Disney’s Snow White Flop Explained: How Much Money The Studio Lost

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In 2016, Jon Favreau, a writer, director, and actor, revived an almost forgotten Disney tradition by creating a live-action version of “The Jungle Book” that combined CGI with real-life performances. This film’s financial success was so substantial that Disney chose to adapt all their classic animated films, such as “The Lion King,” “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid,” among others, into live-action hybrid movies for modern audiences.

The Disney remakes generated a significant amount of income initially, with some of these adaptations being quite enjoyable, such as “Maleficent” and Kenneth Branagh’s version of “Cinderella.” However, over time, the excitement for these live-action reboots began to dwindle. To add fuel to the fire, certain negative elements within the Disney fanbase targeted actors of color, like Halle Bailey in the “Little Mermaid” reboot, who delivered an exceptional performance. By the time we reached the “Snow White” remake starring Rachel Zegler, it was clear that public sentiment had turned; there was widespread criticism over the casting choice of a Colombian actress for Snow White, and actors like Peter Dinklage raised valid concerns about how the dwarves would be portrayed. Ultimately, the movie failed financially.

Reflecting on the situation, it appears that the film adaptation of “Snow White,” featuring Zegler and Gal Gadot under Marc Webb’s direction, reportedly suffered a financial loss of approximately $115 million. This aligns with the BoxOfficeMojo data. So, what transpired? Was it perhaps the buzz surrounding Zegler that kept “Snow White” from thriving, or was it audience fatigue from seeing cherished Disney animated classics reimagined with intense CGI elements? Or maybe the movie itself wasn’t well-received? To answer your questions in order: not likely, probably, and no.

Disney claims the Snow White movie failed due to various controversies

On March 25, 2025, Variety published an analysis on why Marc Webb’s and Disney’s “Snow White” remake flopped at the box office, and they pointed the finger directly at the film’s leading actress, Rachel Zegler. Known for her breakout role as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s (often overlooked) 2021 version of “West Side Story,” as well as films like “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” and “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” Zegler is a remarkably gifted singer and actress. Regrettably, she was unfairly blamed for the failure of “Snow White.

The article from Variety starts by mentioning that Zegler posted a message on social media platform X following the release of the first trailer for “Snow White”. In her post, she thanked fans and ended with the statement, “and always remember, free palestine.” This comment reportedly sparked an event that led the film’s producer, Marc Platt, to travel across the country to meet with Zegler. He asked her to remove the post due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza since Hamas forces attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. However, it was reported that Zegler refused. According to a source close to Variety, Zegler’s actions, which included questioning the relevance of the original “Snow White” story, were seen as uninformed and self-centered by some. The source added that Gadot, who plays the evil queen in the film, required additional security due to these events.

Although it seems like the failure of the “Snow White” remake is attributed to Zegler’s political activism, this may not be entirely accurate. The movie had multiple factors contributing to its demise, and it’s questionable whether Zegler was one of them.

While some people argue that Zegler’s political activism led to the downfall of the “Snow White” remake, this theory might not be completely accurate. The movie faced several issues, and it’s unclear if Zegler was one of the reasons for its failure.

Realistically, the Snow White movie flopped because nobody wanted it — and it’s bad

In her review before the March 21 premiere, Looper’s Cynthia Vinney rated “Snow White” a 6 out of 10, describing it as “halfway decent,” but she particularly commended one element. Vinney was thrilled with Rachel Zegler’s performance as Snow White, stating that Zegler not only possesses an enchanting voice, but also brings a unique and captivating essence to the character, keeping viewers engaged with her charming allure and compassionate demeanor.

The film aligns with the general critical sentiment on Rotten Tomatoes, which suggests that while Rachel Zegler delivers a radiant performance, the movie may not have appealed to everyone due to its subdued interpretation of the classic tale, as well as some questionable stylistic decisions. Given its dismal 40% critical rating on the review aggregator, it’s possible — just possibly — that this film didn’t resonate because of poor overall production quality, growing fatigue towards remakes and reboots, and a lack of initial interest from viewers.

It’s disheartening that Hollywood initially placed blame on Zegler for the debacle, but actors like Pedro Pascal eventually defended her, with writer BJ Colangelo from Looper’s sister site /Film encouraging people to reconsider their views about this gifted actress. In truth, Zegler is exceptionally talented; the “Snow White” film was poorly received, and there wasn’t much demand for it in the first place. Sometimes, things are simply as they appear… and one of the reasons “Snow White” flopped at the box office is a clear reflection of that.

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2025-04-30 23:30