Everyone’s favorite Disney princess — subject to opinion — Snow White has stolen the spotlight once again. From being one of the earliest female icons in cartoon history in the 1930s, she garnered a huge male following — and yes, I’m talking about the 7-0 record she already holds over the other princesses. But ratings and critics in the current generation share a rather different perspective. With an enormous cult following, Snow White represents beauty, innocence, and fairness for young girls. However, classicalists — yes, I made that up — and generationals — yep, this too — seem to share a similar perspective on the lady in yellow.
A Damsel in Distress/a Generational Catastrophe
Before the days of empowered women and the ongoing pursuit of equal rights, traditional romance tales often depicted the damsel in distress, saved or rescued by her Prince Charming. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of live-action adaptations of classic stories from the early 1900s. Many of these have been well-received, such as Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book, and Cruella. Yet, the recent Snow White adaptation falls short of this success.
A significant portion of the controversy surrounding this disappointing performance centers on its titular character, Snow White herself. Fans also critiqued the use of CGI dwarfs and the role reversals in the context of a rapidly changing society. Ultimately, the film’s negative reception is reflected in its disappointing box office earnings of $43 million — far from the massive $250 million budget. The controversies surrounding this bumpy road for Snow White raise questions about what might come next.
Happy Audience? Grumpy Audience? A Box Office Bash?
Estimates and assumptions for the opening weekend of Snow White projected a significant downslide in its earnings over the coming weeks. With previous adaptations earning substantial box office openings — such as The Lion King, which grossed $191.7 million within three days, and Beauty and the Beast, which amassed over $174 million — it was already a steep hurdle to overcome. Even The Huntsman couldn’t save Snow White from this predicament.
However, as the saying goes, all publicity, whether good or bad, is generally still considered good. That is, unless the wicked witch placed a damnable spell on these box office numbers. Severely under-performing in both reviews and earnings, Snow White demonstrates that a new age of live-action cinema may not be the solution for either fans or cult followers — Disney lovers and classical romanticists alike. In comparison, The Jungle Book earned $103.2 million from 4,028 venues, while Alice in Wonderland made $116.1 million from 3,728 venues, whereas Snow White only managed $45 million across 4,200 venues.
Disney will likely be rethinking its approach to future adaptations after the unfortunate release of Snow White. As fans revolt and starring celebrities falter, only time (or the magic mirror) will tell what the future holds. I guess it’s up to the Huntsman — or the Prince — to save the day, as long as society deems it applicable. Disney, reignite the magic in our lives once again!
Dive deeper into the original tale of Snow White and discover the true story behind the classic.
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