By Snow White Box Office Day 1: Rachel Zegler’s Film Opens at ₹65 Lakh in India, Earns $15.5 Million in North America
Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, has had a disappointing start at the Indian box office. The film earned just around ₹65 lakh on its opening day, making it one of the few Hollywood films this year to debut under ₹1 crore in India. This lackluster performance placed it well behind Bollywood releases Chhaava and The Diplomat, which both managed to earn over ₹1.5 crore on their first day.
Despite Disney’s strong brand and history of successful live-action adaptations, Snow White struggled to attract Indian audiences. Hollywood films with a fairytale or fantasy theme often have a limited appeal in India unless backed by major franchises or significant star power. Additionally, the film’s controversial changes to the original story and backlash against the lead actress may have contributed to its weak reception in the country.
In North America, the film fared slightly better but still fell short of expectations. According to Deadline, Snow White is projected to earn between $45 million and $55 million in its opening weekend across 4,200 theatres. It opened with $15.5 million on Friday, including $3.5 million from Thursday night previews. This performance puts it in a similar range as Disney’s Dumbo (2019), which earned $15.2 million on its first day and finished its debut weekend with $46 million.
However, there is a key difference: Snow White carries a significantly higher production budget of $270 million, whereas Dumbo was made for $170 million. This makes box office success even more critical for Snow White, as it must earn substantially more to break even.
On the global stage, Snow White is expected to generate an additional $50 million from international markets, bringing its projected worldwide debut past the $100 million mark. While this number may seem respectable, it is below early predictions, which estimated the film could open to over $60 million in the U.S. alone. Given the high production and marketing costs, these numbers indicate that Snow White may struggle to become a major box office success.
One of the major factors affecting the film’s performance is the controversy surrounding its release. Disney’s decision to make significant changes to the original Snow White storyline sparked criticism from traditional fans who felt that the classic fairytale was being altered unnecessarily. Additionally, lead actors Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot’s public stances on the Israel-Hamas war led to calls for boycotts, particularly in certain international markets. In response to the controversy, Disney scaled back its promotional efforts, canceling the red carpet premiere and limiting media access. This lack of marketing momentum may have also played a role in the film’s underwhelming box office debut.
Snow White is part of Disney’s ongoing strategy of remaking its animated classics into live-action films. While this approach has resulted in massive hits such as The Lion King (2019) and Aladdin (2019), both of which crossed the $1 billion mark globally, other adaptations have struggled. Dumbo and The Little Mermaid (2023) were among Disney’s live-action films that failed to generate significant profits despite large budgets. Snow White now faces the challenge of proving whether it can turn things around after its weak start.
With a slow opening and controversy surrounding its release, Snow White will need strong word-of-mouth and international support to recover its massive budget. If it fails to gain momentum in the coming weeks, it could join the growing list of Disney live-action remakes that have failed to meet box-office expectations.
Disney may attempt to boost Snow White’s performance through extended theatrical runs or future streaming releases. However, its long-term success will depend on audience reception and whether it gains traction internationally.
