While Rachel Zegler takes the London stage by storm in Evita under Jamie Lloyd’s direction, her cinematic performance as Disney’s Snow White continues to draw attention—for reasons both good and complicated.
The 2025 Snow White remake officially closed its theatrical run in April, ending what has become one of Disney’s most high-profile misfires. The live-action reimagining of the 1937 animated classic faced resistance early on and never quite found its footing critically or commercially.
Originally set to release in 2024, the project endured several delays before debuting in theaters on March 21, 2025. Despite the extended timeline, the film failed to connect with audiences and reviewers, launching amidst controversy and high expectations.
Much of the controversy stemmed from resurfaced 2022 interviews with Zegler, who redefined the character in bold terms. She explained that her Snow White wasn’t preoccupied with true love or reliant on a prince—calling the original prince “a stalker.”
Fans of the 1937 original didn’t take kindly to the dramatic shift in character, arguing that the new portrayal strayed too far from the spirit of the beloved fairy tale.
Screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson (The Girl on the Train) retooled the narrative to reflect modern themes. While some appreciated the updated direction, others criticized nearly every major creative choice—from casting and dwarf representation to overarching story elements.
Zegler would later respond to the criticism, attributing it to fans’ emotional connection with the original film.
Further tensions behind the scenes cast a shadow on the release. Reports surfaced of alleged political strain between Zegler and co-star Gal Gadot (the Evil Queen), which corresponded with reduced red carpet presence and a noticeably subdued publicity campaign in both the U.S. and abroad.
A Variety exposé detailed the production’s challenges, citing a polarizing social media post by Zegler. The actress shared a “Free Palestine” message on X (formerly Twitter) just after the trailer dropped.
Forecasts for the film were bleak. Initial tracking suggested a $53 million opening against a massive $270 million+ production budget. The movie launched at just $42 million domestically.
According to Box Office Mojo, the film ultimately grossed $205,679,463 worldwide—$87,203,963 from domestic audiences and $118,475,500 overseas. Forbes put the shortfall into perspective: “Assuming an approximate 50-50 split means that Snow White needs to gross at least $427.8 million for Disney to cover its costs at the box office.”
Yet, the story didn’t end in theaters. Snow White made its Disney+ debut on June 11 and quickly surged to the top. “According to data from FlixPatrol, which charts popularity on streaming services, the movie is currently the No. 1 film on Disney+,” Comic Book reported at the time.
Roughly four months after closing theatrically, the film appeared on the Nielsen streaming charts. In the week of its release, it ranked fifth among all streaming films, joining titles like Straw (Netflix) and The Accountant 2 (Prime Video), and tallying 581 million minutes viewed.
Curiosity seemed to win out—audiences showed up on streaming platforms even if they skipped theaters.
The cast included Zegler, Gadot, Andrew Burnap as Jonathan, Ansu Kabia as the Huntsman, Jeremy Swift as Doc, Andrew Barth Feldman as Dopey, Tituss Burgess as Bashful, George Salazar as Happy, Martin Klebba as Grumpy, Andy Grotelueschen as Sleepy, and Jason Kravits as Sneezy.
Meanwhile, Disney rebounded swiftly with Lilo & Stitch (2025). Originally planned for Disney+, the film received a theatrical release and became an instant hit.
Following a trend started by Moana 2 (2024), the live-action Lilo & Stitch exceeded expectations. Deadline reported strong advance tracking: “Six weekend-in-advance tracking has hit for both movies on Quorum, with Lilo & Stitch eyeing a $100M+ 3-day opening…”
During Memorial Day weekend, the film opened to nearly $183 million domestically and hit $361 million globally. Disney later confirmed a worldwide gross of $976.9 million, marking a major success for director Dean Fleischer Camp’s reimagining.
What did you think of Snow White? Let us know in the comments.
Lol people didn’t want to PAY money to make fun of it. I dont know anyone who is watching on Disney+ to actually enjoy it. I went into it thinking I would be proven wrong about it being bad but unfortunately, it was terrible. I believe the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were more real than any of the animals or dwarves in this movie. Waiting on a Wish is a good song and sang well, but Zeiglers facial expressions during it made me laugh out loud. And the song the queen sings was good but seemed out of place and she was not a good singer. People are watching it to make fun of it.