Disney's Snow White Remake Struggles to Break Even After Slow Box Office Start

Snow White, the latest live-action remake from Disney directed by Marc Webb, known for The Amazing Spider-Man films, had a challenging start at the box office. According to Comscore, the film earned $43 million domestically over its opening weekend, making it the second highest debut of 2025 so far, only surpassed by Captain America: Brave New World. Despite topping this week's box office chart, Snow White fell short of expectations and did not match the opening weekend totals of other Disney remakes like Dumbo ($45 million in 2019), The Lion King (2019), Beauty and the Beast (2017), The Jungle Book (2016), and The Little Mermaid (2023), all of which exceeded $100 million domestically on their opening weekends.

Internationally, Snow White's performance was similarly subdued, pulling in $44.3 million, leading to a global total of $87.3 million for its opening weekend. This figure, while respectable, is a concern given the film's hefty production budget, reportedly over $250 million. With marketing costs factored in, Snow White faces a steep climb to reach profitability.

The film stars Rachel Zegler, a musical theater veteran, as Snow White, and Gal Gadot, known for her role in Wonder Woman, as the Evil Queen. It's a reimagining of Disney's 1937 animated classic, and despite its box office struggles, it has received positive feedback from critics. IGN's review gave Snow White a 7/10, praising it for meaningfully adapting the original story rather than merely replicating it.

There is hope for Snow White, however, as Disney has seen similar situations turn around. Mufasa: The Lion King, a prequel to the 2019 Lion King remake, opened to a disappointing $35.4 million domestically but went on to earn over $717 million worldwide. Disney will be hoping for a similar 'sleeper hit' success with Snow White.

Meanwhile, Captain America: Brave New World continues to perform well, grossing $400.8 million globally after six weekends, with $192.1 million from the domestic market and $208.7 million internationally. As Disney navigates these box office waters, the performance of both films will be closely watched.