On Thursday night, Disney’s highly anticipated “Snow White” remake made its debut, marking one of the company’s most challenging projects in its over-a-century-long history. The journey to the big screen was fraught with obstacles, leading to a wave of negative publicity before the film even premiered.
So, did this uproar affect its box office performance?
Well, it didn’t do any favors. Industry analysts predict “Snow White” will wrap up its opening weekend with a modest $45 million in ticket sales. In the 15 years since Disney began releasing live-action versions of its animated hits, none of the major releases have opened to less than $58 million, adjusted for inflation—2019’s “Dumbo” was the previous low mark. Internationally, “Snow White” brought in about $44 million over the weekend, according to Disney’s figures. The production and marketing costs soared to a whopping $350 million, comparable to “Dumbo” after inflation.
Despite its lukewarm start, “Snow White” clinched the top spot in the U.S. and Canadian box office over the weekend, reported by Comscore. The film was screened in 4,200 theaters, delivering the movie theater industry its second-largest opening of the year, just behind Disney’s “Captain America: Brave New World,” which pulled in $89 million during its first weekend.
Turning to other new films, Warner Bros.’ gangster drama “The Alto Knights,” with a production budget of around $50 million before marketing, floundered, making a mere $3 million from 2,651 theaters amidst lukewarm reviews. Meanwhile, “Magazine Dreams” by Briarcliff, a gritty drama about a bodybuilder featuring Jonathan Majors, earned about $700,000 from 815 theaters. The Hollywood Reporter bluntly called its performance “D.O.A.” The film served as Majors’ attempted comeback post-conviction in 2023 for assaulting and harassing an ex-girlfriend, and it mostly garnered positive reviews.
Critics and viewers were split over “Snow White.” According to Rotten Tomatoes, only 43 percent of reviews were positive. Yet, moviegoers gave it a better reception with a 74 percent positive audience score over the weekend. Disney’s demographics data showed that 30 percent of the audience was Latino, and a hefty 72 percent were women.
Based on the 1937 classic “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” the film’s production, starting in 2021, faced nonstop challenges. The pandemic, the 2023 actors’ strike, and extensive reshoots pushed the budget beyond initial estimates. Furthermore, Disney came under fire from some members of the dwarf community for the creative choices regarding the depiction of characters like Grumpy, Bashful, and Doc. Adding to the controversy, Rachel Zegler, the film’s Latina star, became a lightning rod for discussion. Some internet users and right-wing media criticized her casting, claiming it was a misguided effort by Disney to promote diversity.
Over the weekend, some of those who subscribe to the “go woke, go broke” mantra celebrated, but not everyone was convinced. Analysts argued that the tepid response to “Snow White” might also be attributed to its dated intellectual property. With most of its modern classics already remade, Disney has begun tapping into less prominent titles like “Lilo & Stitch,” set for a live-action release in May. There’s a broader fatigue with live-action remakes of animated classics, as evidenced by dwindling box office numbers. Recognizing this, Disney has halted plans for live-action versions of films like “Bambi,” “The Sword in the Stone,” and “Hercules,” though they’re still proceeding with “Tangled,” a 2010 hit based on Rapunzel’s tale.
Meanwhile, Universal has a significant stake in its upcoming live-action adaptation of “How to Train Your Dragon,” originally an animated film from 2010.
When films open to underwhelming numbers, studios often express hope that word of mouth will expand their audience in subsequent weeks. For “Snow White,” this optimism might have merit. As box office analyst David A. Gross noted, the movie’s success could hinge on what he termed the “babysitter effect.” If the film manages to occupy kids and fare well over several months—as “Mufasa” did—Disney’s seasoned strategy and the timing, which coincides with spring breaks, could yet turn the tide.
