Disney’s Snow White disaster: How a $336M budget led to a $170M loss

Disney’s long-anticipated live-action remake of Snow White has reportedly resulted in a substantial financial setback for the studio, with losses estimated at approximately $170 million following its theatrical run.

Snow White has emerged as Disney’s most financially troubled productions in recent years, with filings revealing the film was forecast to exceed its production budget at a staggering $336.5 million (£271.1 million), according to Forbes.

Controversy from the start

The film, among the most controversial in Disney’s history, starred Rachel Zegler in the lead role alongside Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. As per the report, controversy surrounded the project almost from the moment cameras began rolling in 2022.

Zegler drew criticism after publicly condemning elements of the 1937 animated classic on which the remake is based. She described Prince Charming’s behavior as akin to that of a “stalker” and called the original film “extremely dated when it comes to the ideas of women being in roles of power,” comments that sparked backlash among some fans and industry veterans.

Among those criticizing the remake was David Hand, whose father worked on the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which won Walt Disney an honorary Oscar. Hand said the film’s creators “would be turning in their graves,” adding that the original was made “with good taste,” Forbes notes.

Trailer backlash

The controversy intensified following the release of the film’s first trailer, which featured computer-generated dwarfs. Critics described the characters as unsettling reinterpretations of the beloved originals. The backlash was swift, with the trailer becoming one of the most disliked videos on YouTube, amassing more than one million dislikes, according to the report.

At the box office, Snow White struggled to meet expectations. Snow White generated $87.3 million worldwide during its opening weekend—13% below forecasts—Forbes reports. The movie ultimately grossed just $205.7 million globally, ranking as the fifth-lowest performer among Disney’s 21 live-action theatrical adaptations of its animated classics.