Rachel Zegler may be dazzling theatergoers in London as Eva Peron in Jamie Lloyd’s Evita, but her cinematic debut as Disney’s Snow White continues to generate conversation long after its theatrical exit.
Disney’s live-action Snow White (2025) wrapped its theatrical run in April following a challenging road that saw critical scorn, tepid audience response, and a disappointing box office return. Once anticipated as a tentpole project, the remake closed out as one of the most debated entries in Disney’s remake lineup.
Originally slated for a 2024 release, delays pushed the film to March 21, 2025. Despite additional development time, the film struggled to spark excitement and landed during a wave of public scrutiny.
Much of that scrutiny fell on Zegler herself. Comments from 2022 resurfaced ahead of the premiere, in which she described her Snow White as more independent and less focused on romantic ideals. She notably referred to the prince from the 1937 classic as a stalker.
For traditionalists, the reinterpretation proved jarring. Many felt that the essence of the original fairy tale had been lost in the process.
Erin Cressida Wilson (The Girl on the Train) penned the screenplay, offering a fresh take on the beloved story. While some appreciated the modern updates, others voiced frustration with nearly every creative pivot—from casting choices and visual tone to how the seven dwarfs were portrayed.
Zegler later addressed the backlash, suggesting the strong reactions stemmed from fans’ deep-rooted affection for the original animated film.
Further reports painted a picture of backstage drama. Speculation swirled about discord between Zegler and Gal Gadot, who played the Evil Queen. These rumors coincided with a quiet marketing rollout—limited press stops, minimal red carpets, and scaled-back international promotion.
Variety detailed the film’s uphill climb in a wide-ranging report, pointing to a controversial moment when Zegler posted “Free Palestine” on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after the trailer dropped.
Gadot’s public support for Israel, stemming from her military background and heritage, added further complexity to the public’s perception of the film.
Financially, the movie had little room for error. Opening projections hovered around $53 million domestically, but it fell short, bringing in only $42 million during its first weekend.
By the end of its theatrical run, Box Office Mojo recorded a global total of $205,679,463—with $87,203,963 domestic and $118,475,500 international. As Forbes outlined, “Assuming an approximate 50-50 split means that Snow White needs to gross at least $427.8 million for Disney to cover its costs at the box office.”
Still, all was not lost. On June 11, the film dropped on Disney+ and immediately surged in popularity. Comic Book reported: “According to data from FlixPatrol, which charts popularity on streaming services, the movie is currently the No. 1 film on Disney+.”
Nearly four months after it left theaters, the movie charted on Nielsen’s rankings. Sharing space with titles like Straw (Netflix) and The Accountant 2 (Prime Video), Snow White secured the fifth spot on the “Top 10 Movies” list with 581 million minutes streamed.
The numbers suggest that many viewers were still interested, just not enough to buy a ticket.
The cast also included Andrew Burnap as Jonathan, Ansu Kabia as the Huntsman, Jeremy Swift as Doc, Andrew Barth Feldman as Dopey, Tituss Burgess as Bashful, George Salazar as Happy, Martin Klebba as Grumpy, Andy Grotelueschen as Sleepy, and Jason Kravits as Sneezy.
Fortunately for Disney, another remake came through at just the right moment. Lilo & Stitch (2025), originally developed as a Disney+ feature, pivoted to theaters and emerged as a surprise smash.
Mirroring Moana 2 (2024), the live-action take rode a wave of momentum. Prior to release, Deadline shared: “Six weekend-in-advance tracking has hit for both movies on Quorum, with Lilo & Stitch eyeing a $100M+ 3-day opening…”
Memorial Day weekend delivered beyond expectations—Lilo & Stitch pulled in nearly $183 million domestically and $361 million worldwide. Disney’s late May report confirmed the film had reached $976.9 million globally.
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