Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White has debuted at the top of the North American box office, despite facing significant controversy and lukewarm reviews.
The film earned an estimated $87.3 million (£67.5 million) globally during its opening weekend, according to Box Office Mojo, with nearly half of that coming from North America. However, the movie’s performance fell short of expectations, particularly given its reported $270 million production cost.
Even before its release, Snow White had become a polarising topic. The casting of Colombian-American actress Rachel Zegler as the titular character sparked debate, while both Zegler’s pro-Palestinian comments and Israeli actress Gal Gadot’s pro-Israel remarks added further controversy. Additionally, the film’s decision to exclude traditional dwarfs—replacing them with CGI or live-action alternatives—became a point of contention.
In mainland China, the movie struggled, failing to break into the top five at the box office and generating less than $1 million in its first three days. Entertainment industry consultant Patrick Frater suggested that ongoing controversies and Hollywood’s declining influence in Asia contributed to its underwhelming performance.
Critics have been divided on Snow White. The film holds a 44% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, though audiences have been more forgiving, giving it a 73% rating on the site’s “Popcornometer.”
Kevin Maher of The Times called it “that bad,” urging audiences to “believe the anti-hype.” Meanwhile, David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter described it as “mostly captivating.” The BBC’s Nicholas Barber noted its “creepy CGI dwarfs and muddled tone,” calling it “a mind-boggling mash-up” rather than a disaster.
Despite the mixed reception, Snow White has made a strong box office debut, though its long-term success remains uncertain.
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