Disney attempted to revive its iconic “Snow White,” released in 1937, which contributed to the studio’s success, with a live-action movie released March 21, 2025. The film features Rachel Zegler as Snow White, a spunky and fiery character. The Evil Queen is played by Gal Gadot. The production was budgeted at $270 million, with the numbers falling short of expectations. Both the opening box office and the critics’ reviews fell short of what Disney had hoped. So, this fairy tale is in search of its magic moment.
Having set such a high mark back in 1937, the original “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” earned over $8 million, which was a fortune at the time, thereby establishing Disney as the leader in family entertainment. But, this new “Snow White” isn’t the type to be patiently waiting for her prince. Instead, she becomes a rebel and hunts down her evil stepmother. The dwarfs were quietly replaced with CGI “magical creatures” after it was felt they were not shown in an ethically correct manner. A newly created male lead, Jonathan, played by Andrew Burnap, replaces the prince in a duet that breaks the curse rather than a kiss. The film does its own version of “Heigh-Ho,” spicing it up with new Pasek and Paul songs for a more modern feel.
The production of this movie was not so easy either. After wrapping in 2022, it was delayed due to the actors’ strike in 2023 and reshoots in early 2024. It was also cast in the shadow of controversy. Some liked Zegler’s Latina casting, while others complained about what were seen as “woke” changes to the story and her interpretation of the romance. It scored a pitiful 40 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising Zegler’s verve while deriding the cringeworthy CGI dwarves and wobbly script. It landed on 74 percent with audiences, but the theaters were not bursting at the seams.
Disney’s live-action remake reputation has been turbulent. While “Beauty and the Beast” was a smash with a $174 million opening, “Mulan” barely made $69 million. “Snow White” has a break-even target between $500 and $625 million, and with a 66 percent drop on the second weekend, the largest drop of any Disney remake, it’s at a woeful $168 million worldwide. It is currently placed at number five for 2025 movies so far, but that hardly matters with “A Working Man” generating buzz and “A Minecraft Movie” hot on its heels. Some within the know argue it was poor marketing, and the younger generation is simply not showing up, although the casting and dwarf controversy certainly got people talking. Disney is trying to market it nostalgically to the old fans and darkly for the new ones, and, in the end, Snow White ends up straddling that divide.
Some say that the film is too close to the original; some say it’s not fresh. With “Lilo & Stitch” up in May, it is a question worth asking.
