Disney’s live-action Snow White, released on March 21, 2025, has been branded by some as “the most absurd disaster ever made,” a hyperbolic claim that nonetheless reflects the intense backlash surrounding the film. Directed by Marc Webb and featuring Rachel Zegler as the titular princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, this reimagining of the 1937 animated classic has stumbled into a perfect storm of controversy, critical disdain, and financial underperformance. With a reported budget exceeding $270 million, the film has grossed a mere $87.3 million worldwide as of late March 2025, according to Box Office Mojo, prompting some to call it one of Disney’s most spectacular failures. But what makes this remake so absurd—and disastrous—in the eyes of its detractors? Let’s unpack the chaos, from pre-release scandals to its on-screen execution, and explore whether the label holds water.
A Storied Legacy Meets Modern Missteps
The original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs holds a hallowed place in cinema history. Released in 1937, it was Disney’s first feature-length animated film, a technical marvel that redefined storytelling and earned Walt Disney an honorary Oscar. Its simple yet enchanting narrative—centered on a princess saved by love and aided by seven endearing dwarfs—captured hearts worldwide. Fast forward nearly 90 years, and Disney’s decision to remake this iconic tale in live-action was met with both anticipation and skepticism. The studio’s track record with live-action remakes has been mixed, with successes like The Lion King (2019) contrasted by flops like Pinocchio (2022). Snow White promised a fresh take, but what it delivered, critics argue, was a bizarre mishmash of misguided ambition and corporate overreach.
The film’s journey to the screen was rocky from the start. Announced in 2016, it faced delays due to the 2023 actors’ strike, pushing its release from 2024 to 2025. Production costs ballooned, and the project became a lightning rod for cultural debates. By the time it hit theaters, Snow White was already burdened with expectations it could never meet—and a reputation as a potential trainwreck.
The Controversies: A Recipe for Absurdity
If absurdity is born from chaos, Snow White had plenty to spare before a single frame was screened. The casting of Rachel Zegler, a Latina actress of Colombian descent, as Snow White ignited a firestorm in 2021. Critics on X and conservative media outlets like the New York Post decried the choice, arguing it deviated from the Grimm tale’s description of “skin as white as snow.” Zegler countered that her character’s name stemmed from a snowstorm, not complexion—a clever retcon that did little to quell the outrage. The backlash echoed the racist trolling faced by Halle Bailey for The Little Mermaid, highlighting a persistent resistance to diverse casting in Disney’s fairy-tale universe.
Then came the dwarfs—or lack thereof. In 2022, actor Peter Dinklage criticized the original’s depiction of the seven dwarfs as stereotypical, prompting Disney to pivot to CGI versions. This decision sparked its own absurdity: actors with dwarfism, like Dylan Postl, accused Disney of erasing job opportunities, while the final CGI dwarfs were widely mocked as “creepy” and “uncanny valley” disasters. Empire’s review called them “an unholy VFX disaster,” a sentiment echoed across Rotten Tomatoes’ 44% critic score.
Zegler’s comments about the original film added more fuel. In 2022, she told Extra that the 1937 version’s focus on a prince “stalking” Snow White was “weird” and outdated, promising a more empowered heroine. Conservatives pounced, branding the remake “woke” and accusing Zegler of disrespecting a classic. Her later pro-Palestinian posts on X clashed with Gadot’s pro-Israel stance, turning Snow White into a geopolitical flashpoint. Calls for boycotts emerged from both sides, with the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel targeting Gadot’s involvement. Disney’s response? A scaled-back premiere and limited press access, a move that screamed damage control but only amplified the absurdity of a children’s film mired in adult controversies.
The Film: A Disaster on Screen?
So, does Snow White live up to its “absurd disaster” billing on its own merits? The film follows Snow White (Zegler) as she escapes her tyrannical stepmother (Gadot), teams up with CGI dwarfs and a bandit named Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), and seeks to reclaim her kingdom. It ditches the prince entirely, opting for a feminist spin where Snow White aspires to leadership over romance. New songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul join classics like “Heigh-Ho,” while the visuals aim for a storybook aesthetic.
Critics are split, but the negative reviews paint a damning picture. The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw gave it one star, calling it “exhaustingly awful” with “pseudo-progressive” choices that tie it in knots. The Toronto Star’s Adam Nayman slammed its $250 million budget as a “dark art” of failure, pointing to Gadot’s “disaster” of a performance and the film’s lack of charm. The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey called it “lazy” and “visually repellent,” arguing Zegler deserved better. On Rotten Tomatoes, the consensus reads: “Snow White is hardly a grumpy time at the movies thanks to Rachel Zegler’s luminous star turn, but its bashful treatment of the source material along with some dopey stylistic choices won’t make everyone happy, either.” A 50/100 on Metacritic underscores its mediocrity.
The CGI dwarfs are a frequent punching bag. Designed to mimic the original’s animated look, they instead land in an eerie uncanny valley, with Empire noting they “slow the film to a crawl.” The plot’s attempt to balance empowerment with fairy-tale whimsy feels disjointed—BBC’s Nicholas Barber called it a “mind-boggling mash-up” of old-fashioned tribute and Marxist revisionism. Gadot’s Evil Queen, while visually striking, lacks depth, with Variety noting her “thin” singing and lackluster fury. Zegler fares better, with IGN’s Siddhant Adlakha praising her as “the best part of Disney’s best live-action remake in a decade.” Yet even her vocal prowess can’t salvage what many see as a soulless cash grab.
Financially, the numbers are grim. Posts on X report a $3.5 million Thursday preview in the U.S., with a projected $40-50 million domestic opening—far below Cinderella’s $67 million in 2015 and nowhere near recouping its budget. Globally, $87.3 million against $270 million-plus is a disaster by any metric, especially for a studio synonymous with box-office dominance.
Why “Absurd Disaster” Fits
The “most absurd disaster ever made” label isn’t just about the film’s quality—it’s the absurdity of how it all went wrong. Disney took a beloved classic and turned it into a punching bag for culture warriors, a lightning rod for political feuds, and a showcase for questionable creative choices. The decision to overhaul the dwarfs into CGI oddities, the jarring tonal shifts, and the inability to escape pre-release baggage all contribute to a sense of a project spiraling out of control. As The Times’ Kevin Maher put it, it’s “a crisis point for Disney,” a studio that once crafted “flawless cinematic stories” now reduced to “sanctimonious life lessons.”
Yet, some defend it. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman called it “one of the better live-action adaptations,” praising its lighter tone and Zegler’s glow. The Hollywood Reporter found it “mostly captivating,” and audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore, suggesting it’s not universally reviled. For every critic who sees absurdity, others see a flawed but earnest attempt to modernize a dated tale.
Conclusion: Disaster or Overblown Drama?
Is Snow White truly “the most absurd disaster ever made”? It’s not the worst film ever—hyperbole aside, it’s watchable, with moments of charm anchored by Zegler. But as a Disney blockbuster, it’s an undeniable misfire: absurd in its self-inflicted wounds, disastrous in its failure to justify its existence or budget. The controversies might fade, but the film’s legacy as a cautionary tale of corporate hubris and cultural miscalculation seems set. For a studio built on magic, Snow White proves that even the fairest dreams can turn into a nightmare when absurdity reigns supreme.
