Live-Action 'Snow White' Officially Banned, Won't Show in Theaters

Disney’s Snow White, from director Marc Webb, has hit a new hurdle as the ill-fated live-action remake continues its box office struggle.

Disney’s live-action Snow White headed into theaters last month under a storm cloud of controversy and heightened expectations. Debuting on March 21, 2025—a full year later than initially planned—the film faced a steep uphill battle in winning over audiences who hold the 1937 animated classic close to heart.

That challenge only intensified with early box office projections suggesting a modest $53 million domestic opening, despite the film’s reported $270+ million budget. It eventually opened to $42 million in North America, and sits at just $182 million globally so far.

Rachel Zegler, who plays the titular princess, has found herself at the center of the conversation, largely due to past comments she made in 2022 about the character’s modern evolution.

Zegler shared that her version of Snow White won’t be seeking love or hoping a prince, who she said stalks the princess in the original film, will come and save her, sparking backlash among fans who viewed her statements as dismissive of the original film’s romantic core.

The film’s screenplay, penned by The Girl on the Train’s Erin Cressida Wilson, takes a contemporary approach to the fairy tale. But that fresh perspective hasn’t landed well with everyone. In addition to critiques about Zegler’s interpretation, the production has also faced scrutiny over its portrayal of dwarfs, casting decisions, and the broader creative direction.

Reflecting on the backlash in more recent interviews, Zegler acknowledged that some of the criticism stemmed from fans’ deep emotional connection and passion for the 1937 film.

At the 97th Academy Awards, Zegler and co-star Gal Gadot presented together in what seemed to be a charm offensive and part of the movie’s marketing plan. However, the on-stage chemistry between the Evil Queen and Snow White actresses did little to dispel concerns that the film may lack emotional cohesion.

Reports about the pair’s relationship had suffered in the months leading up to Snow White‘s release, following their opposing political views. The fissure was deepened further when Zegler failed to include Gadot in her post-release social media output and the scaled-back premiere events in both Europe and the United States.

In a Variety feature published last month, the struggles Snow White faced were outlined and dissected. A main turning point for the perception of the movie came with Zegler’s “Free Palestine” tweet that she posted to X after sharing the official movie trailer.

Following the October 7 attacks in Israel, discourse on the Israel-Palestine conflict has continued to dominate the news cycle, and for Israeli-born Gal Gadot, her support for the country and past as a member of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) also proved a sticking point for some audiences.

Due to Gadot’s Israeli nationality, Disney’s Snow White has officially been banned in Lebanon. “The ban was ordered by Lebanon’s Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar, who, according to local media, was prompted to take action by the country’s film and media watchdog amid Israel’s ongoing attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, which have caused civilian deaths,” Variety reported earlier this week.

This may not have been a surprise for Disney, though, as Variety confirmed a Gal Gadot-starrer would not be released anyway. “…a representative for Beirut-based Middle East distributor Italia Films, which handles Disney titles in the region, told Variety that Gadot has long been on Lebanon’s ‘Israel boycott list’ and that no movie in which she stars has ever been released in the country,” the outlet explained.

Joining Zegler and Gadot in the cast are Andrew Burnap as Jonathan, Ansu Kabia as the Huntsman, Jeremy Swift as Doc, Andrew Barth Feldman as Dopey, Tituss Burgess as Bashful, George Salazar as Happy, Martin Klebba as Grumpy, Andy Grotelueschen as Sleepy, and Jason Kravits as Sneezy.

Disney Moves on From Snow White With New Remake

Meanwhile, another Disney reimagining is gearing up to dominate the box office. Lilo & Stitch, which pivoted from a Disney+ release to a theatrical one mid-production—mirroring the strategy behind Moana 2 (2024)—is shaping up to overshadow Snow White entirely. With just weeks to go until its Memorial Day weekend premiere, the film is tracking for a domestic opening north of $100 million.

According to Deadline, “Six weekend-in-advance tracking has hit for both movies on Quorum, with Lilo & Stitch eyeing a $100M+ 3-day opening and [Mission: Impossible 8] eyeing a record 3-day for the franchise, well north of 2018’s Mission: Impossible–Fallout’s $61M.”

Whether Disney’s Snow White can overcome its polarizing rollout and find a new life on Disney+ remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—the live-action Disney pipeline has never been more uncertain.

How do you feel about Gal Gadot’s role in Disney’s Snow White? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!