Los Angeles, California – Disney’s highly anticipated live action remake of Snow White has been met with disappointment and criticism from critics and fans alike. The beloved fairy tale has failed to live up to expectations at the box office, having so far grossed an estimated $56 million worldwide after its second weekend.

The 1937 animated Snow White was a huge success, grossing $418 million on a budget of just $1.5 million, and revitalized the then-struggling Disney company, launching its famed animated feature film line, and proving that animated film can be a serious and successful genre. It appears that the 2025 live action Snow White, however, will not live up to its predecessor, and may end up running at a loss. The film had an estimated $209 million dollar budget.

Rachel Zegler thrives in her singing roles in Snow White, garnering nearly universal praise, even among those who strongly criticized the film. But even this is not enough to save the production. Zegler has been very vocal in her criticism of the original 1937 Disney animated classic Snow White, referring to it as outdated, and lambasting nearly every major plot element of the original story, from the love story with Prince Charming to the shy personality of the character of Snow White. Given Zegler’s strong public disdain for the story and character of Snow White, casting her to play the iconic role in a $209 million dollar live action remake of the film was at best a curious choice, and may have doomed the production from the start. If Zegler hates the original story of Snow White so much, why was she chosen to play the lead role?

Furthermore, some of the new musical arrangements seem to not fit the demure character of Snow White. The original Snow White sang gentle songs to woodland animals, while Zegler’s Snow White sings power ballads while she’s preparing to battle against the Evil Queen. This iteration of Snow White seems to not fit the iconic character.

One of the other major issues pointed out by critics and fans are the CGI dwarves. The decision to use computer-generated imagery instead of casting actual actors has been met with backlash, as the dwarves lack the charm and personality necessary to succeed as likable characters in a children’s animated film. Whereas the original 1937 animated classic featured dwarves that were cute and appealing as characters, the 2025 live action remake lacks this charm. The result is a lack of connection between the audience and the characters, with many fans referring to the dwarves as “creepy,” “scary,” “ugly,” or “off-putting.” Additionally, some little people online have criticized Disney for not hiring real actors for the iconic roles, robbing seven actors of the opportunity.

Snow White has also been criticized for its wooden acting among most of its cast, as well as questionable choices in its directing and storytelling. Many of the performances felt forced and lacked depth, making it difficult for the audience to become fully invested in the movie. Furthermore, the film’s main antagonist, the Evil Queen, played by Gal Gadot, has also received negative reviews for her underwhelming vocal performance during the musical numbers.

Despite the controversy and disappointment, Disney has yet to comment on the underperformance of Snow White. However, it is clear that the studio will have to reevaluate their approach to future live action remakes in order to avoid similar backlash and criticism from both critics and fans.