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Credit: DisneyLet’s take a look at Disney’s Snow White and see what went wrong.
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While Disney has released numerous live-action remakes over the years, each facing some form of backlash and pushback, none have proven to be as divisive as Snow White. Released in March 2025, Snow White was tasked with a seemingly impossible mission: retell the story of Disney’s original animated princess.
It was an uphill battle from the start, though the internet seemed especially eager to dismiss Disney’s Snow White remake, with the movie encountering all kinds of troubles in the years since it was originally announced, as well as in the weeks it’s been playing in theaters.
Snow White’s time in cinemas is now coming to an end, with the film performing far worse than Disney likely anticipated. Let’s take a look at what happened.
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The start of Disney’s modern-day live-action remakes can, in a way, be traced back to Cinderella, which retold the classic story for a brand-new generation. While likely not topping the original for fans, 2015’s Cinderella proved to be a significant hit, leading the way for several other classic films to be remade using enhanced technology and improved effects. However, these films always proved divisive.
Disney’s 2017 Beauty and the Beast remake stirred up controversy among fans of the original, as did Disney’s live-action spin on Aladdin in 2019. Things would reach a new boiling point with 2023’s The Little Mermaid remake, which sparked debate and discussion due to who Disney cast as Ariel.
Halle Bailey, an accomplished African American actress and musician, was tapped to play the iconic red-haired mermaid. Bailey faced harsh criticism because the color of her skin did not match that of Disney’s original Ariel, with certain corners of the internet pushing back against the change.
The film still managed to gross hundreds of millions of dollars, though it was certainly disappointing and rather eye-opening to see how sensitive some were to Disney taking creative liberties with its classic characters. The same cannot be said for Disney’s Snow White remake, which played it far safer, ultimately failing to stir up any real excitement or box office hype.
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Snow White is the latest entry in Disney’s expanding list of surprisingly poor-performing films, joining other recent releases like Strange World and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
According to Deadline, Snow White is estimated to lose Disney around $115 million. Captain America: Brave New World also did not perform especially well, though this seemed like more of a script and marketing issue rather than something solely to be blamed on Disney.
While controversial, there always seemed to be an assumption Snow White would clean up nicely at the box office, even if it did not perform as well as Disney’s biggest live-action hits like 2019’s The Lion King, which grossed over $1 billion.
However, just like its titular character, Snow White seems to be cursed by a poison apple, falling on its face in the weeks and months since its release. To date, Snow White has grossed just over $200 million, with around $86 million of that figure coming from U.S. theatergoers.
This is an incredibly concerning number for a tentpole release like this, especially considering the film’s estimated budget of $250 million, though it might not be all that surprising for those tuned into the drama and intrigue surrounding Snow White and its main star, Rachel Zegler.
Zegler, who made a name for herself starring in films like The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, West Side Story, and Y2K, was confirmed to be Disney’s new Snow White back in 2021, and by all means, she fits the part. However, it was the star’s attitude that pushed some away.
During various press events and red carpet walk-downs, Zegler was asked about Snow White, to which she responded with some playful but somewhat off-color comments. Zegler criticized the original Snow White film for portraying the princess as helpless, even going on to claim that her take on the story wouldn’t involve a prince at all.
These comments were made in jest, though the internet is often deaf to subtlety and irony, prompting a media firestorm. As the release date for Snow White approached, this wave of controversy continued to grow, with industry experts claiming Zegler’s pro-Palestine stance spooked potential movie-goers away from seeing the film as well.
This was another big point of contention in the lead-up to the film’s release, with Zegler’s co-star, Gal Gadot, being very pro-Israel.
All in all, Disney’s Snow White is far less interesting than the drama surrounding it. As such, the movie could be quickly forgotten among Disney’s other, better releases. However, this is not to say that the film won’t find a second life on Disney+.
Snow White is not the only live-action film coming in 2025, with Disney set to release its remake of Lilo & Stitch this summer. If that film does well (it likely will), Disney will presumably continue to release live-action remakes of its classic films, though with Snow White’s performance, it’s possible the company may be slowing down production.
Did you see Disney’s live-action Snow White?