Disney princesses have always been beloved, and Snow White stands out as the first to captivate audiences and help pull Disney from financial crisis with the animated classic “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” In an effort to meet the high expectations of fans, Disney created a live-action adaptation. Unfortunately, this version disappointed viewers worldwide, leading to significant backlash and a reported loss of about $115 million for the studio. Let’s explore what caused this beloved princess to face a global boycott.

A Risky Reimagining Of A Timeless Classic

Originally released in 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the film that launched Disney into global fame. The film even helped Disney get out of financial crisis at that time. Naturally, a live-action reboot of such an iconic story carried high expectations—but also serious risks.

The 2025 adaptation, directed with the intent of modernizing the tale for a new generation, took bold creative liberties. While some praised the attempt to reinvent the narrative, most critics and fans felt the movie strayed too far from what made the original magical.

Controversial Changes Sparked Backlash

One of the most cited elements of the film is the character’s departure from the source material. This is not the first time that Disney has done this in a live-action film, as the same thing happened to Ariel in The Little Mermaid live-action by using a black actress to play Ariel. We are not talking about racism here, but think about it, how can we accept such a change that is so far from the source material? Moreover, the image of Ariel is so deeply imprinted in our subconscious. If you still think I am racist, remember Naomi Scott as Jasmine in live-action Aladdin is colored actress but everyone love this movie.

Besides, the casting of the film is not reasonable at all when Rachel Zegler is cast as Snow White and Gal Gadot is cast as the Evil Queen. Hearing this is enough to make you exclaim “What the… is Disney doing with these princesses?”. How could someone as beautiful as Wonder Woman (another role of Gal Gadot) could be jealous of a Snow White, who is practically smaller than her finger!

Box Office Bomb

The Snow White live-action film was reportedly made on a massive budget exceeding $200 million, including marketing. But despite Disney’s powerful promotion machine, the movie barely crossed $85 million worldwide—a catastrophic return by blockbuster standards.

Industry insiders estimate that Disney lost nearly $115 million, making this remake one of the studio’s worst-performing live-action films of all time, even compared to previous disappointments like Mulan (2020) or The Haunted Mansion (2023).

A Sign Of A Bigger Problem At Disney?

The Snow White disaster has sparked a broader discussion about Disney’s creative direction. Perhaps after the success of “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King,” Disney is drowning in its desire to change the original and make the film more political. That may partly explain why Disney lost hundreds of millions of dollars and caused the company to indefinitely suspend its live-action project. It is Disney’s conservatism, disregard for what audiences need, want, and risk-taking that has pushed itself to this point.

Final Thoughts

Many people feel that through this movie Disney is insulting human intelligence. The magical forests, fairy kingdoms and seven dwarfs are beautifully rendered using CGI technology. Dopey with his innocent expression is also a lovely point in the film. In addition, classic songs such as Heigh-Ho and Whistle While You Work are renewed along with new songs such as Princess Issues and Waiting on a Wish, which also contribute to increasing the emotional content of the work.