Disney’s live-action adaptation of Snow White has soared to the top of the North American box office, despite facing a barrage of negative reviews and pre-release controversies.
According to figures from Box Office Mojo, the film grossed an estimated $87.3 million (£67.5 million) globally over its opening weekend, with almost half of that revenue coming from North American audiences. However, this performance falls short of expectations, given the film’s reported production budget of over $270 million.
A troubled journey to release
The reimagining of Disney’s 1937 animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was expected to be a major success, but it became a flashpoint for social and political debates long before its release.
One of the most significant controversies surrounded the casting of Rachel Zegler, a Colombian-American actress, in the role of Snow White. Some critics and social media users argued that her casting was not in keeping with the traditional depiction of the fairy-tale character. Others, however, praised the decision as a step towards greater diversity in Hollywood.
Further controversy arose from statements made by both Zegler and her co-star Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen. Zegler faced backlash for her pro-Palestinian views, while Gadot, an Israeli actress, received criticism for her pro-Israel stance. The film’s promotional campaign became entangled in these debates, drawing attention away from its creative merits.
Another contentious issue was the portrayal of the dwarfs. Early reports suggested that Disney had replaced the iconic seven dwarfs with a diverse group of magical creatures, avoiding stereotypes. This decision was met with mixed reactions, with some applauding the move for modernising the story, while others felt it strayed too far from the original. The final version of the film included CGI dwarfs, which many critics found unsettling.
A divisive reception
The film has polarised both critics and audiences. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Snow White holds a critics’ score of just 44%, indicating largely negative reviews. However, its audience score, dubbed the “Popcornometer,” is significantly higher at 73%, suggesting that viewers are more receptive to the film than professional critics.
Kevin Maher, chief film critic for The Times, was particularly scathing, stating: “Believe the anti-hype, it’s that bad.” In contrast, David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter described the film as “mostly captivating,” showing that reactions have been far from unanimous.
Meanwhile, Nicholas Barber noted that while the film is not an outright disaster, its reliance on CGI and its inconsistent tone create a “mind-boggling mash-up.”
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Disney’s live-action strategy under scrutiny
Disney has been remaking its animated classics into live-action films for over a decade, with varying degrees of success. While The Lion King (2019) and Beauty and the Beast (2017) were massive box office hits, other adaptations such as Dumbo (2019) and Mulan (2020) received lukewarm receptions.
The performance of Snow White will likely be scrutinised as Disney evaluates the future of its live-action remakes. With a hefty budget and global marketing campaign, the film needs to sustain strong box office earnings in the coming weeks to be considered a financial success.
What’s next for disney?
Despite the controversies, Snow White has managed to attract a large audience, indicating that Disney’s brand power remains formidable. However, the mixed reviews and lower-than-expected earnings may prompt a reassessment of how the studio approaches future adaptations.
Whether Snow White will maintain its box office momentum or fade quickly remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—this latest Disney remake has sparked conversations that go far beyond the cinema screen.
