let alone turn a profit.

Why Is Snow White Underperforming?

Several factors have contributed to Snow White’s underwhelming performance:

1. Backlash Over Casting and Story Changes

From the outset, Snow White has faced criticism over its casting choices and narrative deviations. Rachel Zegler’s comments about the 1937 animated classic being outdated sparked backlash, with some audiences accusing Disney of straying too far from the original. Additionally, the decision to replace the traditional Seven Dwarfs with a more diverse group of "magical creatures" was met with controversy, further alienating fans.

2. Polarizing Marketing and Press

Zegler’s remarks about not being a fan of the original film and redefining Snow White as a more independent character caused backlash on social media, where Disney’s fanbase remains vocal. Even Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen, has been caught in the controversy due to her strong political opinions.

3. The "Disney Fatigue" Factor

Disney has faced diminishing returns on its live-action remakes, with films like The Little Mermaid (2023) and Haunted Mansion (2023) failing to meet box office expectations. Audiences appear less enthusiastic about CGI-heavy reimaginings of classic stories, especially when the changes feel disconnected from the original films they cherish.

4. Lack of Competition Didn’t Help

Unlike past Disney blockbusters, Snow White had little competition on its opening weekend, debuting alongside The Alto Knights and Ash—neither of which are major box office threats. Despite this, the film still struggled to draw audiences, indicating that negative pre-release buzz may have played a significant role.

Can Snow White Recover?

While opening weekend numbers are underwhelming, Snow White still has time to recover at the global box office. International markets, particularly China and Latin America, could help offset domestic losses. Additionally, Disney+ streaming revenue could further cushion any theatrical shortcomings.

However, the film's mixed-to-negative critical reception could pose a challenge. If word-of-mouth doesn’t improve, Snow White could follow in the footsteps of past underperforming live-action remakes, solidifying the notion that audiences are growing weary of Disney’s reliance on nostalgia-driven projects.