Why Snow White Flopped: $170M Loss and Controversy

Few Disney remakes have generated as much debate before opening weekend as the live-action Snow White. Between the casting controversy around Rachel Zegler, a reported $170 million loss, and a Rotten Tomatoes score below 50%, the 2025 film has become a case study in how even a beloved brand can stumble. This article unpacks the three biggest forces behind the flop: the financial numbers, the casting backlash, and what it says about the future of Disney’s live-action strategy.

Estimated Disney Loss on Film: $170 million ·
Release Date: March 21, 2025 ·
Rotten Tomatoes Score (as of early 2025): Below 50% (critical) ·
Production Budget (estimated): $250+ million ·
Main Lead: Rachel Zegler ·
Primary Villain: Gal Gadot

Eight key facts, one pattern: the numbers tell a story of high expectations and low returns.

Why Did the Live-Action Snow White Flop?

Financial Return vs. Budget

• The film’s production budget was estimated at $250 million (IMDb).
• It opened to $42.2 million domestically (IMDb) against tracking projections of $53 million (The Hollywood Reporter).
• Worldwide opening weekend was roughly $87.3 million (unconfirmed estimate, YouTube).
• Deadline reported the film was headed for an estimated $115 million loss based on a worldwide total of $225 million (Deadline).
• Fox Business later reported a $170 million loss, citing a research estimate that Disney would receive $102.9 million from the film under a 50-50 revenue split and net spending of $271.6 million (Fox Business).

Critical Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes score fell below 50% (as of early 2025).
• BBC News characterized the public debate as toxic and ongoing after release (BBC News).
• Second weekend U.S. total dropped 66% to $14.2 million, sharper than the Dumbo remake and the Maleficent series (Deadline).

Audience Sentiment

• Audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes were even lower than critic scores.
• Social media backlash ranged from disappointment over the CGI dwarfs to anger over Zegler’s comments.

The implication: Snow White didn’t just underperform — it cratered faster than any recent Disney live-action remake, confirming that the brand’s magic has limits.

Why Don’t People Like Rachel Zegler as Snow White?

Casting Backlash Timeline

• When Zegler was cast in October 2021, racist online backlash emerged because the character is traditionally described as having “skin as white as snow” (BBC News).
• By September 2022, Zegler’s comments about the original 1937 film ignited further controversy.

Zegler’s Public Statements

• In a 2022 interview, Zegler said the prince in the original was a “stalker” and that the new film is “not 1937”.
• She later tried to clarify her remarks, but the damage to public perception was done.

Social Media Reaction

• Conservative commentators and some fans accused Zegler of being “woke” and disrespectful to the original.
• The lack of a major star power (unlike Emma Watson in Beauty and the Beast) also hurt audience appeal.

The pattern: Zegler’s casting was a flashpoint for a larger cultural debate about diversity in Disney films, and the studio’s failure to manage that narrative cost it at the box office.

Did Disney Lose $170 Million on Snow White?

Verifying the Fox Business Report

• Fox Business reported in February 2026 that Disney’s Snow White remake had netted about a $170 million loss (Fox Business).
• The report cited research estimating Disney’s revenue share at $102.9 million and net spending at $271.6 million.

Disney’s Official Stance

• Disney has not publicly confirmed the $170 million figure.
• Deadline’s earlier estimate of a $115 million loss was based on a $225 million worldwide box office total (Deadline).

Impact on Stock

• Disney’s stock did not see a major drop specifically tied to Snow White, but the loss added to investor concerns about the live-action remake strategy.

The catch: even if the exact loss is disputed, the consensus from two independent sources (Fox Business and Deadline) points to a nine-figure loss — a clear signal that the film was a financial disaster.

What Exactly Did Rachel Zegler Say?

Quote from 2022 Interview

• In an interview with TIME, Zegler said the original film’s prince “literally stalks” Snow White and that the new film would be more modern.
• She also stated that the new version is “not 1937” and that the story is “about a young woman who has a function beyond ‘Someday My Prince Will Come.’”

Reaction to the Original Film

• These comments were interpreted by many as dismissive of the classic, fueling the backlash.

Subsequent Clarifications

• Zegler later said she loves the original and that her remarks were taken out of context.

Why this matters: the quote became a permanent part of the film’s narrative, and no amount of clarification could undo the perception that the lead actress was attacking the source material.

Who Is in the Live-Action Snow White Cast?

Rachel Zegler as Snow White

• Zegler, known for West Side Story (2021), was cast in October 2021.

Gal Gadot as Evil Queen

• Gadot, best known for Wonder Woman, plays the villain.
• Reports of an on-set feud between Zegler and Gadot remain unconfirmed.

Supporting Roles

• Andrew Burnap plays Jonathan, a new character created for the remake.

The trade-off: casting two high-profile actresses with different political and fan bases created a clash that the film’s marketing couldn’t reconcile.

For Disney investors and fans of the live-action remake trend, the lesson is clear: the formula that worked for Beauty and the Beast (2017) and The Lion King (2019) no longer guarantees a hit. The Snow White flop — with its $170 million loss, toxic casting controversy, and record-breaking second-weekend drop — signals that audiences are now demanding more than nostalgia. For Disney, the choice is stark: either reinvent the remake strategy with authentic storytelling and careful casting, or risk turning one of its most profitable brands into a cautionary tale.