Disney’s live-action Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, was already a financial wound for the studio when it limped out of theaters in spring 2025, but the decision to re-release it over Mother’s Day weekend in a desperate bid to salvage its box office performance has proven catastrophic. The film, which grossed a mere $202.8 million worldwide against a $370 million budget during its initial run, was brought back to 1,330 theaters across the United States, hoping to capture family audiences during the sentimental holiday. Instead, the re-release bombed spectacularly, earning just $335,000 over the weekend—an average of 17 tickets sold per theater—deepening Disney’s losses and highlighting the studio’s missteps in managing the film’s controversies and star, Rachel Zegler.

A Fairy Tale Turned Nightmare

Directed by Marc Webb and produced by Marc Platt, the 2025 Snow White is a live-action reimagining of Disney’s 1937 animated classic, itself adapted from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Zegler stars as a reimagined Snow White, a princess who evolves from a romantic dreamer into a fierce leader determined to overthrow her tyrannical stepmother, the Evil Queen, played by Gal Gadot. The film introduces a new love interest, Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), and replaces the traditional Seven Dwarfs with CGI “magical characters” voiced by actors like Jeremy Swift and Tituss Burgess. With a production budget of $270 million, plus an estimated $100 million in marketing, Disney banked on the film replicating the billion-dollar success of remakes like Beauty and the Beast (2017) or The Lion King (2019).

From its announcement in 2016, however, Snow White was plagued by challenges. Zegler’s casting in June 2021 sparked racist backlash from some fans who argued a Latina actress didn’t fit the “skin as white as snow” description, mirroring the vitriol faced by Halle Bailey in The Little Mermaid (2023). Zegler’s 2022 comments calling the original film “dated” and “weird” for its focus on romance, particularly the prince’s “stalker” behavior, alienated fans of the classic, who accused her of disrespecting Disney’s legacy. The decision to use CGI for the dwarfs, prompted by actor Peter Dinklage’s criticism of casting dwarf actors in stereotypical roles, drew backlash from dwarf performers who felt excluded from rare Hollywood opportunities.

Geopolitical tensions further complicated matters. Lebanon banned the film due to Gadot’s public support for Israel, while pro-Palestinian groups, including the BDS movement, called for boycotts, contrasting with Zegler’s pro-Palestine posts, such as a “free Palestine” tweet after the trailer debuted in August 2024. Disney reportedly flew producer Marc Platt to New York to address Zegler’s social media activity, and the studio hired a social media guru to vet her posts. Zegler’s post-election comments in November 2024, wishing “Trump supporters never know peace,” prompted an apology but fueled conservative calls to boycott the film, with some labeling it “Snow Woke” on X.

The Initial Box Office Collapse

When Snow White premiered on March 21, 2025, it opened to a dismal $42.2 million domestically and $87.3 million globally, far below the $95 million domestic debut of The Little Mermaid (2023), which had a similar $240 million budget. The film’s worldwide gross stalled at $202.8 million, with $86.4 million from the U.S. and $116.3 million internationally, well short of the $500 million needed to break even. Analysts projected losses of at least $115 million after home entertainment and streaming revenues, with some estimates reaching $300 million.

Critical reception was mixed, with a 40% Rotten Tomatoes score and a B+ CinemaScore, the lowest for a Disney live-action remake. Critics praised Zegler’s “luminous” performance but criticized Gadot’s “flat” Evil Queen, the “uncanny” CGI dwarfs, and the film’s “clumsy” modernization. Audiences gave it a 72% Popcornmeter score, but IMDb’s 1.6/10 rating reflected review-bombing, with 91.1% of votes being 1-star. X posts captured the sentiment, with users mocking Zegler’s claim that “people will wait in line” to see her films, citing empty theaters as proof.

The Mother’s Day Re-Release: A Misguided Strategy

By early May 2025, Snow White was playing in just 310 theaters, its theatrical run nearly over. Disney’s decision to re-release it in 1,330 theaters for Mother’s Day weekend was a last-ditch effort to boost its box office before its digital release on May 13 and physical release on June 24. The studio likely hoped the holiday would draw mothers and daughters, leveraging the film’s themes of female empowerment and family bonds. Some speculated Disney aimed to generate buzz ahead of its Disney+ debut, where streaming audiences might embrace it, as seen with other underperforming remakes.

The re-release, however, was a disaster. Grossing just $335,000 over the weekend, the film averaged $252 per theater, equating to roughly 17 tickets sold per venue at an estimated $15 ticket price. This was a stark contrast to Disney’s successful re-release of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith for its 20th anniversary, which earned $55 million worldwide. The $335,000 did little to budge the domestic total, which remained at $86.5 million. X users called the re-release “embarrassing,” with one comparing it to “flogging a dead horse.” The Hollywood Handle reported the re-release plan, but its failure was evident by Sunday, May 11.

Why the Re-Release Tanked

The re-release’s failure stemmed from multiple factors. First, Snow White’s initial flop and toxic word-of-mouth left audiences uninterested. Families, the core demographic, had already rejected the film, with competing releases like A Minecraft Movie ($163 million domestically) dominating the market. New films such as The King of Kings and The Chosen: The Last Supper Part 3 also drew crowds, the latter outperforming Snow White despite being a re-release itself.

Second, the Mother’s Day timing was a miscalculation. While the holiday aligned with the film’s female-led narrative, its controversies—Zegler’s political comments, the “woke” label, and changes to the classic story—alienated key audience segments, particularly in conservative regions. X posts echoed sentiments like “Go woke, go broke,” reflecting a backlash that likely deterred red-state families. The feminist reimagining, while appealing to some, clashed with expectations of a traditional fairy tale, failing to resonate broadly.

Third, Disney’s marketing for the re-release was minimal. Unlike the aggressive campaigns for Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin, the Snow White re-release lacked promotional push to counter its negative perception. The timing, just days before the digital release, likely encouraged audiences to wait for home viewing. Analysts noted the move seemed “hastily planned,” with little effort to reframe the film’s narrative.

Disney’s Broader Struggles

The Snow White fiasco reflects deeper issues with Disney’s live-action remake strategy. While Beauty and the Beast ($1.26 billion) and The Lion King ($1.66 billion) were juggernauts, recent remakes like Mufasa: The Lion King (2024, $626.7 million) and The Little Mermaid (2023, $569 million) have underperformed relative to their budgets. Snow White’s failure, projected to lose $215 million including marketing, has prompted Disney to pause a planned Tangled remake, signaling a reevaluation of pre-1989 adaptations. Studio head David Greenbaum may pivot to innovative spins like Cruella ($233.5 million), which succeeded despite a day-and-date Disney+ release.

Disney’s handling of Zegler also drew scrutiny. Insiders blamed her for the film’s failure, citing her comments on the original film and political posts. Producer Marc Platt’s son, Jonah, publicly criticized her “immature” behavior, alleging she hurt the film’s box office. Yet supporters, including critic David Ehrlich, argued Zegler was scapegoated, with fans on X praising her as a “shining supernova” who deserves better roles. Disney’s failure to manage the narrative early—such as screening the film for influencers to build positive buzz—exacerbated the backlash.

Zegler’s Path Forward

For Zegler, Snow White is a paradox. It’s her second-highest-grossing film, pushing her career box office past $700 million, behind only The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes ($349 million). Critics lauded her performance, with ScreenRant’s Rachel Labonte calling her a “star of the highest order.” Yet the film’s failure and her controversies have cast a shadow. Her outspokenness—on the original film, Palestine, and Trump—made her a target, with Disney insiders reportedly regretting her casting.

Zegler has pivoted to theater, starring in Romeo + Juliet on Broadway in 2024 and preparing for Evita in London’s West End from June to September 2025. She’s also attached to an indie drama with Marisa Tomei, She Gets It From Me, signaling a shift to smaller projects. Her resilience is evident: despite Snow White’s flop, her Golden Globe for West Side Story and Broadway success show her talent transcends box office woes. Fans on X remain optimistic, with one declaring, “Rachel Zegler RULES and has a lifetime of incredible roles ahead.”

Lessons from a Poisoned Apple

The Snow White re-release debacle is a stark warning for Disney. Nostalgia alone can’t sustain live-action remakes; they must balance reverence for the original with fresh storytelling to avoid alienating audiences. The studio’s failure to address controversies early—Zegler’s comments, the CGI dwarfs, and geopolitical tensions—allowed negative narratives to fester. A streaming debut on Disney+ may offer a second life, as films like Mufasa found audiences online, but Snow White’s theatrical run will be remembered as a low point.

For Zegler, the fallout is a hurdle, not a career-ender. Her Evita role could redefine her as a stage icon, much like her Broadway debut did. Disney, meanwhile, must rethink its remake formula, learning from Snow White’s poisoned apple that even the most magical fairy tales can turn bitter without careful stewardship.