Okay movie lovers Disney's new live-action "Snow White" is finally here. But hold up is it the fairytale beginning Disney hoped for? Early signs point to maybe not. The movie had a bit of a sleepy opening at the box office and critics are not exactly showering it with praise. Let's unpack what's going on with this remake and why it might be struggling.
Snow White's Box Office Debut: More Like Sleepy Than Happy and What the Numbers Say
So "Snow White" opened to about $43 million domestically this weekend. That sounds like a lot right? Well for a big Disney live-action remake that cost around $270 million to make it's actually kinda… meh. Industry folks were hoping for something closer to $48-$58 million for its opening weekend. It did beat out "Black Bag" and "Captain America: Brave New World" but still it's not exactly blowing anyone away.
Compared to other Disney princess remakes "Snow White" is having the lowest opening so far even lower than "Dumbo" from 2019 which was already considered a bit of a disappointment. Think about "Cinderella" from a decade ago. That movie opened way higher at $91.8 million even adjusting for inflation. It seems like maybe the Disney magic is not working quite as strongly this time around.
On the bright side some analysts think "Snow White" might have decent staying power. It is a Disney movie after all and there is not much competition for families right now. But is that enough to turn things around for a movie with such a big budget and lukewarm start?
Critics Are Not Feeling the Magic: Rotten Tomatoes Score and Review Snippets
It's not just the box office numbers that are a bit gloomy. critics are also not loving "Snow White". The movie currently has a "rotten" score of 44% on Rotten Tomatoes. Ouch. Audiences seem a little more forgiving with a 74% audience score but the overall vibe is definitely mixed.
Some review snippets are pretty brutal. One critic joked it's a good "bedtime story" because it's so boring. Another said it's "neither good enough to admire nor bad enough to joyfully skewer; its mediocrity is among its biggest bummers." Ouch again. Other reviewers called it "dopey" "sleepy" and said "gloss prevails over heart." One even described watching it as "bamboo-splinters-under-the-fingernails viewing experience." Double ouch!
Basically critics are saying the movie is just not very good. They feel it's missing the charm the magic and well the happiness you expect from a Snow White story. It seems like just bringing animated classics to live-action is not always a guaranteed win.
Controversy Snow White Style: Why This Remake Faced Drama Before It Even Hit Theaters
Part of the problem might be all the drama that surrounded "Snow White" even before it came out. This movie found itself smack-dab in the middle of a culture war and it seems to have taken a toll. There was controversy over casting Rachel Zegler a Latina actress as Snow White. Some folks got upset about Gal Gadot who served in the Israeli army playing the Evil Queen because of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Then there was the whole thing about reimagining the Seven Dwarfs which got Peter Dinklage pretty riled up.
Some people think that casting Zegler as Snow White actually hurt the movie. They feel like audiences are not into changing characters for the sake of remakes. It is possible that all this negative buzz turned people off even before they saw a single trailer.
Beyond the Backlash: Are Live-Action Remakes Losing Their Shine? Other Factors in Play
It is not just controversy though. Some analysts think there might be a bit of remake fatigue setting in. Disney has been doing live-action remakes for years now and maybe audiences are just not as excited about them anymore. We have seen "The Little Mermaid" also underperform a bit recently. Are families getting tired of these retellings?
The box office overall has also been a bit slow lately . Movie theaters are not quite back to pre-pandemic levels and maybe February and March are just not blockbuster months anymore unless you have a "Dune: Part Two" or "Kung Fu Panda 4" level hit lined up. "Snow White" just might not be the kind of movie to pull in massive crowds in the current movie landscape.
Key Controversies Surrounding the 2025 Snow White Remake:
- Rachel Zegler Casting: Backlash over casting a Latina actress as Snow White.
- Gal Gadot Casting: Controversy related to Gadot's background and the Israel-Hamas war.
- Seven Dwarfs Reimagining: Criticism over changing the depiction of the Seven Dwarfs, including Peter Dinklage's comments.
- Changes to the Story: Complaints about altering the classic fairytale's themes and plot.
- Rachel Zegler's Comments: Zegler's remarks about the original film's themes being outdated.
What's Next for Snow White? Will It Be a Slow Burn or a Box Office Freeze?
So is "Snow White" doomed to be a box office flop? Not necessarily. Disney is hoping it can follow a "Mufasa" style path. Remember "Mufasa: The Lion King" opened kinda soft but then kept climbing and ended up doing pretty well. Disney is counting on the fact that "Snow White" is a known brand and there is not much family competition out there. They are also banking on good word-of-mouth especially from women who made up most of the opening weekend audience.
Plus let's not forget Disney makes money from movies in lots of ways not just ticket sales. "Snow White" is a merchandising goldmine and the character will be huge in theme parks. So even if the movie underperforms in theaters Disney will likely still make money from the "Snow White" IP in the long run. But for now it looks like this fairytale might need a little extra magic to have a truly happy ending at the box office.