Snow White: should Disney be wary of their latest live action film as it opens this week?

• Disney’s latest live-action remake, Snow White, is set to open in cinemas this weekend (March 21 2025.)
• But the production has been dogged by controversies throughout its production.
• With the track record of Disney and MCU movies not exactly stellar, should Disney worry about the returns of their latest movie?

It should be a celebrated moment once again for Disney; the release of their latest live-action remake, the beloved Snow White.

Despite Snow White's historical significance as Disney's first full-length animated feature, the film's marketing campaign has felt subdued. At least, compared to some other huge remakes that the House of Mouse has previously released.

Have all the controversies surrounding Snow White led to a muted release - and potentially a poor box office showing in the making? | Disney Studios/Canva

Controversies regarding Gal Gadot aside, the film was initially criticized by Peter Dinklage over the film's portrayal of the seven dwarfs, stating they perpetuated harmful stereotypes about dwarfism, sparking a debate about representation and sensitivity in adapting classic fairy tales.

Rachel Zegler's comments, which some perceived as dismissive of the original animated film, also sparked controversy. She's talked about the remake being a ‘modern’ take and not focusing on the love story and how the modern day Snow White does not need a prince., which has upset some fans who cherish the classic version.

So are Disney wary about the good will, or lack of, throughout the production and ahead of its release and are tempering their expectations? Analysts have stated that the studio hopes it makes $50m in its opening weekend - but after disappointments within the MCU franchise, is Snow White set for a similar fate?

What have been the box office totals of previous Disney live-action remakes?

Disney's live-action remakes have been a mixed bag going back to 101 Dalmatians in 1996 - with The Lion King and Beauty and The Beast the only two films to break $100bn worldwide at the box office. | Canva

Looking at the figures supplied by Box Office Mojo, it becomes clear that there is no real trend when it comes to Disney’s live-action remakes.

The box office figures paint a mixed bag picture, with some remakes achieving blockbuster status while others struggle to recoup their budgets. The Lion King is still the most successful remake, pulling in $1,662,020,819 at the box office worldwide, but that had a lot of strong marketing, promotion, and ultimately goodwill attached to it.

Beauty and the Beast also pulled in strong figures ($1,356,081,801) alongside Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (1,025,468,216), and the Jungle book came close; but despite their individual box office successes, they still fell short of the top tier.

Budgets significantly impact a film's success. For example, while The Lion King grossed over $1 billion worldwide, its $260 million budget resulted in an estimated net profit of $1.4 billion (excluding Hollywood accounting).

In contrast, while 102 Dalmatians made almost $200m at the worldwide box office, it’s budget of an estimated $85,000,000 meant it made an estimated $98,611,771, with Alice Through The Looking Glass having the net lowest net profit at $129,820,798.

If we consider The Lion King: Mufasa, a trend emerges: while initial live-action remakes generate significant interest, subsequent sequels tend to lose momentum and viewership.

Should Disney be worried about Snow White’s box office success?

While the Snow White remake has faced its share of controversies both during and after production, it's still too early to predict a complete box office disaster.

The enduring power of the Disney brand and the dedicated fanbase surrounding its classic properties shouldn't be underestimated. Despite negative press, there's still a significant audience drawn to the nostalgia and spectacle that Disney films often provide. This suggests that Snow White will likely draw a considerable crowd, even if it doesn't achieve record-breaking numbers.

However, it's also important to manage expectations. Snow White might not replicate the phenomenal success of films like Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King. Those films benefited from extensive marketing campaigns and a strong wave of goodwill, factors that Snow White may not fully possess after the controversies that have dogged the production.

The current cultural climate and evolving audience preferences could also play a role in its reception. Therefore, while a respectable box office performance is likely, reaching the heights of those past blockbusters might be a challenge.

There's no clear pattern among Disney's remakes to predict success, but it's fair to say Snow White might perform well, though perhaps not as spectacularly as Disney initially hoped.

Snow White opens in cinemas nationwide on March 21 2025 - including at Vue and Odeon. Those with MyLimitless memberships with Odeon can watch the film as part of your monthly subscription - for more information how to join, visit the Odeon’s MyLIMITLESS page.