Disney’s highly anticipated live-action remake of Snow White, released on March 21, 2025, has become one of the studio’s most significant financial and public relations disasters in recent memory. With a staggering production budget of $270 million—ballooning to an estimated $450 million with marketing costs—the film was projected to be a cornerstone of Disney’s 2025 slate. Instead, it has grossed a mere $87 million globally in its opening weeks, far below expectations for a remake of the studio’s first animated classic. The fallout has sparked intense scrutiny, with actress Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen, publicly addressing the controversies surrounding her co-star Rachel Zegler and the film’s troubled rollout. As Snow White falters, questions about Disney’s live-action remake strategy and the impact of off-screen drama have taken center stage.

A Promising Project Derailed

When Disney announced its live-action Snow White in 2016, the project seemed like a surefire hit. The 1937 animated original, a landmark in cinema history, had cemented Snow White as an iconic figure in global pop culture. Directed by Marc Webb, known for 500 Days of Summer, and featuring a high-profile cast led by Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, the remake promised to blend nostalgia with modern sensibilities. The film reimagined Snow White as a proactive leader, moving away from the passive princess archetype, while retaining the fairy-tale charm of the original. However, from its inception, the production was plagued by challenges that foreshadowed its eventual downfall.

Filming began in March 2022 but faced immediate setbacks, including a literal fire on set in London and delays caused by the 2023 Hollywood actors’ strike. The decision to replace live-action dwarfs with CGI “magical creatures” sparked debate, with critics like Peter Dinklage calling out Disney for potentially reinforcing stereotypes, only for the studio to later revert to CGI dwarfs resembling the 1937 characters. Casting controversies further fueled the fire, particularly around Zegler, a Latina actress of Colombian and Polish descent, playing a character traditionally described as having “skin as white as snow.” While Disney defended the casting as a step toward diverse representation, vocal critics on social media decried it as a departure from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

Rachel Zegler’s Controversial Comments

Rachel Zegler, a rising star known for her Golden Globe-winning role in West Side Story and her performance in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, became the lightning rod for much of the film’s backlash. Her outspoken comments about the original 1937 film drew significant ire. In a 2022 interview, Zegler described the animated classic as “dated,” criticizing its portrayal of Snow White’s relationship with the Prince, whom she said “literally stalks her.” She emphasized that the remake would focus on Snow White as a “fearless leader” rather than a character seeking “true love.” While intended to highlight the film’s progressive reimagining, these remarks alienated fans who cherished the original, accusing Zegler of disrespecting Disney’s legacy.

Zegler’s social media activity further amplified the controversy. In August 2024, following the release of the Snow White trailer, which garnered 120 million views in 24 hours, Zegler posted a message thanking fans for their support, concluding with “and always remember, free Palestine.” The post, which amassed 8.8 million views, sparked immediate backlash, particularly due to the contrasting political stance of her co-star, Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress and former IDF combat fitness instructor who has been vocal in her support for Israel, especially following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. The post reportedly led to an increase in death threats against Gadot, prompting Disney to bolster her security. Producer Marc Platt flew to New York to address Zegler’s comments, urging her to remove the post, but she stood firm.

Zegler’s political outspokenness didn’t end there. After the 2024 U.S. presidential election, she posted on Instagram, criticizing President Donald Trump and his supporters, stating, “May Trump supporters and Trump himself never know peace.” The post, later deleted with an apology, further alienated a portion of Disney’s audience, with some accusing her of signaling that Snow White was not a film for conservative viewers. These incidents, combined with her earlier comments, painted Zegler as a polarizing figure, with some fans rallying behind her authenticity while others blamed her for derailing the film’s prospects.

Gal Gadot Breaks Her Silence

In a recent interview on Israeli television show The A Talks on August 14, 2025, Gal Gadot addressed the Snow White debacle for the first time, offering a candid perspective on the film’s failure. “I really enjoyed filming that movie, and I even enjoyed working with Rachel Zegler,” Gadot said, attempting to quell rumors of a feud between the two actresses. “We laughed, talked, and had fun.” However, she pointed to external pressures as a significant factor in the film’s poor performance. “There was a lot of pressure on celebrities to speak out against Israel, and it happened,” she stated. “I was disappointed the movie was so affected and didn’t do well at the box office. But that’s how it goes—you win some, you lose some.”

Gadot’s comments sparked further debate, with some interpreting them as an attempt to shift blame for the film’s failure onto anti-Israel sentiment rather than acknowledging its broader issues, such as negative reviews and production missteps. Critics pointed out that Gadot herself faced boycott calls from pro-Palestinian activists due to her vocal support for Israel, including a speech at the Anti-Defamation League’s 2024 summit where she condemned those “celebrating, justifying, and cheering on a massacre of Jews.” The political divide between Gadot and Zegler, while not directly addressed by either as a personal conflict, became a focal point for audiences and media, with some speculating that their differing views created tension on set.

A Scaled-Back Premiere and Critical Backlash

Disney’s handling of the Snow White rollout reflected the studio’s awareness of the brewing storm. The film’s world premiere on March 15, 2025, at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles was notably subdued, with no traditional red-carpet press interviews, only photographers and a house crew. This decision, reported as an attempt to avoid contentious questions about the film’s controversies, was seen by some as Disney conceding defeat before the film even opened. Zegler and Gadot attended the event but were kept largely separate, fueling online speculation about their relationship, particularly when Zegler’s Instagram posts about the film omitted any mention of Gadot.

Critically, Snow White was met with scathing reviews, earning a dismal 47% on Rotten Tomatoes from 101 reviews, one of the lowest scores for a Disney live-action remake. Critics slammed the film’s “lazy, visually repellent” execution and described the performances of Zegler and Gadot as lackluster. The CGI dwarfs, a compromise after earlier controversies, were widely criticized as “cringeworthy” and “nightmare fuel.” While some reviewers praised the film’s visual effects and Zegler’s earnest performance, the consensus was that Snow White failed to capture the magic of the original or justify its hefty budget.

Disney’s Live-Action Dilemma

The failure of Snow White has broader implications for Disney, which has relied heavily on live-action remakes of its animated classics to drive box office revenue. Films like Aladdin (2019) and The Little Mermaid (2023) achieved moderate success despite similar casting controversies, but Snow White’s dismal performance—grossing just $43 million domestically in its opening weekend compared to projections of $45–55 million—has raised questions about the viability of this strategy. The film’s $87 million global haul pales in comparison to Weapons, a horror film that crossed $200 million on a $38 million budget, highlighting the stark contrast between Disney’s gamble and more cost-effective successes.

Disney’s decision to invest over $350 million in Snow White, including marketing, has drawn scrutiny, with analysts questioning where the funds were allocated given the film’s lackluster visuals and production issues. The studio’s reluctance to fully embrace the film’s rollout, coupled with its inability to manage the Zegler-Gadot controversy, suggests a lack of confidence in the project from the outset. Some insiders have pointed to Disney’s failure to address Zegler’s comments early on as a missed opportunity to control the narrative, while others argue the studio was caught in a no-win situation, wary of stifling free speech after past legal battles with actors like Gina Carano.

The Road Ahead for Zegler, Gadot, and Disney

For Rachel Zegler, the Snow White backlash has been a double-edged sword. While she has faced intense criticism, her supporters have rallied around her, praising her courage in standing by her beliefs. Posts on X have hailed her as an icon for speaking out, with some arguing that Disney unfairly scapegoated her for the film’s failure. Zegler has leaned into a positive mindset, stating in a recent interview that therapy and medication have helped her navigate the online vitriol. Her career remains promising, with upcoming roles likely to capitalize on her talent and growing fanbase.

Gal Gadot, meanwhile, continues to navigate her own challenges. Her comments about Snow White’s failure have drawn mixed reactions, with some praising her professionalism and others accusing her of deflecting blame. As an established star, Gadot’s career is unlikely to suffer long-term damage, but the boycott calls and security concerns highlight the personal toll of her public stance.

For Disney, Snow White represents a cautionary tale. The studio’s attempt to modernize a beloved classic while navigating cultural and political sensitivities backfired spectacularly, resulting in a financial loss estimated at $115–200 million. As Disney moves forward with other live-action projects, the Snow White debacle underscores the need for a more cohesive strategy that balances creative ambition with audience expectations. Whether the studio can regain its fairy-tale magic remains to be seen, but for now, Snow White stands as a stark reminder that even the most cherished stories can turn into a nightmare at the box office.