If you thought Disney’s controversies started with its modern reboots, think again.
Decades before Rachel Zegler’s Snow White remake made headlines for all the wrong reasons, another Disney premiere ended in chaos. During the 1940 Pinocchio premiere in New York, the company staged a bizarre stunt that went wildly off the rails—resulting in a drunken spectacle that required police intervention. It’s a premiere story that sounds more like tabloid fodder than Walt Disney-approved history. But yes, it happened.
And in a strange twist of fate, 85 years later, Disney once again found itself center stage—for yet another disastrous “fairy tale” debut. Only this time, the damage wasn’t contained to one chaotic afternoon—it played out over years of backlash, financial loss, and media firestorms.
1940: Naked “Pinocchios” Shut Down New York Marquee
In what was supposed to be a heartwarming celebration of Pinocchio, Disney and RKO pulled out all the stops for the film’s debut at the Center Theatre in Manhattan on February 7, 1940. A marketing gimmick placed eleven little people in Pinocchio costumes on top of the marquee to entertain the crowd.
But once “lunch” was delivered—including bottles of alcohol—the scene devolved. The costumed entertainers began drinking, and soon after, removed their costumes entirely. Bystanders looked up in horror to see a group of fully nude “Pinocchios” gambling and belching in broad daylight.
Despite orders from below, the group refused to come down. Police were eventually called, climbed ladders, threw pillowcases over the drunken performers, and escorted them off the marquee—much to the astonishment of theatergoers.
2025: Rachel Zegler’s Snow White Becomes a Cautionary Tale
Flash forward to 2025, and another Disney classic would premiere under far less comical—but arguably more damaging—circumstances. Disney’s Snow White reboot, starring Rachel Zegler, stumbled out of the gate and never recovered.
Despite the studio’s hopes of revitalizing a legacy property, the film grossed only $205.5 million worldwide against a reported $410 million in total costs. IMDb labeled it “officially a flop,” and entertainment analysts estimated losses of over $115 million.
The Backlash That Snowballed
Unlike the drunken marquee incident, Snow White’s troubles were not just confined to one moment—they unfolded over three years. The project drew early criticism in 2022 when Game of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage blasted Disney for remaking a film that featured “seven dwarfs living in a cave,” calling it outdated and offensive. In response, Disney pledged a “different approach” to the characters.
Then, lead actress Rachel Zegler became the story herself.
At Disney’s D23 Expo, Zegler publicly criticized the 1937 original for focusing too much on romance, calling the Prince a “stalker.” Fans of the original were livid. But the controversy didn’t stop there. In a series of social media posts, Zegler voiced strong political opinions—declaring “Free Palestine” while promoting the film and even stating that Trump voters should “never know peace.”
While Zegler eventually apologized and called for unity, the damage had been done. The studio delayed the film’s release by a year and chose to drastically tone down its Hollywood premiere. Gone was the usual red carpet spectacle; in its place, a modest photo op limited to internal press.
When History Repeats Itself
There may not have been any pillowcase-clad actors in 2025, but Disney’s Snow White reboot mirrored the Pinocchiopremiere in one critical way: both were unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.
The Pinocchio fiasco remains one of the strangest publicity misfires in film history. But in today’s climate of heightened scrutiny, political discourse, and brand sensitivity, the modern Snow White misstep may be even harder for Disney to recover from.
After all, it’s one thing to remove a naked Pinocchio from a marquee. It’s another to untangle a billion-dollar brand from controversy, apathy, and online outrage.
Maybe next time, Disney will remember: not every storybook needs a reprint—and not every premiere needs to be a spectacle.
