The Gal Gadot and Rachel Zegler starrer Snow White is gearing up for release but has been shrouded in controversy for some time. The film is a live-action remake of Disney’s 1937 classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
In one week, return to the s̶t̶o̶r̶y̶ apple that started it all 🍎
— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) March 14, 2025
Disney's #SnowWhite in theaters March 21! Get tickets now: https://t.co/SWksDu6V2G pic.twitter.com/E8SB3dMdbH
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Casting and production controversies
The film faced backlash from the start, beginning with the casting of Rachel Zegler, a Latina actress, as Snow White. Additionally, Disney’s decision to cast one actor with dwarfism alongside six other non-dwarf actors of varying ethnicities (six men and one woman) for the roles of the seven dwarfs sparked further criticism.
The controversy deepened when Zegler criticised aspects of the original 1937 film, and later, both Zegler and Gal Gadot faced backlash for their opposing public stance on the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
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Box office expectations
Despite the controversies, Deadline reports that Disney expects the film to perform well at the box office, with an estimated $45M–$50M opening in North America and another $55M internationally, bringing its projected opening weekend total to $100 million.
However, with a rumoured production budget of $269.4 million, the film will need to earn twice that amount to be considered a success.
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Early reviews are mixed
Now that the review embargo has lifted, early reviews for the film have been mixed. Here’s a look at what critics are saying:
So Snow White is... a movie. Rachel Zegler proves once again what a talent she is and she nails every song. Gal Gadot feels extremely out of place - almost as if she's in another movie. I never got over the look of the "dwarfs" but the cartoony animals are adorable. #SnowWhite pic.twitter.com/mnFaMfJc4T
— Tessa Smith - Mama's Geeky (@MamasGeeky) March 19, 2025
Let’s practice what we preach! Disney’s live action Snow White dedicates itself to the power of community rallying together against tyranny. Rachel Zegler makes this movie worth it. Andrew Burnap is THAT guy. Genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this ❤️🍎🍃🗡️#SnowWhite pic.twitter.com/UpwtqFXlJg
— film posers™️ Josie Marie 🍉 (@TheJosieMarie) March 18, 2025
#SnowWhite I sadly left underwhelmed. Zegler is outstanding & her vocal performance really elevated the old & new songs.I even found the dwarfs to be fun. Everything else is just aimless, no real plot, weak villain,& many under developed characters. It’s decent just not memorable pic.twitter.com/oPVO3CmbPG
— Cris Parker (@3CFilmss) March 19, 2025
SNOW WHITE is a mostly well-shot fairy tale for young audiences. The new songs don’t fit with the classics, Gal Gadot aims for camp fabulosity but misses, and the dwarves are uncanny, but it moves swiftly and has a meaningful message, and Rachel Zegler is simply perfection. pic.twitter.com/JjlDwqQZFo
— Dancin' Dan in Movieland (@dancindanonfilm) March 18, 2025
🍎@Disneys live-action #SnowWhite encapsulates all the magic of the beloved classic animation #RachelZegler carries the entire film, she exemplifies the core values of Kindness, Compassion, & Friendship.
— GothamGeekGirl | Nadya Martinez (@GothamGeekGirl) March 18, 2025
It’s Magical it’s spellbinding surprisingly really enjoyed musical numbers pic.twitter.com/BCEzEwANN9
SNOW WHITE may not be “the fairest of them all,” but it’s actually a solid, rousing & entertaining Disney live-action musical remake that’s as good as “Beauty & the Beast” & “The Lion King.” A little too long & the CGI characters don’t really work, but still a pleasant surprise! pic.twitter.com/GNz1YN9Amn
— Scott Mantz 🖖 (@MovieMantz) March 18, 2025
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