The live-actionSnow Whiteis Disney’s most divisive remake yet. Based on the 1937 classic, the remake is intended to celebrate Disney’s first animated movie by reintroducing it in a new medium. Rachel Zegler stars as Snow White, alongside Gal Gadot (The Queen), Ansu Kabia (The Huntsman), and Andrew Burnap (Jonathan). With a reported budget of around $200-250 million, Disney expected great returns from the movie, butSnow Whiteproved to be extremely controversialin light of issues like the cast and characters.
Now, onRotten Tomatoes, the reception for the newSnow Whitemovie is divided. The movie has been panned by critics and sits at a disappointing44% score on the Tomatometer. However, audiences have been considerably more favorable, which led to a71% Popcornmeter score. These totals are likely to change as the theatrical run continues, but the 27% difference is stark.
What The Divisive Score Means For Snow White
Neither Score Is Exceptional
Disney’s live-action remakeshave endured controversy in the past, butSnow Whitesaw criticism over its basic premise.Game of Thronesstar Peter Dinklage argued that the movie was “backwards” in its depiction of people with dwarfism, sparking months of arguments and controversy. Additionally, Zegler’s casting has earned criticism since she is half-Colombian and half-Polish, which many unfairly argued was not conducive to the original story. The star also criticized the original movie, due to Snow White’s passive role, drawing even more complaints.
Snow Whitewould need to earn over $500 million to achieve success.
These critiques have had an impact, as the movie is facing review bombing. The 71% Popcornmeter score only accounts for verified viewers.Among all viewers, it has a 22% scorewith an average rating of 1.6 out of 5. Despite the review bombing, that rating aligns more closely with critics, who panned the CGI, performances, and lifeless setting. So far, the movie is projecting a $45 million debut opening, which is miles away from looking at a potential box office success.
Snow White’s Budget vs Box Office Projections: How Much It Needs To Make
Disney’s live-action Snow White remake is set to release soon, and with that comes questions as to whether the film will be a box office success.
These are far from the worst results for aDisney live-action remake.Pinocchio(2022) andAlice: Through the Looking Glass(2016) earned a 27% and 29% score, respectively. Compared to those results, the reception is far better forSnow White, but it doesn’t reach the levels ofThe Jungle Book(2016) andCinderella(2015), which have 93% and 84%, respectively. Nevertheless, it ultimately comes down to how audiences respond to the movie. This is possible, withMufasabeing a prime example of the longevity game. After a lackluster $35 million debut movie, theLion Kingprequel became a massive box office success at over $710 million after over two months in theaters.
Our Take On Snow White’s Rotten Tomato Scores
This Was Somewhat Inevitable
Unfortunately, aside from the review bombers, these responses may very well be fair. Some of Disney’s live-action remakes have proved to be incredibly exciting, butSnow Whitewas nothing more than an unnecessary adaptation. Even while praising Zegler’s performance,ScreenRant’s Rachel Labonte called it"anticlimactic and a touch too saccharine." It had an unnecessarily high budget and reportedly had significant reshoots. These factors only spell trouble for the movie, but it’s too soon to tell if the more positive reception from audiences could be the saving grace for the remake.
