Disney's $270 million live-action remake of "Snow White" opened in theaters Friday, but its release has been clouded by a wave of political controversy, polarized public reception, and critical backlash that could weigh heavily on its box office performance.
Directed by Marc Webb, known for helming "The Amazing Spider-Man," the adaptation of the 1937 animated classic has been in development since 2016. Disney has previously scored commercial success with similar live-action remakes, including "Cinderella" and "The Jungle Book." However, "Snow White" finds itself at the epicenter of cultural battles surrounding race, politics, and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"'Snow White' looms as a Hollywood case study of how the world can change under your feet," wrote Richard Rushfield, editorial director of entertainment newsletter The Ankler. "It approaches the finish line having collected more scandals, brouhahas and issues than some studios see in a decade."
At the heart of the controversy is Disney's casting of Rachel Zegler, a Colombian-American actress, in the titular role. The decision sparked backlash from some online critics, who derided the project as "Snow Woke," echoing similar reactions to the studio's casting choices in 2023's "The Little Mermaid."
Zegler further intensified scrutiny by publicly criticizing supporters of former President Donald Trump. Following the 2024 election, she posted on Instagram, "May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace," a statement for which she later apologized.
The film has also been embroiled in geopolitical tensions. Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who portrays the Evil Queen, received calls for a boycott after voicing support for Israel following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. Meanwhile, Zegler has expressed her "pro-Palestine stance" on X, highlighting the stark divide between the film's two stars and fueling competing protests. Pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed Tuesday during Gadot's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.
In an effort to control the narrative, Disney limited media access during the Los Angeles premiere, moving the red carpet event to a tented area behind the El Capitan theater. Despite the turmoil, audience members reportedly responded positively during the premiere, applauding the film's musical numbers.
Online critic Christopher Rates It remarked, "'Snow White' is not only one of their best live-action remakes in years, but it's also a film that recaptures the magic of the 1937 movie. Rachel Zegler IS Snow White, and she delivers such a magical performance."
Still, early reviews paint a far less favorable picture. Kevin Maher of The Times of London called the film "a new low for cultural desecration," criticizing its political overtones and changes to Snow White's traditional arc. Maher advised viewers: "Bring a sick bag," awarding the film just one star.
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian echoed similar sentiments, describing the adaptation as "exhaustingly awful" and condemning what he called the film's "pseudo-progressive" revisions. The Guardian's review dismissed the CGI dwarfs and labeled the film a "cynical corporate exercise."
The New York Times' Manohla Dargis offered a more tempered take, calling the movie "perfectly adequate" but questioning the necessity of yet another remake, stating, "The overall impact of Snow White's liberation struggle is minimal."
Other critics, including Odie Henderson of The Boston Globe and Helen O'Hara of Empire, were equally critical. Henderson described the movie as "bad in all sorts of ways," citing Marc Webb's direction and uninspired songs. O'Hara argued the film felt "Frankensteined into submission in the edit," particularly condemning the CGI portrayal of the dwarfs as an "unholy VFX disaster."
Robbie Collin of The Telegraph provided one of the few moderately positive reviews, awarding three out of five stars and noting that the film avoids unnecessary subversion despite its pre-release backlash.
Industry analysts are divided over whether the controversy will have a lasting impact at the box office. Shawn Robbins, founder of Box Office Theory, projected a domestic opening in the high $30 million to low $40 million range, with other forecasts predicting up to $55 million in North America and an additional $55 million globally.
"It faces these challenging narratives," Robbins noted. "The flip side is that family movies have been doing really well, and there aren't a lot of them coming out before summer so that could be a benefit."
Stephen Galloway, dean of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University, suggested that strong reviews could mitigate the backlash. "The darkness of the web, even when it's not the dark web, doesn't kill a movie," Galloway said. "Everything is basically dependent on, was this movie any good?"
