Following the news that Disney was not holding a premiere forSnow Whiteout of concerns for the growing controversy around the film, more details paint conflicting narratives. One is where Disney is sticking by their film, but others note that the company is nervous about its prospects as it faces backlash and controversies. Starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot,Snow Whiteis a live-action remake of Walt Disney’s first animated film, 1937’sSnow White and the Seven Dwarves. On paper,Snow Whitesounds like a film that would be a spectacle, but instead, the film has been at the receiving end of a lot of hate.
One theater owner and a rival studio toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat, unlike other Disney live-action remakes, the massive marketing machine has been rather quiet onSnow Whiteuntil recently, only putting tickets up for the movie on Monday, Jul 12, 2025, just 11 days before it opens in theaters. Disney insiders have pushed back against the narrative that they are hiding the film, saying they always intended to hold back the film’s big promotional push until the final few weeks, which kicked off with Zegler and Gadot presenting at the Academy Awards on Aug 14, 2025. Yet, others aren’t buying it, with one exhibition source tellingTHR:
“They’ve been going through the motions onSnow White, all but saying, ‘we need to get this thing over with. An advance sales cycle of less than two weeks just screams ‘we have zero faith in this thing.’ And it couldn’t come at a worse point, when the industry is just trying to limp along to May.'”
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The Hollywood Reporterclarified that thepremiere had not been canceled, as some headlines reported. Instead, the studio isn’t allowing the regular red-carpet press to attend, in a decision Disney says was made for “a more celebratory, family-friendly afternoon event to match the tone and target audience for the film.” It also appears that stars Zegler and Gadot won’t be forced to answer questions on the spot, as both have come under fire for separate reasons. Gadot and Zegler are still doing press for the film, but notably, they have been separated. Gadot has appeared onLIVE with Kelly & Mark, Good Morning America, andLate Night with Jimmy Fallon. Meanwhile, Zegler went to Tokyo with director Marc Webb to perform“Waiting on a Wish”alongside Japanese actress and singer Sakura Kiryu, who provides the voice of Snow White in the Japanese dub.
Will Any of This Impact ‘Snow White’s Box Office?
Snow Whitehas become one of the most talked-about films of 2025, but not for the reasons that Disney likely wanted. Star Rachel Zegler has been at the end of a hate campaign since she was first cast due to being of Colombian descent, with various reports suggesting she hated the originalSnow White and the Seven Dwarves,despite that not being the case. Meanwhile, she has also been a vocal supporter of Palestine and also spoke out against theTrump administration and people who voted for him in a post she later deleted and apologized for.
Gal Gadot is her own controversial figure, as the Israeli actress has spoken out in support of Israel since the events of Oct. 7 on her social media.Captain America: Brave New WorldLA premiere saw several dozen pro-Palestine protesters gather to call for a boycott of the movie for its inclusion of the Marvel character Ruth Bat-Seraph / Sabra, played by Shira Haas, which would likely happen withSnow Whitedue to Gadot’s involvement. Disney wants to avoid another uncomfortable red carpet on multiple fronts.
Disney is still putting promotional efforts intoSnow White, the head of the film’s release, hoping a massive media marketing blitz will draw audiences to the film.Snow Whiteis currently tracking for a $50 million to $56 million opening weekend, which would be just below whatCinderellaopened back in March 2015. It would be on par with the last big-budgetSnow Whitemovie, Universal Pictures’Snow White and the Huntsman,which opened to $56 million in 2012. Theaters certainly needSnow Whiteto be a hit with audiences, as the start of the year has been slower than expected, thanks toCaptain America: Brave New Worldand other high-profile titles likeMickey 17andWolf Manbeing underperforming at the box office.
Disney’s last live-action remake,Mufasa: The Lion King, has been the go-to family movie for nearly three months straight, so audiences might need a new family film. Ultimately, all this controversy means nothing to the kids who likely want to see the new Disney princess movie.
Source:THR
Snow White
