Disney’s long-anticipated Snow White live-action remake was expected to be a box office hit. With a massive budget, star power, and a legacy dating back to the original 1937 animated classic, the film had all the ingredients for a Disney fairytale success. But instead, it turned into a very public, very expensive nightmare. Snow White Flop: Why?
Now, industry insiders are pointing fingers Snow White Flop—and the spotlight has landed on a reported $370 million budget, tensions between Disney and star Rachel Zegler, and backlash that’s been simmering for over a year. With Snow White earning only $42.2 million domestically and $86.1 million globally on its opening weekend, the numbers just don’t add up.
This is the inside story of what went wrong, why it matters, and what it means for Disney’s future in live-action remakes.
Snow White’s Box Office Disaster: A Budget Too Big to Ignore
Let’s start with the numbers. Snow White reportedly cost Disney $370 million to make, including $270 million in production and another $100 million for marketing. Therefore Snow White Flop.
Those are Marvel-level numbers, and they set a high bar for success. Analysts say the film would need to gross at least $500 million globally just to break even, and right now, it’s projected to struggle to reach $400 million.
So what happened?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a combination of factors—including COVID delays, the 2023 industry strikes, a set fire, and expensive reshoots—drove the budget sky-high.
The reshoots, in particular, were reportedly tied to fan backlash over early leaks and plot details that didn’t sit well with audiences.
Rachel Zegler vs. Disney: A Fractured Relationship
At the center of the storm is lead actress Rachel Zegler, whose role as Snow White was supposed to usher in a new era for Disney princesses. Instead, her public statements and ongoing clashes with Disney fueled online controversies and internal frustrations.
According to Variety, Zegler’s relationship with Disney began to unravel as early as 2022, when she reportedly clashed with the studio over attending the Oscars for her role in West Side Story—just as Snow White began filming.
Things escalated in 2023 when Zegler posted a “Free Palestine” tweet on the same day as the film’s trailer premiered at D23. Disney execs reportedly raised concerns, and producer Marc Platt flew to New York to speak with Zegler. She stood her ground.
Later, she followed that post with anti-Trump commentary, further stirring controversy. Disney reportedly reached the end of its rope and arranged for her to work with a “social media guru” to help manage her public image.
Gal Gadot Caught in the Crossfire
Meanwhile, Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen, received death threats amid the political firestorm. Disney provided her with extra security, though she remained largely silent throughout the controversy.
Reports suggest that while Gadot and Zegler have no personal feud, the tension surrounding the film impacted the cast’s public dynamic. One insider said Zegler “didn’t understand the repercussions of her actions” and what it meant for the studio or her co-stars.
Was Politics to Blame for the Flop?
One of the biggest questions after Snow White’s disappointing debut has been whether politics played a role in the film’s poor performance.
Data from EnTelligence offers a surprising twist. Typically, family and animated films perform stronger in blue states (Democratic-leaning regions), which account for 63% of ticket sales in the genre. But with Snow White, red states (Republican-leaning) accounted for 40% of ticket sales—a noticeable uptick.
That’s fueled speculation that despite online backlash to Zegler’s political comments, there was no widespread boycott from conservative audiences. In fact, the data suggests that the film underperformed in its core demographic—progressive, urban, family-driven markets.
So perhaps it wasn’t politics, but rather a mix of fan fatigue, controversy overload, and uninspiring marketing that kept people away.
A “D+” in Disney Magic?
Snow White received a B+ CinemaScore, the lowest for any live-action Disney remake to date. That’s a serious red flag.
Box office analyst Jeff Bock explained it bluntly:
“They say all press is good press, but in Snow White’s case, they were unabashedly wrong. Too much negative controversy surrounded this film for years, and it didn’t help that the reviews were subpar.”
Early buzz around the film focused on its changes to classic characters, new takes on fairy tale tropes, and Zegler’s modern reimagining of Snow White—but many fans simply didn’t respond positively.
Instead of capturing hearts, the movie landed in a murky middle ground, alienating traditional Disney fans while failing to inspire a new audience.
Can Snow White Recover?
Some industry insiders have pointed to past Disney underperformers that later rebounded. Mufasa: The Lion King opened to just $35.4 million domestically but eventually pulled in $718 million worldwide.
But experts believe Snow White faces a steeper climb. It is a total Snow White Flop.
The movie’s combination of tepid word of mouth, lukewarm critical reception, and ongoing social media backlash could make it difficult to sustain legs at the box office. With big spring releases looming, including other family-friendly blockbusters, competition is about to ramp up.
The Bigger Problem: Disney’s Live-Action Formula May Be Cracking
For years, Disney has relied heavily on live-action remakes of its animated classics. From The Lion King to Beauty and the Beast, the formula has been wildly successful—until now.
With Snow White, audiences seem to be growing tired of the approach, particularly when the remakes diverge too far from the originals.
One executive at a rival studio told The Hollywood Reporter:
“You can’t say that a live-action remake of the most iconic film in the vault that cost [$270] million and has been reshot multiple times opening to $50 million is OK. The math does not work. That movie should be a billion-dollar movie.”
That quote stings—and it underscores a broader issue. Is Disney investing too much in nostalgia while overlooking what audiences actually want in 2025?
Rachel Zegler’s Future with Disney in Question
Though there’s no official word yet, insiders suggest that Zegler’s relationship with Disney is not on solid ground. Her disagreements with the studio, combined with the public fallout from the film’s reception, have likely damaged her standing within the Mouse House.
Still, Zegler remains a rising star in Hollywood, with projects beyond Disney. But whether she’ll ever reprise her role as Snow White—or appear in any Disney project again—remains uncertain.
As one studio source put it:
“There are no hard feelings between Zegler and Gadot. But with Disney? That’s a different story.”
Snow White Box Office Crash Was Years in the Making
Disney’s Snow White remake wasn’t doomed by any single decision—it was death by a thousand cuts. From its runaway budget to reshoots, political firestorms, PR stumbles, and a final product that left audiences underwhelmed, the film faced hurdles from every angle.
Now, with the box office returns disappointing, the blame game is in full swing. But what’s undeniable is that Disney, for all its resources and reputation, failed to recapture the magic this time.
The question moving forward isn’t just whether Snow White can recover, but whether Disney can reinvent its live-action strategy before audiences fully turn the page.
For now, Snow White serves as a cautionary tale—not just about budgets and branding, but about what happens when controversy outshines the story itself.
