‘Snow White’ is a Catastrophic Flop: Disney Faces Massive $115M Loss

Disney’s live-action Snow White has officially taken its place in the studio’s Hall of Box Office Disasters, projected to burn a staggering $115 million hole in the House of Mouse’s pockets. What was supposed to be a whimsical retelling of the 1937 animated classic has instead spiraled into an expensive, controversy-ridden nightmare that even Disney’s deep pockets might feel.

The film, starring West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Wonder Woman’s Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, was meant to usher in a “modern” take on the fairy tale. Instead, it has managed to alienate die-hard Disney fans, provoke cultural backlash, and deliver a box office performance so abysmal that even Prince Charming couldn’t revive it.

Disney’s Budgetary Fever Dream

What started as a relatively modest production ballooned into a money-sucking vortex. Disney poured an estimated $269.4 million into bringing this CGI-heavy, controversy-plagued remake to life. And that’s just the production budget. Factor in the $100-$200 million spent on marketing, and you’ve got a film that needed to make at least $430 million globally just to break even. Spoiler alert: It’s not getting anywhere close.

Upon its release, Snow White stumbled straight out of the gate. It clawed its way to a $16 million opening day, which included a measly $3.5 million from Thursday previews. By the end of opening weekend, it had amassed just $42.2 million domestically, far below expectations. As of March 30, 2025, the worldwide gross sits at $143.1 million. That number would be impressive if this were a mid-tier horror flick, not one of Disney’s flagship projects.

Considering these numbers, Disney might as well have set fire to a pile of cash and filmed that instead.

A Critical Bloodbath

If audiences were lukewarm on Snow White, critics were downright hostile. The film currently sits at a dismal 40% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of Disney’s lowest-rated live-action remakes.

The New York Times dismissed it as “neither good enough to admire nor bad enough to joyfully skewer.” The Guardian went a step further, calling it a “toe-curlingly terrible live-action remake” and likening it to an “AI-created migraine.”

And Gal Gadot? Her performance as the Evil Queen has been ripped to shreds. DiscussingFilm didn’t hold back, declaring it “possibly her worst performance to date.” Ouch.

Controversies That Would Make Walt Disney Roll in His Grave

You know what’s worse than a bad movie? A bad movie with baggage.

From the very beginning, Snow White was embroiled in controversy. Let’s run through the greatest hits.

1. The Rachel Zegler Problem™

Rachel Zegler’s press tour was a masterclass in how not to promote a movie. Instead of selling the magic of Snow White, she seemingly trashed the original film every chance she got, dismissing Prince Charming as a creep and declaring that Snow White no longer needed to be “saved.”

Disney fans? Not amused.

2. The Dwarf Debacle

The film’s decision to replace the iconic seven dwarfs with a bizarre assortment of CGI creations and non-dwarf actors was met with instant backlash. This came after actor Peter Dinklage criticized the remake for being “backward.” So instead of actually consulting real dwarf actors, Disney pivoted into uncanny valley territory, making the entire thing even worse.

3. The Israel-Palestine PR Nightmare

To top it all off, the film’s two leads, Zegler and Gadot, found themselves on opposite sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Zegler made pro-Palestine comments, while Gadot, a former Israeli Defense Forces soldier, remained staunchly pro-Israel. Their wildly different political stances reportedly led to strained interactions behind the scenes and even affected the film’s international reception.

What This Means for Disney (And Why They Should Be Sweating)

Let’s be real. Disney desperately needed a win. With The Marvels flopping, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny underperforming, and Disney+ hemorrhaging money, Snow White was supposed to be a surefire bet. Instead, it’s another humiliating reminder that the Mouse House has lost its magic when it comes to live-action remakes.

Once upon a time, a Disney movie bombing at the box office was unthinkable. Now, it’s becoming the norm. The company’s aggressive push for “modernized” versions of its beloved classics is clearly backfiring, leaving executives scrambling for answers.

With a $115 million loss on its hands, Disney is going to have to reconsider its approach to storytelling. Otherwise, it’s only a matter of time before audiences completely tune out.

A Fairy Tale That Should Have Stayed Asleep

If Snow White proves anything, it’s that not every classic needs a remake. This film didn’t just fail. It crashed and burned in spectacular fashion, taking millions of Disney’s dollars and its dwindling credibility with it.

The next time Disney wants to dig up another animated classic and give it the live-action treatment, maybe they should just let it rest in peace.