Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Snow White (2025 film)
2025 American musical fantasy film From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Disney's Snow White,[6][7] or simply Snow White, is a 2025 American musical fantasy film[8] directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Marc Platt Productions, it is a live-action reimagining[9] of Walt Disney's 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, itself based on the 1812 fairy tale "Snow White" by the Brothers Grimm. The film stars Rachel Zegler as the title character, a princess who escapes assassination by her stepmother, the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot), and joins with seven magical beings[a] and a rogue bandit named Jonathan (Andrew Burnap) to reclaim her kingdom.
_final_poster.jpg)
Remove ads
Plans for a Snow White remake were confirmed in October 2016, with Wilson attached as a screenwriter. Webb entered talks to direct in May 2019 and was announced as director in September. Principal photography took place in the UK from March to July 2022, with additional reshoots taking place in June 2024. The film was initially set to be released in March 2024 but faced delays due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Prior to its release, the film generated significant controversy regarding its color-blind casting, changes to the story, and the reimagining of the Seven Dwarfs. Additional controversy stemmed from lead actress Zegler's public critiques of the original film and Donald Trump, as well as her and Gadot's opposing views on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, leading to calls for boycotts on both political sides.
Snow White premiered at the Alcázar of Segovia in Segovia, Spain, on March 12, 2025, and was theatrically released in the United States on March 21. It received mixed reviews; critics praised Zegler's performance but took issue with some of the film's stylistic choices. With a production budget of $240–270 million, it is one of Disney's most expensive films. It has grossed $204.9 million worldwide becoming one of the top box office films of 2025.[13][14] Due to its high budget and underperformance at the box office, it is considered by analysts to be a box-office bomb.[15]
Remove ads
Plot
Summarize
Perspective
A benevolent queen gives birth during a snowstorm. To honor the day, she and her husband name their daughter Snow White. Years later, after the queen dies of a sudden illness, the king hastily remarries before embarking on a military campaign. When he disappears, the new queen usurps the throne, revealing herself as an enchantress whose vanity surpasses her beauty.
Under the Evil Queen's rule, subjects are either left destitute or conscripted into the royal guard. Snow White, meanwhile, is confined to the palace and forced to work as a scullery maid. Fearing that Snow White's beauty will outshine her own, the Queen asks a Magic Mirror daily who is "the fairest one of all". The Mirror always responds in her favor.
One day, Snow White sees Jonathan, the leader of a band of bandits, raiding the pantry. When he is sentenced to be tied to the gates, she frees him. That same day, the Magic Mirror deems Snow White as the fairest. The Queen orders the Royal Huntsman to take Snow White into the forest, kill her, and bring her heart back in a jeweled box. The Huntsman instead warns Snow White of the Queen's intentions. At his urging, Snow White flees deep into the forest.
Woodland creatures lead Snow White to a secluded cottage, where she falls asleep. She awakens later that night to find herself confronted by the owners, seven "magical beings"[a] who work in a diamond mine. They take pity on her and agree to let her stay. Meanwhile, the Queen, having learned from the Magic Mirror that Snow White is still alive, imprisons the Huntsman before ordering a search.
Snow White and Jonathan meet again in the forest and fend off the guards alongside the bandits. The two realize their feelings for each other before Jonathan departs to find the king, whom Snow White believes may still be alive. Jonathan is captured by the guards and imprisoned by the Queen, who deduces Snow White's whereabouts. Retreating to her secret chambers, she transforms into a peddler woman and creates a poisoned apple to curse Snow White with the Sleeping Death.
After the miners leave for work, the Queen finds their cottage and tricks Snow White into eating the apple by saying she is an ally of Jonathan's. She then reveals to her stepdaughter that she killed her father. Snow White falls into the "Sleeping Death", and the Queen retreats to her castle. The miners find her sleeping body upon returning. Having escaped, Jonathan arrives to discover her dead and mournfully kisses her. Snow White awakens and rallies the miners and Jonathan's bandits to overthrow the Evil Queen.
Snow White confronts her stepmother, who forcefully goads her to take the throne, placing a diamond dagger into her hand. Snow White refuses to hurt her, reminding the people what the kingdom used to be like under her parents' rule. Moved by the memories and the princess' kindness, the guards stand up to the Queen and join the miners, the bandits, the Huntsman, and the civilians. The Queen tries to attack Snow White, but the miners and bandits defend her. The Magic Mirror tells the Queen that Snow White will always be fairer than her due to her kindness and justness. Snow White arrives to see the Queen destroying the Mirror, the source of her powers. As a result, she turns into glass herself and disappears into a vortex while the Magic Mirror repairs itself. With Snow White having been named the new queen at a grand party, everyone in the kingdom comes out to celebrate.
Remove ads
Cast
Summarize
Perspective
.jpg)
- Rachel Zegler as Snow White,[16] a fearless and pure-hearted princess who is determined to free her kingdom from her stepmother's tyranny.
- Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen,[19] Snow White's vain, jealous, and tyrannical stepmother who is obsessed with being the fairest one of all.
- Andrew Burnap as Jonathan, a new character created as Snow White's love interest (partially based on the Prince from the original film) and a rebel who wants to defy the Evil Queen's monarchy.[20]
- Ansu Kabia as the Huntsman,[21] an unnamed hunter and the Evil Queen's servant whom she orders to kill Snow White and bring back her heart.
- Patrick Page as the voice of the Magic Mirror,[22] a mirror containing a being that truthfully answers the Evil Queen's question of who is the fairest one of all.
- Jeremy Swift as the voice of Doc,[23][18] the intelligent leader of the seven miners, referred to as "Magical Creatures".[a]
- Jonathan Bourne as the motion capture/puppeteer of Doc[18]
- Tituss Burgess as the voice of Bashful,[23][18] a shy miner.
- Leah Haile as the motion capture/puppeteer of Bashful[18]
- Andrew Barth Feldman as the voice of Dopey,[23][18] a miner who does not speak and makes other sounds until after Jonathan wakes Snow White from her Sleeping Death. He is ultimately revealed as the narrator.[18]
- Jaih Betote as the motion-capture/puppeteer of Dopey[18]
- Martin Klebba as the voice of Grumpy,[24][18] a grouchy miner.
- Omari Bernard as motion capture/puppeteer of Grumpy[18]
- Jason Kravits as the voice of Sneezy,[23][18] a miner who sneezes frequently.
- Dominic Owen as the motion capture/puppeteer of Sneezy[18]
- George Salazar as the voice of Happy,[23][18] a cheerful miner.
- David Birch as the motion capture/puppeteer of Happy[18]
- Andy Grotelueschen as the voice of Sleepy,[23][18] a tired miner.
- Sandy Foster as the motion capture/puppeteer of Sleepy[18]
Additionally, Hadley Fraser and Lorena Andrea appear as the Good King and the Good Queen,[18] Snow White's parents. Appearing as Jonathan's team of seven bandits are George Appleby as Quigg, Colin Michael Carmichael as Farno, Samuel Baxter as Scythe, Jimmy Johnston as Finch, Dujonna Gift as Maple, Idriss Kargbo as Bingley, and Jaih Betote as Norwich.[18] The royal guards consist of Adrian Bower as the captain of the guards, Felipe Bejarano as Guard Paul, Simeon Oakes as Guard Matthew, Joshmaine Joseph as Guard William, and Chike Chan as Guard Arthur.[18][25][26]
Remove ads
Production
Summarize
Perspective
Development
On October 31, 2016, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Walt Disney Pictures was developing a live-action remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, with Marc Platt, an avid fan of the original film, signed on as lead producer and Erin Cressida Wilson being in talks to write the screenplay. Callum McDougall, in his third producing collaboration with Disney and Platt, serves as an executive producer.[27] Disney had been considering a live-action Snow White film since the early 2000s and at one point planned on adapting the story as a martial arts film set in China.[28]
On May 30, 2019, it was reported that Marc Webb was in talks to direct.[29] In November 2021, Greta Gerwig was reported to be co-writing the screenplay.[30] Gurinder Chadha was also strongly considered for the directing job.[31] Wilson ultimately received sole credit for the screenplay, with Gerwig receiving off-screen Additional Literary Material credit alongside Jez Butterworth, Steven Levenson, Jeff Nathanson, Victoria Strouse, and Chris Weitz.[32]
Casting
.jpg)
.JPG)
Jeremy Swift, Tituss Burgess, Andrew Barth Feldman, Martin Klebba, Jason Kravits and George Salazar provide the voices for six of the seven magical characters.
In June 2021, Rachel Zegler was cast in the titular role,[33] an actress of Latina descent, as Snow White drew criticism, as the character is described in the original Grimm fairy tale as having skin "as white as snow".[34][35] Zegler responded to the criticism in January 2022, stating that Snow White is popular in Spanish-speaking countries and that casting a Latina actress in the role was significant due to its rarity.[36] In August 2023, it was reported that Mexican actress Renata Vaca had been one of two finalists for the role. Vaca revealed that the casting call was "open to all ethnic groups" and that initial auditions required performing a song from a Disney Princess film.[37]
In November 2021, Gal Gadot was cast as the Evil Queen.[19] On December 7, 2021, during an interview with Extra, Zegler revealed that Snow White would be a lot "stronger" than the original.[38] Zegler's casting was solidified through a "glowing recommendation" to Webb from Steven Spielberg, who directed Zegler as María in his 2021 film adaptation of West Side Story.[39] A new casting search for an actress to star as a younger version of Snow White was launched and Emilia Faucher was cast.[17][40] On January 12, 2022, Andrew Burnap was cast as a new character named Jonathan in the lead male role,[20] replacing the character of The Prince.[41] At the 2022 Denver Fan Expo, Martin Klebba revealed that he would be portraying Grumpy; Klebba previously played similar dwarf roles in prior productions based on the "Snow White" fairy tale: in the 2001 made-for-television film Snow White: The Fairest of Them All as Friday, and in the 2012 fantasy comedy Mirror Mirror as Butcher.[24] Colin Michael Carmichael appears.[42] In February 2025, Andrew Barth Feldman, Tituss Burgess, Jason Kravits, George Salazar, Jeremy Swift, and Andy Grotelueschen were all cast as the remaining members of the Seven Dwarfs, with Salazar and Grotelueschen both making their film debuts.[23] David Krumholtz auditioned for Grumpy and Sleepy.[43]
Writing
In October 2024, Zegler explained that the film would feature an altered origin for Snow White's name, with the character being named as an homage to the weather on the night of her birth, after surviving a snowstorm with her parents, a narrative element she stated was inspired by a previous adaptation of the fairy tale.[44][45] She also faced criticism for comments about modernizing the titular character, particularly regarding the prince's role.[46] At D23 Expo 2022, she stated:
The original cartoon came out in 1937 and very evidently so. There's a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird! Weird. So we didn't do that this time. We have a different approach to what I'm sure a lot of people will assume is a love story just because we cast a guy in the movie, Andrew Burnap, great dude. [...] But it's really not about her love story at all, which is really, really wonderful. [...] All of Andrew's scenes could get cut, who knows? It's Hollywood, baby![47][48]
Some criticized these changes as overly feminist, while others accused Zegler of misrepresenting feminism.[49] David Hand, son of the original film's co-director, called the remake "insulting".[50] The controversy prompted The Daily Wire to announce a competing adaptation, though production stalled after star Brett Cooper's 2024 departure.[51] Zegler later clarified that the film would still include a love story, expressing sadness that her comments were misunderstood.[52]
In January 2022, actor Peter Dinklage, who has a form of dwarfism and has played dwarfish characters in his career, criticized the remake as a "backward story".[53] Disney responded that they were "taking a different approach" after consulting with the dwarfism community.[54] This drew mixed reactions from other actors with dwarfism including Dylan Postl, who felt Dinklage was costing them roles.[55] Production footage from July 2023 revealed the dwarfs had been reimagined as one actor with dwarfism and six non-dwarf actors of diverse backgrounds.[56] Disney initially denied then confirmed these were production stand-ins (with confirmed dwarf actor Martin Klebba not appearing).[57]
The changes were criticized as overly politically correct and reducing opportunities for dwarf actors.[56][58] Jason "Wee Man" Acuña of Jackass criticized Disney, asking "Why are you hiring 'Snow White and the seven average people'?"[59] Postl defended the original animated portrayals, disagreeing with Dinklage.[60] The final film features CGI versions resembling the 1937 characters,[7] though they are never called "dwarfs" in dialogue or marketing.[10] The film's title was shortened to Snow White to avoid emphasizing the dwarf characters.[11] It also avoids Snow White being relegated to the dwarfs’ maid; upon arriving at the cottage, she falls asleep, and the dwarfs agree to let her stay for her safety. During the musical number “Whistle While You Work,” all the characters share in cleaning up the home.[45]
In addition, other traditional plot points are also reimagined: the huntsman spares Snow White's life and, instead of placing an animal heart in a box as in the original, uses an apple, eliminating the need for animal death while preserving the deception.[45] The film also reframes Snow White’s identity; her destiny is to be a fair and fearless leader, and the classic song "Someday My Prince Will Come" is replaced with "Waiting On A Wish," a solo about her "hope to become her father's daughter and the kind leader she was raised to be."[45] Prince Charming is also replaced by Jonathan, a bandit leader, whose relationship with Snow White evolves from mutual skepticism to earned respect and love.[45]
Filming
Filming for Snow White was originally set to begin in March 2020 in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Los Angeles, California, but it was delayed to July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[61][62][63] In August 2021, it was announced that filming would take place in the United Kingdom[64] from March to July 2022.[65] Principal photography began on March 7, 2022.[66] A fire damaged the production set on March 15 at Pinewood Studios; the stage was under construction when a tree reportedly caught on fire, leading to a huge blaze.[67] A source from Disney confirmed that "no filming was underway".[68] The shooting schedule was also reconfigured for Zegler to travel to Los Angeles to present at the 94th Academy Awards ceremony on March 27, in support of her West Side Story colleagues.[69] While Zegler was attending the ceremony, Gadot began filming her scenes.[70] Unlike in the original, her character sings and dances.[71] On April 22, Gadot confirmed that she had completed filming her scenes,[72] much later adding that she enjoyed playing the role of the first Disney villain and that she was able to make a more dramatic role by changing her voice due to the film being a musical.[73][74] On July 13, Zegler revealed that filming had wrapped.[75][76] Mandy Moore, known for her work on La La Land, choreographed the musical sequences.[18]
Disney was unsatisfied with the film's original cut and ordered reshoots,[28] which took place in June 2024.[77][78][79] The resulting cut of the film replaced some of the originally intended ending with a new scene involving the Evil Queen and the Magic Mirror.[28] The track "Snow White Returns" was also a late addition to the film.[80] Much of the plotline involving the bandits was excised, as was a song titled "Hidden in My Heart", which was described by The New York Times as a "second-act...tear-jerker sung by one of the dwarfs."[28] Visual effects for the film were provided by Moving Picture Company, Framestore, Day For Nite, Passion Pictures, Vitality Visual Effects, Cheap Shot VFX, Lola Visual Effects, and Crafty Apes.[81][18]
Remove ads
Music
Summarize
Perspective
Songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who previously wrote the lyrics for two new songs for Disney's 2019 remake of Aladdin, wrote new songs alongside Jack Feldman as additional lyricist, including a new "I Want" song for Snow White, titled "Waiting on a Wish". They also wrote a new "villain song" for the Evil Queen, titled "All Is Fair", a new love duet for Snow White and Jonathan titled "A Hand Meets a Hand" (written in collaboration with Lizzy McAlpine), and a new opening ensemble number titled "Good Things Grow".[82] The film features four of the eight songs from the original film by Frank Churchill and Larry Morey: "Heigh-Ho", "Whistle While You Work", "The Silly Song" and "Someday My Prince Will Come", the final of which is heard only instrumentally in the underscore due to the plot changes.[27][83][18] In January 2025, it was revealed that Jeff Morrow had composed the score. Dave Metzger, a frequent collaborator on the music for films made by Walt Disney Animation Studios, served as orchestrator for the songs.[84] Christophe Beck, who also worked on several Disney projects (both animated and live-action) served as the music consultant for both Pasek and Paul.[18] On March 4, 2025, it was announced that the soundtrack album would be released on March 14 by Walt Disney Records, with "Waiting on a Wish" released to the public that same day as the lead single.[85][86] A deluxe edition of the album was released on March 20, 2025, featuring instrumental versions of the songs and Morrow's underscore.[87]
Remove ads
Marketing
Summarize
Perspective
On September 9, 2022, during Disney's 2022 D23 Expo presentation, a 30-second first-look trailer as well as first-look images were previewed. There were quick flashes of several major settings, including Snow White's cottage in the woods, the intricately designed interior of the Queen's castle, and the moss-covered forest. There were also short glimpses of Gadot as the Evil Queen questioning her magic mirror, Zegler as Snow White, and Snow White's hand falling with the poisoned apple toppling along with her.[88] Gadot said about her role that playing the Evil Queen was "very different than what [she] had done before. [She is] used to playing the other end of where the heart should be", but she found it very "delightful" to "get under her skin".[89][90] The title logo was also revealed.[91]
On October 27, 2023, Disney released the official first image of the film with Zegler as Snow White as well as Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy.[92][93] Zegler confirmed that there is a lot of CGI, which made her feel "nervous".[83] Footage of Gadot as the Evil Queen was shown at the 2024 CinemaCon.[94] Disney presented new footage and a behind-the-scenes look during the 2024 CineEurope.[95][96] The 2024 D23 Expo presented a sneak preview with a clip of the musical number "Whistle While You Work" along with the first trailer.[97]
The trailer for Snow White was released on YouTube in August 2024 and became the most disliked film trailers on the platform, garnering an estimated nearly one million dislikes and over 82,000 likes within three weeks, according to available data from browser extensions that display an approximation of YouTube dislikes.[98]
The first full trailer debuted at D23 Brazil in November 2024 and was attached to select theatrical screenings of Universal Pictures's Wicked before eventually being released onto YouTube on December 3, 2024.[99][100] Stuart Heritage of The Guardian criticized the visual effects for the animals and dwarves. He said the dwarves "look like someone has snuck into Disneyland, grabbed the statues from Snow White's Enchanted Wish and wrapped them in human flesh, as a serial killer would with a gift for their mother" and "like someone has shaved the Sonic the Hedgehog from that first Sonic the Hedgehog trailer that everyone hated."[101] Polygon's Petrana Radulovic wrote, "The new Snow White looks like it's putting in more of a plot, likely one where our plucky heroine will stand up to her despotic tyrant of a stepmother in a YA dystopian plotline out of 2014. Maybe it'll work, storywise! Visually, though, everything seems like it's working on the same budget as ABC Family's Once Upon a Time."[102] An international trailer featuring Snow White's origins was released on December 19, 2024.[103] A featurette showing a behind-the-scenes look and how it would honor the legacy of the 1937 film was released on February 20, 2025.[23] The press tour began in Tokyo on March 5, 2025, with Zegler joining her Japanese dub counterpart Sakura Kiryu to perform "Waiting on a Wish" live for the first time.[104] On March 10, 2025, the day tickets for the film went on sale, Disney released new posters, a TV spot, and a film clip.[105] Zegler later appeared on the March 17, 2025 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! to give the first live television performance of "Waiting on a Wish".[39]
At least $70 million was spent on marketing, which, combined with the main production budget, gave Disney a total investment of $350 million for the film.[106]
Remove ads
Release
Summarize
Perspective
Theatrical
During the 2022 D23 Expo Presentation, it was announced that Snow White would be released in 2024.[107][108] On September 15, 2022, the film was announced to have a release date of March 22, 2024.[109] However, in October 2023, it was delayed a year to March 21, 2025, with the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike cited as the rationale for the delay.[7] The theatrical release included engagements in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, ScreenX and D-BOX.[110][111][112]
The European premiere took place on March 12, 2025, at Spain's Alcázar of Segovia, which inspired the castle in the original film, to give the film a more elaborate showing at a "fairytale" venue.[113][114] A Hollywood premiere without regular red-carpet press took place at the El Capitan Theatre on March 15, 2025, due to the controversies surrounding Zegler and Gadot's political views.[114][115] In Gadot's honor, the film's first premiere in Israel took place on March 19, 2025, at the Planet Cinema in Rishon LeZion, with prominent figures from Israel attending.[116]
The film was re-released in 1,000 theatres in the United States on May 9, 2025, during the Mother's Day weekend, making $335,000.[5][117]
Boycotts
In August 2024, after the trailer for Snow White premiered, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) called for a boycott of the film due to Gadot's past service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and pro-Israel stance.[118][119] The Washington Times, a conservative publication, viewed these calls as antisemitic.[120] Boycott calls grew as Gadot and Zegler openly took opposing sides on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, with Gadot supporting Israel and Zegler supporting Palestine.[121][122] Before the film's release, Gadot received death threats, attributed to her stance, which led Disney to provide additional security for her.[123][124] Despite their opposing views, Gadot and Zegler had a positive relationship with each other during the film's production.[123]
Another call to boycott was made by Republican supporters in November 2024, following the U.S. presidential election, as Zegler posted "Fuck Donald Trump" and attacked those who voted to re-elect him, saying, "May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace." Zegler later issued a public apology, saying she did not intend any harm with her message.[125][126][127]
In March 2025, several Arab organizations and individuals opposed to Israeli policies launched a digital campaign against the film, particularly targeting Gadot due to her past military service. Groups from Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Tunisia, UAE, and Egypt, called for a regional boycott, arguing that screening the film supports the Israeli occupation and the IDF's treatment of Palestinians.[128][129][130] Later in April, the film was officially banned in Lebanon, and it was pulled from theaters in Kuwait.[131][132]
Home media
Snow White was released for digital download on May 13, 2025, and will be released on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on June 24. The home media releases include deleted scenes, a gag reel, and featurettes.[133] A special two-movie collection of the film and the animated movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, will also be released.[134]
Remove ads
Reception
Summarize
Perspective
Box office
As of May 21, 2025[update], Snow White has grossed $86.9 million in the United States and Canada, and $117.9 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $204.9 million.[4][5] The Hollywood Reporter stated the film may have trouble getting to $300 million or $400 million globally per several studio executives.[135]
In the United States and Canada, Snow White was released alongside The Alto Knights and Ash, and was projected to gross $45–55 million from 4,200 theaters in its opening weekend.[2][3] It was initially projected to gross $63–70 million, with analysts comparing this projection to the $69.4 million opening of Maleficent (2014) and believing that the film would overcome its controversies and fare well financially, given there being no strong competition against it on opening weekend, but in late February, projections were lowered.[136] The film made $16 million on its first day, including an estimated $3.5 million in Thursday previews.[137] It went on to debut to $42.2 million, slightly below projections but still managing to top the box office due to little competition;[138] the low opening was attributed by The Hollywood Reporter to "so-so audience scores and underwhelming reviews".[139] Business Insider reported that the film's behind-the-scenes controversies likely had little impact on its box-office performance,[140] while Deadline reported that the film's financial performance could primarily be attributed to its marketing, the source material failing to resonate with younger audiences, and negative buzz surrounding the film's visuals.[137] In its second weekend, the film made $14.3 million (dropping 66%), finishing second behind newcomer A Working Man,[141][142] and then $6.1 million in its third weekend, falling to fourth.[143]
Producer Marc Platt's son Jonah Platt attributed Snow White's underperformance in its opening week partly to Zegler's social media post supporting Palestine.[144][145] Box-office analysts largely disagreed with the view that the film's underperformance could be attributed to political controversies and instead attributed it to the film's failure to resonate with critics and audiences.[140] Some actors and musicians have defended Zegler's comments.[146]
Critical response
The film received mixed reviews.[147] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 39% of 257 critics' reviews are positive; the site's "critics consensus" reads: Snow White is hardly a grumpy time at the movies thanks to Rachel Zegler's luminous star turn, but its bashful treatment of the source material along with some dopey stylistic choices won't make everyone happy, either.[148] Rotten Tomatoes also reported that critics thought Zegler was "one huge highlight" of the film, but "Gadot's reception is mixed [...] as are the CGI Dwarfs."[149] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 50 out of 100, based on 51 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[150] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while those surveyed by PostTrak gave it an average rating of three out of five stars, with 43% saying they would definitely recommend it.[137] The Hollywood Reporter noted that Disney's previous theatrical remakes earned CinemaScores around the "A" range.[135] The BBC reported that British film critics have mostly panned the film, while US critics were more positive.[151]
Katcy Stephan of Variety lauded Zegler's performance, praising her as a "shining supernova" and her character as having "newfound depth through her fervent desire to become the leader her father believed she could be."[152] Siddhant Adlakha of IGN called the film "the best Disney live-action remake in a decade" and said that it "adapts the broad strokes of the original, while fleshing out its themes."[153] Brian Truitt of USA Today wrote that it "finds modern relevance amid the old material."[154] Patrick Gomez of Entertainment Weekly described the film saying: "Disney's best live-action remake is the fairest of them all."[155]
Nicholas Barber of the BBC wrote, "The story is cluttered, the tone is muddled, and the pacing is off. Again, that doesn't make the film a disaster. In some ways, the identity crisis is what makes it worth seeing."[156] Witney Seibold of /Film wrote, "It's hollow, but unlike some more recent remakes, it seems to have thoughts in its head."[157] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote of the premise, "If that sounds like the standard female-empowerment template that's almost obligatory in contemporary fairy-tale retreads, it more or less is. But the incandescent Zegler sells it with conviction and heart."[158] Daniel Bayer of AwardsWatch wrote, "[Marc] Webb gets the job done with minimal muss and fuss, and whenever Zegler is onscreen, the film manages to conjure up some of that good old Disney magic."[159] Dan Rubins of Slant called it "a fairly paint-by-numbers exercise in updating a quintessential but unquestionably quaint property for modern consumption."[160] Amy Nicholson of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the film is "a fascinating case study in today's impossible contradictions—a magic mirror reflecting the tensions of the current times."[161] Nell Minow of RogerEbert.com gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four and wrote, "Some parts of the film work better than others, but none of it has the sweetness and imagination of the animated feature. This Snow White is not the fairest of them all. It's just, well, fair."[162]
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called it "exhaustingly awful", with "tiresome pseudo-progressive additions", and criticized Zegler and Gadot's roles as "the dullest performances of their lives".[163] Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post wrote, "The timeless classic, a groundbreaking achievement for animation, has been turned into another pointless and awkward live-action automaton that vanishes from your mind the second it's over."[164] Tyler Taing of DiscussingFilm wrote, "Aside from Rachel Zegler's powerhouse performance, there is little else to enjoy from this clumsy, poorly conceived, and cynical live-action Disney remake. Even Gal Gadot's hilariously bad line reads are not worth the trip to the theater."[165] Rodrigo Perez of The Playlist wrote, "While interjecting its social commentary, Snow White otherwise tackles much of the same ideas—the notions of true love, the power of friendship, and the triumph of good over evil—but it's all put together in a very familiar and garish package."[166] David Fear of Rolling Stone said it "may not be the worst live-action adaptation of an animated touchstone, though it's a strong contender for its blandest."[167]
By April 2025, over 91% of reviews of Snow White on IMDb were one star, which led to the site flagging the film with a notice of unusual activity due to concerns of review bombing.[168]
Accolades
Remove ads
Impact
Production on Disney's live-action remake of Tangled was suspended indefinitely in April 2025, in the wake of the box-office underperformance of Snow White. It has not yet been determined whether or not Tangled will resume production at some future date, or undergo any changes to its crew or script.[170][171]
Notes
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads