Rachel Zegler’s Snow White Shelved as Minecraft Movie Dominates

Rachel Zegler, the 23-year-old actress who burst onto the scene with West Side Story, is reportedly reeling from a crushing blow to her career. Disney’s live-action Snow White (2025), in which she starred as the iconic princess, has been abruptly pulled from thousands of theater screens to make way for the unexpected juggernaut, A Minecraft Movie. The blocky, family-friendly adaptation of the popular video game has outperformed expectations, raking in over $552 million globally and overshadowing Snow White’s dismal $225 million haul. Reports claim Zegler has “collapsed” emotionally as her film’s reserved theater slots are replaced, fueling speculation about her future in Hollywood. What led to this dramatic turn of events, and how will it shape Zegler’s trajectory?

The Snow White Flop

Disney’s Snow White, released on March 21, 2025, was envisioned as a bold reimagining of the 1937 animated classic, with Zegler as a modern, empowered Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Directed by Marc Webb, the film aimed to update the fairy tale with a feminist narrative, focusing on leadership over romance. However, the $410 million production, including marketing, became one of Disney’s biggest misfires, grossing just $225 million worldwide and incurring an estimated $115 million loss. Its domestic opening weekend of $43 million was among the weakest for a Disney live-action remake, and a 66% drop in its second week signaled poor audience reception.

The film’s failure stemmed from multiple issues. Zegler’s promotional comments, calling the original Snow White “weird” and its prince a “stalker,” alienated fans, sparking boycott campaigns on X with hashtags like #BoycottSnowWhite. Her political posts, including “free Palestine” and “F*** Donald Trump,” further polarized audiences, with some, like Jonah Platt, son of producer Marc Platt, blaming her “narcissism” for the flop. Production woes, including a 2022 set fire and a last-minute pivot to CGI dwarves, compounded the problems, with critics panning the “uncanny” visuals. Review-bombing on IMDb and a lackluster marketing campaign, which failed to counter negative buzz, sealed the film’s fate.

The Minecraft Movie’s Meteoric Rise

In stark contrast, A Minecraft Movie, released in April 2025, has become a surprise box office titan. Starring Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, and Danielle Brooks, and directed by Jared Hess, the film capitalizes on the global popularity of the Minecraft video game, which boasts over 300 million copies sold. With a reported $150 million budget, the movie grossed $278.8 million domestically and $552.6 million worldwide by its second weekend, outperforming Snow White in ticket sales and staying power, according to That Park Place. Its appeal lies in its faithful adaptation of the game’s blocky aesthetic, humor, and family-friendly adventure, drawing both young gamers and nostalgic adults.

The film’s success has led theaters to prioritize it over Snow White, with thousands of screens reportedly dumping Disney’s remake to accommodate demand. YouTube channels like Teatime with Teana claim that Snow White was shown in “nearly empty theaters,” while Minecraft packed houses, prompting exhibitors to reallocate “reserved shelves”—industry slang for theater slots. This shift has been particularly humiliating for Zegler, whose film was expected to dominate the spring box office but instead fell out of the top five within a month, per That Park Place.

Zegler’s Reported Breakdown

Unverified reports, primarily from YouTube videos and X posts, claim Zegler has “collapsed” emotionally over Snow White’s ousting. A video titled “Rachel Zegler COLLAPSES as Minecraft Movie Replaces Her Reserved SHELVES” alleges she broke down during a livestream, expressing frustration at the box office disparity. Another, from Teatime with Teana, suggests she “lost her temper” online, blaming Minecraft’s success for her film’s demise. While no direct evidence, such as a verifiable clip, confirms these claims, they’ve gained traction amid Zegler’s history of public emotional responses, like her apology for political posts after Snow White’s backlash.

The narrative of Zegler’s “meltdown” has been amplified by critics who view her as a lightning rod for controversy. X users have speculated that her outspokenness—on issues like representation, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and U.S. politics—has alienated audiences, making her a scapegoat for Snow White’s failure. One post stated, “Rachel Zegler’s spiraling because she thought she was untouchable. Minecraft just proved her wrong.” Supporters, however, argue she’s being unfairly targeted, with a Reddit user noting, “This smells like a smear campaign to pile on after Snow White’s flop.”

The Role of Social Media and Culture Wars

The Snow White vs. Minecraft narrative has been fueled by social media, particularly X and YouTube, where sensationalized content thrives. Videos with titles like “Rachel Zegler LOSES IT After Minecraft Movie DESTROYS Snow White” and “Rachel Zegler MOCKS Jack Black” exaggerate her reactions, often without evidence, to capitalize on clicks. MovieWeb argues that the controversy around Zegler’s casting as a Latina Snow White is rooted in “manufactured hatred and racism,” drawing parallels to harassment faced by Danielle Brooks for her Minecraft role. The polarized climate, amplified by Trump’s 2024 election and cultural debates over “woke” media, has turned Zegler into a symbol of broader tensions.

Disney’s decision to modernize Snow White played into these divides. Zegler’s comments about updating the “sexist” original, while not unique—similar critiques have been made about Beauty and the Beast—were weaponized by outlets like The Daily Wire, which produced a rival “non-woke” Snow White starring Brett Cooper. The backlash, per Variety, reflects audience fatigue with remakes that prioritize modern agendas over nostalgia, a sentiment Minecraft avoided by staying true to its source material.

Impact on Zegler’s Career

Zegler’s career, once on a meteoric trajectory, is now at a crossroads. Her Golden Globe-winning role in West Side Story (2021), followed by The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) and Y2K (2024), established her as a versatile talent. Her Broadway debut in Romeo + Juliet (2024) was a box office success, despite mixed reviews. However, Snow White’s failure, coupled with her Evita West End run’s sluggish ticket sales and reported delays on She Gets It From Me due to alleged on-set issues, has raised questions about her bankability.

The Minecraft ousting has intensified scrutiny. YouTube claims of Zegler “confronting” or “mocking” Jack Black are unverified, but they feed a narrative of her as unprofessional, echoing allegations of rude behavior on She Gets It From Me. Disney’s reported pause on a Tangled remake, per Entertainment Weekly, suggests caution around Zegler-led projects, though no evidence confirms she was “fired” or “blacklisted.” Her upcoming role in She Gets It From Me with Marisa Tomei and her Evita performance, which has earned some praise for her vocals, offer chances to rebound.

Disney’s Strategic Retreat

Snow White’s shelving is a blow to Disney, which invested heavily in its live-action remake strategy. The studio’s $7.6 billion 2024 revenue cushions the loss, but the film’s failure, alongside Mufasa: The Lion King’s underperformance, has prompted a reevaluation. Forbes reports that Disney is shifting focus to original content and more faithful adaptations, with insiders citing Snow White as a “cautionary tale” for heavy-handed modernizations. The success of Minecraft, produced by Warner Bros., highlights the appeal of staying true to a franchise’s roots, a lesson Disney may apply to future projects.

The Bigger Picture

The Snow White–Minecraft clash reflects broader trends in Hollywood. Audience fatigue with live-action remakes, evident in Pinocchio (2022) and Peter Pan & Wendy (2023), has made success elusive, especially when creative choices alienate core fans. Minecraft’s triumph shows the power of leveraging a built-in fanbase—gamers and families—while Snow White’s failure underscores the risks of polarizing narratives in a divided cultural landscape. Zegler’s Latina casting and activism made her a target for conservative critics, but MovieWeb notes that similar backlash against Brooks and Ayo Edebiri suggests a pattern of targeting diverse actors.

Social media’s role in amplifying unverified claims, from Zegler’s “collapse” to her alleged feud with Black, highlights the challenges of managing public perception in 2025. The lack of concrete evidence for these reports, as seen in YouTube’s sensationalized thumbnails, suggests a click-driven agenda rather than factual reporting. Disney’s silence on the shelving and Zegler’s reported reactions has allowed speculation to flourish, further damaging the film’s legacy.

Looking Ahead

For Zegler, the Snow White shelving is a setback, but her youth and talent offer hope. She Gets It From Me could showcase her comedic chops, while Evita provides a platform to reclaim her musical theater roots. A strategic approach—perhaps limiting social media exposure, as suggested by The Hollywood Reporter—could help her navigate ongoing harassment and rebuild her image. Her supporters, like Melissa Barrera, argue she’s a victim of industry double standards, and her resilience will be key.

Disney faces pressure to rethink its remake formula, with Minecraft’s success setting a new benchmark for family-friendly blockbusters. The studio may prioritize projects that balance innovation with fidelity, avoiding the pitfalls that doomed Snow White. As theaters swap Zegler’s fairy tale for Black’s blocky adventure, the contrast underscores a pivotal moment for Hollywood, where authenticity and fan loyalty reign supreme.

Conclusion

Rachel Zegler’s reported “collapse” over Snow White’s replacement by A Minecraft Movie captures the dramatic fallout of a box office disaster. The $115 million loss, fueled by controversies over Zegler’s comments, CGI missteps, and cultural divides, has seen theaters prioritize Minecraft’s $552 million juggernaut. While unverified claims of Zegler’s breakdown and feuds with Jack Black dominate online narratives, her career hangs in the balance with Evita and She Gets It From Me as potential lifelines. Disney’s misstep and Minecraft’s triumph highlight the high stakes of modern filmmaking, where fan sentiment and social media can make or break a star. Zegler’s next chapter will test her ability to rise above the noise and reclaim her fairy-tale ending.