Rachel Zegler, the 23-year-old star of Disney’s live-action Snow White, released on March 21, 2025, is facing a tidal wave of backlash as the film craters at the box office, earning a dismal $43 million domestically and $87.3 million globally against a $270 million budget. Touted as a fresh take on the 1937 classic, the film—directed by Marc Webb with Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen—has been branded “the biggest Disney flop ever” by furious fans and critics on X, with Zegler taking the brunt of the blame. Posts like “Rachel Zegler Gets DESTROYED By Everyone” flood social media, pinning the disaster on her casting, comments, and perceived attitude. But is she the true villain in this fairy-tale fiasco, or a scapegoat for a broader Disney misstep? Let’s unpack the outrage, the numbers, and the fallout.

A Box Office Bloodbath

The scale of Snow White’s failure is staggering. Pre-release hype pegged it at $65-85 million domestically (Box Office Pro, February 2025), but revised estimates dropped to $45-55 million as controversy brewed. Opening day yielded just $16 million, including $3.5 million in previews (Variety), landing at $43 million for the weekend across 4,200 U.S. theaters—below even Dumbo’s $46 million (2019). Globally, $87.3 million from 51 markets (Deadline) is a fraction of the $600-700 million needed to break even, factoring in $350 million-plus in production and marketing costs. Analysts project losses of $200-300 million, dwarfing flops like The Lone Ranger ($260 million loss, 2013) and rivaling John Carter (2012) as Disney’s costliest bomb.

Fans on X call it “the biggest Disney flop ever,” a claim bolstered by context. The Lion King (2019) opened to $191 million, Beauty and the Beast (2017) to $174 million—Snow White’s $43 million is a humiliating speck. Even The Little Mermaid (2023), despite its own backlash, debuted at $95 million. Empty theater photos flood X with captions like “Zegler’s Snow White—biggest flop in Disney history” (March 23, 2025), cementing its infamy. The numbers don’t lie: this is a catastrophe beyond expectations.

Zegler in the Crosshairs: Why the Hate?

Zegler’s journey with Snow White began in 2021 when Disney cast her, fresh off West Side Story, as the iconic princess. The choice sparked instant controversy—her Colombian heritage clashed with the Grimm tale’s “white as snow” descriptor, drawing racist ire. “She’s not Snow White—Disney’s woke agenda strikes again,” one X post raged (2021). Zegler countered, “It’s about surviving a snowstorm, not skin color” (Variety, 2022), but the damage stuck. The backlash echoed Halle Bailey’s Little Mermaid ordeal, but Zegler’s outspokenness turned it personal.

In 2022, she told Extra the remake would ditch the prince for a leadership-focused Snow White, dismissing the 1937 original’s romance as “weird” and its prince as a “stalker.” Fans erupted—conservative voices like Matt Walsh tweeted, “Zegler hates the classic and Disney let her ruin it” (2022), while X users fumed, “She trashed Snow White—now it’s the biggest flop ever” (March 23, 2025). Her pro-Palestinian X posts—contrasting Gadot’s pro-Israel stance—added fuel, sparking boycotts and political venom. “Zegler’s politics tanked Snow White,” one post claimed (March 22, 2025).

Post-release, the pile-on intensified. X is awash with vitriol: “Rachel Zegler DESTROYED—she killed Disney’s legacy” (March 23, 2025). Her singing—praised by IGN as “luminous”—and charm can’t offset the film’s 44% Rotten Tomatoes score and B+ CinemaScore. Critics like The Guardian (one star, “exhaustingly awful”) and fans alike blame her as the face of a “woke” misfire, with CGI dwarfs and a feminist rewrite amplifying the hate. “Worst casting ever—Zegler’s Snow White is a disaster,” an X user sneered (March 23, 2025).

A Career in Tatters?

Zegler’s resume makes the backlash sting harder. West Side Story (2021) earned critical love but grossed just $76 million globally—her breakout fell flat. Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) flopped at $134 million against $125 million, denting her blockbuster cred. Snow White was her shot at A-list status, with Disney banking on her vocal talent and Gen-Z appeal. Instead, it’s a millstone. The Daily Mail (March 16, 2025) cited insiders saying she fears “career suicide,” while X posts crow, “Zegler’s done—three flops in a row” (March 23, 2025).

Her defenders push back. The Hollywood Reporter praised her “captivating” presence, and a 71% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes suggests some fans stayed loyal. “Blaming Zegler is unfair—she didn’t write this mess,” an X supporter argued (March 23, 2025). But the “DESTROYED” narrative dominates—her every move, from casting to comments, is dissected as the flop’s root cause.

Disney’s Role: Scapegoat or Culprit?

Zegler isn’t the whole story—Disney’s fingerprints are all over this mess. The studio greenlit a $270 million gamble, delayed by strikes and bloated by reshoots. The decision to swap real dwarfs for CGI after Peter Dinklage’s 2022 critique backfired—actors protested, and the VFX bombed (Empire: “an unholy disaster”). The feminist rewrite—co-penned by Greta Gerwig—alienated nostalgists, while a muted premiere screamed panic. “Disney set Zegler up to fail,” an X post mused (March 23, 2025).

The box office reflects broader woes. Disney’s 2023 flops—Indiana Jones ($384 million), Haunted Mansion ($117 million)—and a 7% revenue dip from 2024 (Comscore) signal cracks. Snow White’s $43 million debut is the lowest for a major remake since Dumbo, and its $87.3 million global haul pales against The Little Mermaid’s $569 million. Web reports like Forbes (March 21, 2025) call it “a crisis point,” with X users gloating, “Disney’s woke era is dead—Zegler’s just the fall guy” (March 23, 2025).

The Film: A Flop Beyond Zegler

On screen, Snow White is a dud. Zegler’s princess seeks leadership, not love, alongside Burnap’s bandit and CGI dwarfs. Critics savage it: IndieWire’s “uninspired,” BBC’s “mind-boggling mash-up.” Gadot’s Queen lacks bite (Variety), and the tonal clash—whimsy meets grit—flops. Empty theaters and a B+ CinemaScore (low for Disney) show fans didn’t bite. “Biggest Disney flop ever isn’t just Zegler—it’s everything,” an X post admitted (March 23, 2025). The film’s sins amplify her vilification, but they’re not hers alone.

Biggest Flop Ever? The Case

Is Snow White Disney’s worst? John Carter lost $200 million (2012 dollars), The Lone Ranger $260 million—but Snow White’s $200-300 million deficit, tied to a sacred classic, hits harder. Mars Needs Moms (2011) tanked at $39 million globally, but its $150 million budget softens the blow. Snow White’s high stakes—remaking Disney’s first film—and low return ($43 million vs. $270 million) make it a contender. X hyperbole—“Biggest flop in Disney history” (March 23, 2025)—feels earned when adjusted for expectation and legacy.

Zegler’s Destruction: Fair or Foul?

“Rachel Zegler Gets DESTROYED By Everyone” captures a moment of fury—fans, critics, and trolls unloading on a young star. Her casting sparked debate, her words lit the fuse, and the flop handed detractors ammo. X is merciless: “Zegler’s career is over—Snow White killed it” (March 23, 2025). Yet, Disney’s missteps—budget, creative risks, PR—share the blame. She’s no saint—her comments fanned flames—but she’s not the sole architect of this disaster. Web chatter like CBR (March 2025) notes, “She’s the lightning rod, not the storm.”

Conclusion: A Star Falls, a Studio Falters

Snow White’s flop is a perfect storm—Zegler’s polarizing presence, Disney’s hubris, and a film that missed the mark. The “biggest Disney flop ever” tag sticks, with $87.3 million a grim epitaph for $270 million spent. Zegler’s “destruction” is real—her star dims under relentless hate—but it’s a shared failure. As X revels in her downfall—“Zegler’s toast” (March 23, 2025)—Disney faces a reckoning too. This fairy tale ends not with a kiss, but a knockout punch—to her career, to the studio, and to a legacy left in tatters.