Disney’s attempt to breathe new life into its critically panned live-action Snow White remake has backfired spectacularly. After an underwhelming initial release in March, the studio re-released the film in the U.S. last week, only to watch it flop harder the second time around. Despite hopes that summer moviegoers might give the film a second chance, audiences largely stayed away, delivering one of Disney’s most embarrassing box office performances in recent history.
With Rachel Zegler reprising her role as the titular princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, Disney’s reimagined Snow White was expected to ride the wave of summer blockbuster enthusiasm. This same seasonal momentum helped revive the struggling Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thunderbolts, which became an unexpected hit. Disney clearly hoped that a similar resurgence might help redeem Snow White. But if anything, the second release only confirmed the film’s status as a full-blown disaster.
Unleashed in 1,000 theaters across the country, the film grossed a dismal $252 per screen, a number so low it’s practically unheard of for a Disney title. The re-release did nothing to change the movie’s bleak financial trajectory, as its total losses are now estimated at $115 million. Much of the budget was reportedly consumed by the decision to replace real actors with awkward, CGI-generated dwarfs—choices that drew widespread criticism for their eerie, “Uncanny Valley” aesthetic.
Critics were no kinder this time around, and fans who may have hoped for a redemption arc found themselves sitting through what many have called a joyless, lifeless adaptation. The musical number “All Is Fair,” performed by Gadot, has become something of a cult curiosity online, earning comparisons to Frozen’s iconic “Let It Go” for all the wrong reasons. Many viewers seem fascinated not by the quality of the song, but by its bizarre execution—turning the number into a “so-bad-it’s-good” meme rather than a memorable moment.
Given that the film is already scheduled to debut on Disney+ later this month, the timing of this theatrical re-release raised eyebrows. It echoed Sony’s infamous 2022 decision to re-release Morbius following internet mockery—only for the film to perform just as badly the second time around, earning a similarly paltry $289 per theater. Like Morbius, Snow White’s re-release appears to be an ill-conceived bid to generate publicity, or perhaps to ride the wave of ironic online interest.
Some Hollywood insiders believe these re-releases are less about box office results and more about keeping properties in the public conversation. In Morbius’ case, Forbes speculated that Sony may have anticipated a second failure but still wanted to maintain brand visibility for its broader superhero universe. It’s possible Disney had similar motivations with Snow White, though if that was the case, it has little to show for the effort besides more negative headlines.
The misfire is all the more glaring when contrasted with other recent re-releases that have performed remarkably well. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, for example, recently pulled in $25 million during its return to theaters—an astonishing feat for a 20-year-old film from a once-maligned trilogy. Similarly, Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and the cult classic Coraline saw sold-out screenings in 2024, driven largely by nostalgic fandom and well-executed online marketing campaigns.
In the case of Coraline, Laika, the studio behind the 2010 stop-motion film, built hype through carefully curated TikTok campaigns and embraced the growing online community that had formed around the film. This strategy tapped into genuine audience interest—especially from younger fans who had never seen the film in theaters. The result was a re-release that felt fresh and welcomed, rather than forced.
By contrast, Snow White’s return to theaters lacked both momentum and support. Rather than riding a wave of love and nostalgia, it arrived with baggage, backlash, and no clear audience demand. If anything, its second failure reinforces the view that some classics are best left untouched. For Disney, this cautionary tale may serve as a warning: not every story needs to be retold, and sometimes even magic can’t save a misguided remake.