Disney’s much-anticipated live-action remake of Snow White is struggling to find its footing at the box office, raising concerns about the studio’s ongoing strategy of rebooting animated classics.
Despite its iconic source material and a star-studded cast, the 2025 film has not lived up to commercial expectations.
Opening Weekend Disappoints
Snow White debuted with a domestic opening weekend of approximately $26 million, a modest figure considering its estimated $100–120 million production budget. Industry analysts had projected an opening closer to $40 million. The film was released across more than 4,000 theaters, including premium formats, but failed to generate the audience enthusiasm typically associated with Disney titles.
Global Performance
Globally, Snow White has grossed around $92 million to date. With tepid international performance and subdued word-of-mouth, the movie is unlikely to break even during its theatrical run. Some analysts believe that Disney may struggle to recoup its investment even with post-theatrical revenue streams such as Disney+ and merchandising.
Mixed Reviews and Audience Sentiment
Critics have offered mixed to negative reviews, citing an uneven tone and significant deviations from the original 1937 animated classic. Audience scores reflect a similar divide. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 42% audience rating and a 51% critic score.
Viewers have cited a lack of emotional resonance, controversial script changes, and underwhelming visual effects as key issues. Meanwhile, the casting and characterization sparked polarizing debates long before the film’s release, possibly contributing to its box office struggles.
Controversies Before Release
The film was no stranger to controversy leading up to its release. Changes to the story’s characters, particularly the reimagining of the Seven Dwarfs, drew early criticism from both traditionalist fans and disability advocates. Lead actress Rachel Zegler’s comments in 2023 about updating the story to reflect modern values went viral, and not always positively.
While Disney stood by the creative direction, these controversies seem to have impacted pre-release buzz, and may have deterred parts of its core audience.
The Disney Remake Dilemma
Disney’s track record with live-action remakes has been uneven. While The Lion King (2019) and Aladdin (2019) saw massive global success, recent titles like Peter Pan & Wendy and The Little Mermaid have underperformed relative to expectations.
The poor performance of Snow White may further prompt Disney to rethink its remake-heavy strategy, especially as the studio faces increasing competition from original streaming content and blockbuster franchises from other studios.
What Comes Next?
Disney may lean more heavily on its streaming platform to find post-theatrical success for Snow White. Industry insiders expect the film to arrive on Disney+ within the next 45-60 days, potentially boosting its audience reach and helping Disney salvage some return on investment through increased subscriptions and merchandise tie-ins.
Nevertheless, the underwhelming box office debut has left a mark. With Marvel, Pixar, and Lucasfilm titles also under scrutiny, Disney’s overall content strategy may be in for a reset.
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