Rachel Zegler FURIOUS After Snow White BOMBS At The Box Office And Is BANNED From Theaters?!

Disney’s live-action Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler, has gone from fairy-tale dream to nightmare reality, bombing spectacularly at the box office and now facing an unprecedented twist: bans from theaters in select regions. Released on March 21, 2025, the $270 million production has limped to a global gross of just $225 million as of April 8, 2025, a financial disaster that’s left Disney reeling. But the real bombshell came when reports surfaced that certain theater chains and locales have pulled the film entirely—some citing its controversial messaging, others bowing to local political pressures. Zegler, the 23-year-old star at the center of the storm, is said to be “furious,” unleashing a torrent of frustration that’s only deepened the saga’s chaos. What’s behind this double whammy of failure and censorship, and why has it set tongues wagging worldwide? Let’s dive into the drama.

A Box Office Flop for the Ages

From the outset, Snow White was a high-stakes bet for Disney. With a production budget of $270 million—pushed higher by reshoots, a set fire, and pandemic delays—and marketing costs estimated at $100 million to $200 million, the film needed to rake in at least $500 million globally to break even. Instead, it debuted to a dismal $87 million worldwide, plummeting 66% in its second weekend to $14.2 million domestically. Critics savaged it, with The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey calling it “lazy” and “visually repellent” in a one-star review, while audiences gave it a lukewarm 74% on Rotten Tomatoes but largely stayed away. By early April 2025, its total haul stood at $225 million—a loss projected by Deadline to exceed $115 million after ancillaries.

The flop wasn’t just a numbers game; it was a cultural flashpoint. Zegler’s casting as a Latina Snow White had sparked debate since 2021, with some fans decrying the departure from the “skin as white as snow” description. Her comments at Disney’s 2022 D23 Expo—“It’s not 1937 anymore; she’s not going to be saved by the prince”—and her dismissal of the original prince as a “stalker” alienated traditionalists. Then came her political posts: a “free Palestine” tag on X in August 2024 and a post-election “Fuck Donald Trump” rant in November, which fueled boycott calls from conservative audiences. By release day, Snow White was less a movie than a lightning rod, and ticket sales reflected it.

Theater Bans: A Shocking Twist

As if the box office collapse weren’t enough, Snow White has now been yanked from screens in unexpected places, sending shockwaves through the industry. Reports first emerged on April 3, 2025, via X posts from users like @dom_lucre, claiming that theater chains in parts of the Middle East—specifically Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates—had banned the film. Local media cited “cultural sensitivities,” with outlets like Gulf News pointing to Zegler’s pro-Palestine stance and the casting of Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress, as the Evil Queen. The decision came after her August 2024 X post went viral, prompting death threats against Gadot and forcing Disney to beef up security for the star.

The bans didn’t stop there. In the U.S., a small but vocal chain of independent theaters in Texas and Oklahoma pulled Snow White from their schedules by late March, citing “community feedback.” One theater owner, speaking anonymously to Variety, said, “We got calls and emails saying they wouldn’t come if we showed it—people were mad about her Trump comments.” While these bans affected only a handful of screens, they amplified the narrative of a film too toxic to touch. On X, @AGHamilton29 noted, “Snow White’s being banned in places because Rachel Zegler couldn’t keep her politics out of it—Disney’s paying the price.”

International markets followed suit. In Poland, a conservative backlash led to several cinemas dropping the film after Zegler’s election outburst, with one chain calling it “inappropriate for family audiences.” Even in China, where Disney films typically thrive, Snow White faced a limited release—some speculated due to its feminist overhaul clashing with state censors’ preferences. Collectively, these bans slashed the film’s earning potential further, turning a financial wound into a hemorrhage.

Zegler’s Furious Response

Zegler, already under fire for the flop, reportedly hit her breaking point when news of the bans broke. Sources close to the actress told The Hollywood Reporter that she was “livid” during a closed-door meeting with her team on April 4, 2025, ranting about “censorship” and “hypocrisy.” “I poured my soul into this, and now they’re banning it because they can’t handle a woman with a voice?” she allegedly fumed. Later that day, she took to Instagram Live, where fans captured clips of her pacing in frustration. “This isn’t about art anymore—it’s about punishing me,” she said, her voice trembling. “If you’re banning this film, you’re banning me, and I won’t stand for it.”

The outburst didn’t stay private. By April 5, edited snippets flooded TikTok and X, with captions like “Rachel Zegler LOSES IT Over Snow White Ban.” In one viral clip, she snapped, “They can ban it all they want—I know what I made, and I’m proud of it.” The reaction split her audience: supporters hailed her defiance, with @SandyofCthulhu tweeting, “She’s fighting for her work—Disney should back her up.” Critics, however, saw it as entitlement. “She’s mad the world didn’t bow to her Snow White,” @AmiriKing posted, echoing a sentiment that Zegler’s fury was misplaced given the film’s rejection.

On April 6, she doubled down with an Instagram post: a behind-the-scenes photo of her in costume, captioned, “They can’t take this from me—no ban, no flop, no hate will erase what I gave.” The post racked up 400,000 likes but drew fierce backlash, with @JohnFord tweeting, “Rachel Zegler’s FURIOUS because her woke Snow White got banned and bombed. Maybe don’t trash the original next time?” Her rage, raw and unfiltered, only fueled the firestorm.

Disney’s Dilemma

Behind the scenes, Disney is scrambling. CEO Bob Iger, per Variety, is “furious” at the debacle, with insiders claiming he’s “done playing nice” after Zegler’s unchecked behavior and the film’s collapse. The bans have complicated recovery efforts—Middle Eastern markets, though small, were a reliable boost for past Disney hits, and losing them stings. The muted premiere—no red carpet, no press—and the film’s replacement of dwarfs with CGI “magical creatures” already signaled doubt, but the bans have turned a flop into a PR nightmare. “Disney didn’t expect this level of pushback,” a source told Deadline. “They’re bleeding money and credibility.”

The studio’s missteps are glaring. Sticking with Zegler despite her controversies—rather than reining her in early—left them vulnerable. The trailer, panned as “cheap” and “A.I.-generated,” failed to excite, and the broader trend of remake fatigue (see Mufasa: The Lion King’s underwhelming run) didn’t help. “Disney handed her a $270 million megaphone, and she used it to yell at the audience,” Joe Rogan quipped on his podcast, summing up the sentiment of many.

Why It’s a Big Deal

Zegler’s fury and the bans have elevated Snow White from a mere flop to a cultural battleground. For some, it’s a “go woke, go broke” parable—conservative voices like Megyn Kelly have slammed Zegler as a “diva” whose politics tanked a family film. Others see her as a scapegoat for Disney’s hubris. Film critic Mark Harris tweeted, “The bans are absurd, but blaming Zegler alone is lazy—Disney’s the one who greenlit this mess.” Over 50 journalists signed an open letter decrying the pile-on, arguing she’s a young Latina star caught in a no-win situation.

The bans themselves raise questions about art versus politics. In the Middle East, Gadot’s nationality and Zegler’s activism clashed with regional tensions; in the U.S., it’s a microcosm of the culture wars. “This is what happens when you mix Hollywood with geopolitics,” @amuse posted on X. “Snow White’s a casualty.”

What’s Next?

For Disney, Snow White is a $115 million-plus lesson, with Iger reportedly shelving other remakes like Tangled. Zegler, still fuming, is set to pivot to Evita in London in June 2025—a chance to reclaim her narrative. Her career hangs in the balance, with whispers of a Hollywood “blacklist” swirling. As for the bans, they’re unlikely to lift soon, leaving Snow White a pariah in parts of the world.

On April 8, 2025, this saga is the talk of the town—a tale of rage, rejection, and a fairy-tale dream turned dystopian. Zegler’s fury might not save the film, but it’s ensured no one’s forgetting her name anytime soon.