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Box Office: Snow White set to lose Disney USD 115 million; exploring the film’s non‑theatrical revenue prospects
Despite Disney's hopes, Snow White struggles to recover from a disappointing run, with streaming and merchandise unlikely to cover its massive losses.
Disney’s live-action Snow White remake has turned into one of the studio’s most disappointing outings in recent years, with industry reports now suggesting it will incur a loss of up to USD 115 million. The film, which stars Rachel Zegler as the titular princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, has suffered both critically and commercially since its March 21 release following months of controversy and negative buzz.
With a reported worldwide box office gross of USD 145 million so far and a final expected haul of USD 225 million, the movie is falling substantially short of its break-even point. According to a report by Deadline, even after factoring in home entertainment sales, TV licensing, and Disney+ streaming prospects, the film is still poised for a massive financial deficit.
The problems surrounding Snow White began long before the title made its way to cinemas. From backlash over Zegler’s comments on the original 1937 iteration of the fairytale to criticism surrounding the film’s departure from the traditional depiction of the seven dwarfs—now portrayed using CGI—fans voiced their discontent throughout production and promotion. Gadot also played a part in it by openly expressing her Zionist views amid a tense global political climate.
The controversies seemed to overshadow the film itself, creating a tough climb for it at the box office despite the Mouse House backing.
The misfire is particularly painful for Disney given the film’s lofty budget (USD 250 million minus marketing costs), making it one of the studio's most expensive live-action ventures. While other reimaginings like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast found major commercial success, Snow White joins the growing list of underperformers like Tim Burton’s Dumbo and The Little Mermaid.
As mentioned earlier, Disney will try recouping some investment via its streaming platform viewership based on curiosity and brand popularity, but it will hardly be enough. Merchandise sales could provide limited relief as well.
Snow White’s fallout has hurt another Disney live-action remake—Tangled—development on which the studio has indefinitely paused, signaling a shift in strategy amid diminishing returns.
With no prospect of a turnaround amid the debut of another family-friendly title, A Minecraft Movie, Snow White is nearly done. It’s playing in theaters for the time being for those intending on catching it on the big screen.
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