Disney Suffers Nearly $170 Million Loss on ‘Snow White’ Remake After Budget Overruns Revealed

Disney’s live-action take on the classic fairy tale ‘Snow White’ has turned into a costly misstep for the studio. Financial documents from a subsidiary company recently showed the film racked up production expenses of $336.5 million. After a government reimbursement of $64.9 million for filming in the UK, the net cost still came in at $271.6 million. With worldwide box office earnings only reaching $205.7 million, the studio ended up with a substantial loss of around $168.7 million, often rounded to $170 million in reports.

The movie starred Rachel Zegler as the titular princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Production took place at Pinewood Studios, but challenges arose early on. A major fire damaged the set back in 2022, forcing delays and additional spending. Extensive reshoots further drove up costs, pushing the total higher than many anticipated, even surpassing budgets for hits like ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’.

Controversy surrounded the project long before its 2025 release. Zegler publicly critiqued the original 1937 animated film, describing some elements as outdated and the prince’s actions as stalker-like. These remarks drew sharp criticism, including from David Hand, whose father contributed to the classic version. The debut trailer also faced backlash, accumulating over a million dislikes on YouTube due to the appearance of the computer-generated dwarfs.

Additional off-screen drama involved Zegler’s social media activity. She posted messages supporting certain political causes and later made strong statements against some public figures after election results. Producer Marc Platt reportedly tried to manage the situation, but the incidents added to the film’s troubled narrative. Opening weekend earnings fell short by 13 percent of projections, totaling just $87.3 million globally.

Among Disney’s 21 live-action adaptations of its animated classics, ‘Snow White’ ranks as one of the lowest performers at the box office. It trailed behind most entries, only outperforming a handful affected by unique circumstances like the pandemic release of ‘Mulan’. Industry consultant Stephen Follows notes that studios typically keep about half of ticket sales after theaters take their cut, leaving Disney with roughly $102.9 million from the gross. Marketing expenses, not detailed in the filings, likely added even more to the financial strain.

A Disney spokesperson has pointed out in past similar cases that additional revenue from home video sales and merchandise can help offset losses. However, experts doubt those streams would fully recover the shortfall here. The film’s high costs and underwhelming returns highlight risks in reimagining beloved stories. Still, Disney has seen success elsewhere in the genre, with the subsequent ‘Lilo & Stitch’ remake pulling in $1 billion worldwide.

The company’s latest quarterly results reflected broader pressures, with entertainment division income dropping 35 percent to $1.1 billion. Higher production spending contributed to that decline. Despite the ‘Snow White’ setback, the studio shows no signs of slowing down on these ambitious projects. Analyst Valliant Renegade had predicted costs nearing $300 million years earlier, proving remarkably close to the final tally.

These revelations come from required disclosures tied to UK tax credits for audiovisual projects. The subsidiary, Hidden Heart Productions, nods to a detail from the original animated film. While the loss stings, it underscores the unpredictable nature of blockbuster filmmaking. Disney continues to bet big on nostalgia-driven remakes to drive growth.

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