Disney’s Snow White Struggles at the Box Office Despite Star Power and High Budget
Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White aimed high with a $250 million budget and a global rollout, but the film’s underwhelming earnings and surrounding controversy have sparked industry-wide debate.
Disney’s 2025 live-action Snow White had all the makings of a blockbuster, celebrity cast, iconic source material, and music by La La Land duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Yet, despite the studio’s efforts, the film has faltered financially and become a lightning rod for controversy, overshadowing its creative aspirations.
Released theatrically on March 21, Snow White (2025) grossed just $42.2 million in its opening weekend in the U.S. and reached $205.6 million globally by June 11. With a massive $250 million production budget, analysts estimate the film needed to hit $500 million to break even, making its box office return a clear disappointment.
Rachel Zegler, who plays the titular character, faced criticism for her comments about the 1937 original and her outspoken political stances on social media. Calls for boycotts followed, fueling online backlash that may have impacted the film’s performance. Gal Gadot’s role as the Evil Queen was widely anticipated, but even her star power couldn’t reverse the tide.
Despite speculation, most industry insiders believe Snow White’s struggles stem more from a lack of broad appeal and divisive creative changes than from controversy alone. The reimagined CGI dwarfs and a newly invented character, Jonathan (played by Andrew Burnap), didn’t resonate with longtime fans, and reviews labeled the film “underwhelming.”
Audience retention was another issue. The movie experienced a 66% drop in its second weekend, a sign of weak word-of-mouth. Streaming on Disney+ began June 11, but the film’s theatrical momentum had already waned. Blu-ray and DVD releases are set for June 24.
Adding fuel to the discourse, Jonah Platt, son of producer Marc Platt, publicly acknowledged the film’s commercial underperformance, reigniting debates around modern reinterpretations of Disney classics and the consequences of alienating core audiences.
The video titled Why Disney’s Snow White Flopped unpacks these factors in detail, examining how the film’s intent to modernize may have backfired. The case of Snow White illustrates a larger challenge: balancing nostalgia with innovation in an increasingly polarized entertainment landscape.
