How Much Money Did ‘Snow White’ Lose Disney?
Disney‘s 2025 Snow White remake is shaping up to be one of the biggest financial disappointments in recent memory. Despite high hopes and a massive budget, the film is on track to lose millions at the box office. Here’s why.
It would take a miracle for Disney’s ‘Snow White’ to become a hit at this point
The Hollywood Reporter says Snow White cost around $270 million to produce and $100 million to market. It projects that the film would need to earn about $500 to million to safely recoup its costs.
Deadline projects the movie will gross around $225 million worldwide, but this will not be enough to cover its production and marketing costs. The result? A potential loss of at least $115 million.
Struggling at the box office
The 2025 Snow White remake opened to a lukewarm reception from both critics and audiences. Early reviews have been mixed, with many criticizing the movie’s attempt to modernize the classic tale. The casting, the changes to the story, and the decision to depart from the source material have all been points of controversy. Fans of the original 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs were particularly vocal about the changes, which might have hurt the movie’s appeal.
In addition, the box office environment for Snow White is not as favorable as it once was. Moviegoers are increasingly hesitant to spend money on films that feel like reboots or unnecessary remakes. Snow White has had to compete with a packed schedule of blockbuster films and streaming releases, making it harder to draw large crowds. The excitement for Disney’s live-action adaptations seems to be fading, with audiences demanding more original content instead of the same stories retold again and again.
Snow White also faced tough competition. Hollywood is in the midst of a crowded summer and fall movie season, with big releases vying for audience attention. With so many options available, moviegoers may have been more likely to spend their money on something new and exciting, rather than revisiting a classic Disney fairy tale in live-action form.
The film’s failure to stand out in such a competitive market has only made its financial troubles worse. When audiences aren’t excited to see a movie, it affects ticket sales. As a result, Snow White is struggling to make an impact at the global box office.
Fairy tale or cautionary tale?
The financial disaster of the Snow White remake serves as a cautionary tale for Hollywood. While live-action remakes were once a reliable source of profit for Disney, audiences are showing signs of fatigue. In a world filled with reboots and sequels, originality is becoming more important than ever. Disney, and other studios, may have to rethink their approach to storytelling if they want to keep drawing audiences to theaters.
In the case of Snow White, Disney may face a financial loss of around $115 million. The movie’s poor performance is a blow to the studio, and it highlights the risks that come with relying on old stories in an ever-changing entertainment landscape. If Hollywood doesn’t learn from these missteps, it could face even more financial disasters in the future.
