Disney’s 2025 live-action adaptation of “Snow White” has been met with underwhelming box office performance and mixed critical reception. The film, directed by Marc Webb and starring Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, debuted with a domestic opening weekend gross of $43 million, falling short of its production budget of over $250 million.
Critically, the film has faced significant challenges. The Guardian described it as “toe-curlingly terrible,” criticizing its visual aesthetics and sentimental approach. Similarly, Business Insider noted that the film’s lackluster performance was accompanied by various controversies, including debates over casting choices and narrative decisions.
Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Marc Webb |
| Screenplay by | Erin Cressida Wilson |
| Based on | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Disney Snow White by the Brothers Grimm |
| Produced by | Marc Platt, Jared LeBoff |
| Starring | Rachel Zegler, Andrew Burnap, Gal Gadot |
| Cinematography | Mandy Walker |
| Edited by | Mark Sanger, Sarah Broshar |
| Music by | Jeff Morrow (score) Larry Morey and Frank Churchill (songs) Pasek and Paul (new songs) |
| Production companies | Walt Disney Pictures, Marc Platt Productions |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| Release dates | March 12, 2025 (Alcázar of Segovia) March 21, 2025 (United States) |
| Running time | 109 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $240–270 million |
| Box office | $87.3 million |
Plot/Summary
A benevolent king and queen welcome their daughter during a snowstorm, naming her Snow White to honor the day. Years later, the queen falls ill and dies. The king hastily remarries, taking a mysterious woman as his second wife, before leaving to mount a campaign against an imminent threat to the realm’s southern borders. When he fails to return, the new queen usurps the throne, revealing herself as an enchantress whose vanity surpasses her beauty.
Under the Evil Queen’s rule, the kingdom suffers from heavy taxation and conscription. Snow White, presumed dead by the populace, is confined to the palace as a scullery maid. The Queen, fearful of Snow White’s burgeoning beauty, consults a Magic Mirror daily, asking it to name “the fairest one of all.” The Mirror always responds in her favor, pleasing her.
One day, Snow White catches Jonathan, the cynical leader of a band of thieves, raiding the pantry. When he is sentenced to be tied to the gates, she frees him and gives him a piece of bread. That same day, the Magic Mirror proclaims Snow White is now the fairest. Enraged, the Queen orders her Huntsman to kill Snow White and bring her heart back in a jeweled box. The Huntsman cannot bring himself to fulfill the task; instead, he warns Snow White of the Queen’s intentions. At his urging, Snow White flees deep into the forest.
Lost and frightened, she is befriended by forest animals, who lead her to a reclusive cottage. Unbeknownst to Snow White, the cottage is owned by seven dwarfs, named Doc, Grumpy, Bashful, Sleepy, Sneezy, Happy, and Dopey, all of whom spend their days working in a diamond mine. They find her asleep in their beds, take pity on her when she tells them of her plight and allow her to stay for one night. Upon discovering that Snow White is alive after the Magic Mirror identifies the heart she was given as an apple, the Queen imprisons the Huntsman and orders her guards to find her.
Snow White and Jonathan meet again in the forest and fend off the guards alongside the thieves. The two realize their feelings for each other before Jonathan departs to find the king, whom Snow White believes may still be alive. However, Jonathan is captured by the guards and imprisoned by the Queen, who retreats to her secret chambers. There, she transforms into a peddler woman and creates a poisoned apple to curse Snow White with the Sleeping Death.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Rachel Zegler | Snow White |
| Gal Gadot | The Evil Queen |
| Andrew Burnap | Jonathan (Original Character) |
| Martin Klebba | Grumpy |
| Ansu Kabia | The Huntsman |
| Colin Michael Carmichael | Magic Mirror |
| Dwarfs (Unnamed Actors) | Doc, Bashful, Sleepy, Sneezy, Happy, Dopey |
Reviews
Disney’s 2025 live-action adaptation of “Snow White” has received predominantly negative reviews from critics and audiences alike. The film currently holds a 44% approval rating from critics and a 71% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Guardian described the remake as “toe-curlingly terrible,” criticizing its visuals and sentimentality, and likening its appearance to an “AI-created migraine.
HuffPost labeled the film “a strange, hot mess,” noting that while the plot has been modernized, the execution leaves much to be desired.
User reviews on IMDb echo these sentiments, with one reviewer stating, “The magic is not there,” and another calling it “a parody of its own potential, a laughable, lifeless rehash.
The film’s underwhelming box office performance further reflects its reception, with an opening weekend gross of $43 million against a $250 million budget.
In summary, Disney’s “Snow White” (2025) has struggled to resonate with both critics and audiences, facing criticism for its execution, performances, and overall impact.
