The Blubber

The live-action "Snow White" film, starring Rachel Zegler as the iconic princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, had a lackluster opening weekend in the U.S. and Canada, earning $43 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates. Despite landing in first place at the domestic box office, this debut fell short of expectations, which had projected an opening between $45 million and $55 million based on analyst predictions and pre-sale data.

The film faces a steep uphill battle to break even, as it reportedly cost $250 million to produce, not including marketing expenses. Its global opening weekend totaled $87 million, with $44 million coming from overseas markets.

Comparatively, "Snow White" opened lower than Tim Burton's 2019 reimagining of Dumbo, which went on to gross $353 million worldwide but was still considered a financial disappointment. Audience polling firm CinemaScore gave Snow White a B+, signaling a mixed reception among moviegoers.

A Sluggish First Quarter for the Box Office

The first quarter of 2024 has seen weaker box office numbers compared to the same period in 2023, which itself was significantly below pre-pandemic levels.

However, major releases such as Dune: Part Two and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire have provided a boost, with both films surpassing $80 million in their opening weekends.

"To say that the stakes for 'Snow White' are only on Disney ignores the fact that this entire industry was expecting a better first quarter," said Daniel Loria, senior VP at Boxoffice Co. "We really need to finish this month on the strongest note possible."

Controversy and Challenges Surrounding "Snow White"

The film faced significant backlash before its release.

• Some fans and critics took issue with Rachel Zegler’s casting, citing her Colombian and Polish heritage, leading to racist backlash online.
• Zegler’s comments about updating the 1937 animated film—including minimizing Snow White’s romance with Prince Charming—also sparked controversy among traditional Disney fans.
• The film drew scrutiny over its depiction of little people, as well as political tensions between its two lead actresses:
  • Zegler has advocated for Palestinians.
  • Gadot, who was born in Israel, has expressed support for her home country amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

It remains unclear how much these controversies impacted ticket sales.

Disney’s Live-Action Remake Strategy Continues

Despite Snow White’s rocky start, Disney remains committed to remaking its animated classics.

The studio is set to release a live-action version of Lilo & Stitch in May. These remakes serve as a risk-management strategy—capitalizing on familiar stories while also modernizing problematic elements from older films, such as:

• Giving princess characters more agency.
• Increasing diversity in casting.

While the box office performance of Snow White raises questions about audience enthusiasm for Disney’s remake formula, the company isn’t slowing down its efforts.