‘Snow White’ Underwhelms at Box Office: A Closer Look

Disney’s latest live-action adaptation of the classic fairy tale, “Snow White,” has opened with disappointing results, drawing comparisons to some of the less successful films from the Disney portfolio.

Box Office Performance

The film, which reimagines the beloved 1937 animated feature, generated an estimated total of $87.3 million globally during its opening weekend. This figure includes:

• $43 million from the domestic box office
• $44.3 million from 51 international markets

Leading the international markets were the United Kingdom, which contributed $5.1 million, followed by Mexico with $4.1 million, and France at $3 million. However, the film’s performance in China was notably poor, earning a mere $900,000.

Budget Concerns

With a substantial budget exceeding $250 million allocated prior to marketing costs, “Snow White” was expected to achieve at least $100 million during its debut weekend. This allows for comparisons with other Disney productions, as the studio hopes to replicate the success of last December’s “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which garnered around $716 million worldwide. In contrast, the 2019 release of “Dumbo” managed only $353 million, raising alarms about potential box office missteps.

Competition and Context

Compounding concerns for Disney, another recent release from Warner Bros., “The Alto Knights,” also struggled, earning just $1.8 million overseas and $3.2 million domestically. This film, featuring Robert De Niro in a dual role as notorious crime bosses, has received negative responses from critics and audiences alike, contributing to its dismal showing.

Moreover, this marks a challenging period for Warner Bros., following another underperforming title, “Mickey 17.” Despite crossing the $100 million mark globally after an opening, it is projected to incur losses significantly exceeding $70 million against its $118 million budget.

Industry Outlook

The mixed outcomes of these films contribute to a broader trend in Hollywood’s 2025 box office performance, which has seen disappointing results. This has been contrasted with strong performances from international films, such as China’s “Ne Zha 2,” which has achieved remarkable success with $2.08 billion globally.

With upcoming releases like the “Minecraft Movie” and Marvel’s “Thunderbolts,” there is cautious optimism that audience attendance will improve as the summer movie season approaches. Paul Dergarabedian, a senior analyst at Comscore, noted, “With ‘Minecraft’ on deck and May [films] ushering in a killer summer movie season, the theatrical marketplace has finally started heading in the right direction.”