Government Offers Lifeline to 'Snow White' as Disney Remake Fate Revealed

After a stellar return to form this year with Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine breaking the billion-dollar barrier, and Moana 2 on its way to joining them, next year is looking tricky for the House of Mouse. In February, the troubled Captain America: Brave New World (2025) will hit screens before Disney’s Snow White–the much-discussed live-action remake from Marc Webb–launches in late March.

With discourse spanning years, can Disney’s adaptation of its first-ever animated feature film recoup its bloated production costs? Well, the government has given the musical movie a lifeline, but it may not be enough to see it into the green.

Disney’s live-action Snow White remake faces an uphill battle, with controversy overshadowing its release and Disney omitting it from its Q4 2024 report of upcoming blockbusters. Once slated as a high-profile reimagining of the 1937 animated classic, the project now risks being remembered for backlash and revisions rather than cinematic magic.

Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) revolutionized animation and filmmaking as the first full-length animated feature. Adapted from the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale, it was a technical marvel with lush Technicolor visuals and an iconic soundtrack featuring classics like “Heigh-Ho” and “Someday My Prince Will Come.”

A box-office juggernaut, its initial $8 million gross cemented Disney’s place in entertainment history, and its cultural impact endures through theme parks, merchandise, and more. The Academy recognized its innovation with a special honorary Oscar presented to Walt Disney in 1939, symbolizing its legacy.

Directed by Marc Webb, the 2025 Snow White remake aimed to modernize the beloved tale with Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. However, significant creative and casting choices drew criticism.

The reimagined CGI dwarfs, a response to earlier backlash about replacing them with “magical creatures,” divided opinions, particularly after actor Peter Dinklage’s comments on dwarf representation.

Casting Zegler, a Latina actress, as Snow White also sparked debate, mirroring the reception Halle Bailey faced as Ariel in The Little Mermaid (2023). Adding fuel to the fire, the remake shifted Snow White’s name origin to a tale of resilience rather than her complexion, a reinterpretation that fans criticized as straying from the original.

Zegler’s own remarks exacerbated tensions. During a D23 Expo appearance, she called the animated prince a “stalker” and emphasized Snow White’s new focus on leadership over romance, which many fans saw as dismissive of the original’s charm.

Zegler would later find herself in the limelight for her comments during the SAG-AFTRA strikes and for speaking out on Donald Trump’s election to the Oval Office, saying she hopes Trump supporters never know peace.

The West Side Story actress—who is currently on Broadway in Romeo + Juliet alongside Heartstopper‘s Kit Connor—apologized for contributing to divisive political discourse, but the damage lingered.

Disney’s hesitation to promote Snow White has been glaring. With a $269 million budget, the film is missing from the company’s anticipated 2025 lineup, which highlights Inside Out 2, Avatar: Fire and Ash, and Moana 2. Its absence in the Q4 earnings report signals a lack of confidence, especially compared to Moana 2’s Thanksgiving 2024 success, with $386 million globally in its opening five-day period.

Snow White will need to take Moana 2‘s opening sum and then some, if not to be a total flop for the Mouse House. As Forbes recently reported, the initially projected $340 million gross needed has escalated to close to $430 million. The U.K. government has offset some of the production costs, but it may not be enough to see Snow White turn a profit.

In September 2023, a report from Bucks Free Press via Yahoo! News revealed that Disney received millions in tax relief due to Snow White‘s production in the United Kingdom.

“Accounts recently filed by entertainment conglomerate Disney’s UK subsidiary Hidden Heart Productions [the Disney subsidiary running Snow White] have now also revealed that the production, which was filmed at Pinewood Studios and on location across the UK in mid-2022, had an overall cost of £150.5 million and received £29.5 million (approx. $36 million) in tax relief,” the report read.

Now, over a year on, the Snow White production has received shy of $56 million in tax relief, bringing production costs down from $269 million to circa $213 million. In a new report, Forbes shared the most recent financial statement from Disney’s ill-fated production, confirming how much is being spent on bringing Disney’s classic tale to life.

“Hidden Heart Productions has also banked a total reimbursement of $55.5 million (£44.9 million) from the U.K. government, taking Disney’s net spending on the movie down to $213.9 million,” the report reads. “That’s an impressive magic touch, especially for a picture with such a precarious outlook.”

“The $213.9 million cost would be covered by a 50% share of $427.8 million at the box office, but even that’s not the end of the story,” Forbes explained. “Reshoots and post-production work have taken place since the date of the latest financial statements, so the costs are set to surge in the next set of filings.”

Despite its March 21, 2025, release date, Snow White faces an uncertain future. Industry insiders question whether it can overcome the controversies or recoup its massive budget. With limited marketing momentum, a contentious reputation, and a tragically disliked trailer, Disney’s remake may struggle to find its audience amidst a crowded slate of animated and live-action hits.

Will Snow White carve out a space in modern Disney lore, or is it destined to be forgotten? Only time will tell if audiences embrace this updated tale or cling to the timeless magic of the 1937 classic. Marc Webb’s movie is written by Greta Gerwig and Erin Cressida Wilson. It stars Rachel Zegler as Snow White, Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, Andrew Burnap as Jonathan, and Ansu Kabia as the Huntsman.

How do you feel about the remake of Snow White? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!