Disney's 'Snow White' in Danger of Record-Breaking Failures

The highly controversial live-action remake of Snow White is now in major peril amid the latest development.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) is a timeless classic and the very first full-length animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Productions. Directed by David Hand, this enchanting film marked a significant milestone in the history of animation and cinema as a whole.

Released during the height of the Great Depression, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was a groundbreaking achievement, both artistically and financially. The film tells the story of Snow White, a beautiful and kind-hearted princess who is forced to flee into the forest to escape her wicked stepmother, the Queen. There, she encounters seven endearing dwarfs: Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey. With their help, Snow White must evade the Queen’s evil plans and find her way back to her true love, the Prince.

What sets Snow White apart is its innovative use of animation. Disney’s team of animators introduced new techniques and innovations, including the multiplane camera, which added depth and dimension to the animation. The attention to detail in character design, lush backgrounds, and expressive facial animation made the film visually stunning and emotionally resonant. The film also boasted memorable songs, including “Heigh-Ho,” “Whistle While You Work,” and “Someday My Prince Will Come,” which have become iconic in their own right. The combination of these elements created a magical and immersive world that captivated audiences of all ages.

This success paved the way for future Disney classics and established the studio as a dominant force in animation. Snow White herself remains an iconic character, instantly recognizable around the world. The film’s enduring legacy is a testament to its timeless storytelling and groundbreaking animation techniques, making it a cherished part of Disney’s rich history.

Because of its rich history and close ties to Walt Disney himself, it should come as no surprise that many Disney fans have been upset with some of the developments in place for the new film, especially after comments from Rachel Zegler, who will be playing the princess in the movie, made things worse.

Related: Government Gets Involved in Controversial Live-Action ‘Snow White’ Remake

In interviews, Zegler said that the movie would “no longer be a love story” and that Snow White would not be saved by a prince.

“I just mean that it’s no longer 1937,” Zegler said in comments that went viral. “We absolutely wrote a Snow White that … she’s not going to be saved by the prince, and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love; she’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be.”

Zegler also had comments resurface– which, of course, went viral– sharing how she did not even like Snow White. That wasn’t enough, either, as the actress went on to say that the scenes featuring Jonathan (Andrew Burnap) could be cut altogether, stating again that this was not your typical fairytale love story.

“We have a different approach to what I’m sure a lot of people will assume is a love story just because we cast a guy in the movie,” she said. “It’s really not about the love story at all, which is really, really wonderful.”

Though there are multiple viewpoints that fans have taken on these comments, there’s no denying that there is a large portion of moviegoers who are upset with the direction that Disney seems to be taking the movie. While it still has its fair share of support, it also has a legion of detractors.

This movie, in many respects, is set up to be one like Pixar’s Lightyear (2022), which featured several controversial changes and sparked numerous discussions prior to its release. While the story in Lightyear was largely positive from those who saw the movie– 74% approval by critics and 84% by audience members on Rotten Tomatoes— the result at the box office lost Disney millions. Ultimately, fans decided to wait to see the movie on Disney+, and it would seem that the same potential downfalls could be setting themselves up to happen here.

A report from Forbes indicates that Disney and Rachel Zegler will have quite a mountain to climb to make the movie successful. Snow White will have to gross at least $336.4 million to break even, according to the analysis of recently released filings.

The movie, which is currently set to be released in March of next year,  has already received backlash from both critics and fans, and that lofty number of nearly $400 million seems like a steep climb. That’s not counting potential marketing costs and much more that could push it even higher before it’s all said and done.

Just for reference, Disney’s Little Mermaid live-action remake was marketed very well– with a budget of more than $250 million and over $140 million in marketing– and the film grossed $569.5 million, pushing it slightly over the breakeven point, which was set at $560 million by the studio. Though there was some backlash, that film did not have near the amount of backlash that the live-action Snow White is currently receiving.

Perhaps it all works out, but it seems that the Disney live-action remake is in serious danger moving forward.

What do you think about the upcoming Snow White film? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!