Social Media Drama Impacts Disney’s Snow White Box Office Success

Burbank, California — Disney‘s latest live-action remake of “Snow White” has faced significant challenges amid controversial social media posts made by lead actress Rachel Zegler. The film, which premiered on March 21, 2025, has reportedly grossed only $87 million worldwide, far below expectations set by its $270 million budget.

The controversies began in August 2024, shortly after Zegler celebrated the success of the film’s trailer, which amassed 120 million views in 24 hours. Her follow-up post—including the phrase “free Palestine”—sparked political backlash, raising concerns among Disney executives regarding the film’s commercial viability.

As a result of the post, Gal Gadot, who co-stars as the Evil Queen and is Israeli, began receiving death threats, prompting Disney to enhance her security. An insider remarked, “She didn’t understand the repercussions of her actions as far as what that meant for the film, for [Gadot], for anyone.” The backlash prompted Disney producer Marc Platt to fly to New York to address Zegler directly, but she opted not to remove the post.

The tension between Zegler and Disney escalated further when Zegler made another controversial social media post following the U.S. presidential election, which included disparaging remarks about former President Donald Trump and his supporters. Recognizing the need for damage control, Disney enlisted a social media expert to vet Zegler’s posts before the film’s release.

Despite efforts to contain the fallout, “Snow White” opened below expectations, making just $43 million domestically during its opening weekend, even underperforming projections that placed it between $45 million and $55 million. An executive from a rival studio noted, “You can’t say that a live-action remake of the most iconic film in the vault that cost [$270] million and has been reshot multiple times opening to $50 million is OK. The math does not work.” At this point, many had anticipated the film could achieve revenue in the billion-dollar range.

The turmoil surrounding “Snow White” reflects a broader issue that Hollywood studios face with managing their stars amid controversial statements on social media. While Gadot maintained a largely neutral tone with respect to her views, Zegler had previously faced criticism for her comments on social media, including her assertion that the original story was outdated and required modernization.

Previously, Zegler attracted criticism from traditionalists when she implied the prince in the original 1937 film “literally stalks” Snow White, emphasizing that her character would not depend on a prince for her happiness. “She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be,” Zegler stated.

The cumulative effect of Zegler’s outspoken comments and the subsequent controversies surrounding the film have left Disney executives questioning their approach. Observers have noted that the studio’s reluctance to respond to early criticisms may have allowed the narrative around the film to form uncontested.

Despite the ongoing speculation about relationships on set, sources reveal that Zegler and Gadot maintained a professional rapport during filming, although tensions were evident in the lead-up to the film’s release. Disney opted for separate promotional engagements for the two actresses, which contributed to perceptions of a rift.

As Disney reviews the outcomes of this project, the studio faces the challenge of navigating celebrity controversies while attempting to maintain its reputation for family-friendly content in an evolving media landscape. Box office analyst Jeff Bock stated, “Too much negative controversy surrounded this film for years, and it didn’t help that the reviews were subpar.” Looking ahead, it remains to be seen how these dynamics will affect future projects from Disney’s live-action slate.