Snow White’s Box Office Isn’t The Fairy Tale Ending That Disney Hoped For

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Summary

  • Disney’s Snow White underperformed at the box office, failing to meet projected ticket sales.
  • Controversies surrounding Snow White include casting choices and changes to the classic story.
  • Early reactions to Snow White were positive, but critical reviews depicted it as mediocre and disappointing.

From the very beginning, there have been debates surrounding Snow White, especially with Rachel Zegler being cast as the lead character. Despite its release, the live-action version has struggled to gain traction at the box office, a situation that wasn’t entirely unexpected.

In recent news, Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White has stirred up quite a stir, primarily due to the debates surrounding its cast members. The choice to cast Zegler, a Latina actress in the role of Snow White, sparked significant backlash. To complicate matters further, Zegler has openly expressed her disapproval of the original tale and desires to rewrite it, portraying Snow White as a self-reliant and powerful figure instead of the traditional damsel in distress. This departure from the classic narrative has left fans who cherish the original version feeling disappointed. Zegler aims to redefine the Disney princess by creating a character who doesn’t rely on a prince for salvation, a concept that many viewers find as a significant departure from the original storyline.

Although Snow White claimed the number one spot at the weekend box office, it fell short of expectations as it failed to meet its projected ticket sales target. Specifically, Snow White grossed $44.3 million domestically and a worldwide total of $87.3 million, significantly lower than the predicted $100 million estimate.

Prior to the release of “Snow White”, early responses indicated a positive outlook. Skyler Shuler, co-founder of The DisInsider and host of DisInsiderPods, expressed a favorable impression about the film on X (formerly Twitter), describing it as “Disney magic” without revealing much due to the review embargo. He suggested that fans who enjoyed “Aladdin” or “Cinderella” would also enjoy “Snow White”. However, upon its release, viewers had a different experience. Although many appreciated it, others were let down, which was reflected in its Rotten Tomatoes score of 44% from 186 critics, but it fared better with over 1,000 audiences, earning a slightly higher 74%. As for professional reviews, Manohla Dargis from The New York Times deemed it mediocre, while Pippa Bailey from the New Statesman described it as “bland and barely noticeable”.

The much-awaited movie, Snow White, has stirred up quite a bit of discussion this year. Despite being announced back in 2016 and finally released after nearly a decade, the film’s controversies have dampened some people’s enthusiasm to watch it. Critics question its direction, and the lengthy production time unfortunately led to more debates due to the political views of its lead actors. Many feel let down by Disney when it comes to live-action adaptations, as they believe the company hasn’t met their expectations in this area.

In regards to the film, concerns were raised about the alterations made to the storyline. David Hale Hand, son of Disney animator David Hand who contributed to the original “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” expressed his unwillingness to watch the movie upon learning that Snow White’s character had been significantly altered. He stated that the original version was as it should be and the new film seemed to bear no resemblance to the original story. His wife, Sandra Hand, echoed this sentiment, even criticizing Zegler for refusing to sing Snow White’s song “Some Day My Prince Will Come.” Sandra added that Snow White adored her Prince Charming and the seven dwarfs rather than someone waving a Palestinian flag. Despite some positive reviews claiming the film was surprisingly touching and brought them to tears, these praises were not sufficient to persuade others to give Zegler’s “Snow White” a chance at a fairy-tale ending.

Snow White is now in theaters.

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2025-03-24 20:07