It’s safe to say that Disney’s live-action Snow White has quickly become the studio’s most talked-about adaptation to date, and not in a good way.
First the Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot-led vehicle was in the spotlight over Zegler’s casting, which prompted onlookers to bemoan a Latina actress playing a character with skin “as white as snow.” Then Peter Dinklage spoke out against the studio’s decision to reproduce the original film’s “backwards” dwarf subplot, leading Disney to utilize CGI dwarves instead of live actors. Then Zegler commented on how “dated” the original animated film is, prompting the original director’s son to verbally revolt. And let’s not forget Gadot’s pro-Israel clap-back, significant release delays, MAGAs getting butt-hurt over Zegler’s anti-Trump views, and all those Lord Farquaad comparisons.
It’s been a wild ride, to say the least, and not the kind Disney wants to be known for. To make matters worse, Snow White has finally been released in theaters and has received, shall we say, a lackluster reception. As of this writing, it boasts a lousy 44% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and an unimpressive 74% audience score. This is hardly surprising, given the film’s unfortunate journey, but sadly for Snow, these are not the only embarrassing metrics in its arsenal.
Does Snow White really only have a 2 on IMDb?
For movie buffs who live on the Internet Movie Database ⏤ largely known as IMDb ⏤ a movie receiving six or seven stars out of 10 is nothing new. Some of the greatest films ever made ⏤ Titanic, The Ten Commandments, and The Devil Wears Prada among them ⏤ don’t even boast an eight! But to receive a score lower than a five is actively dire, not to mention rare. (Unless you’re, you know, Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas or Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2).
As of this writing, Snow White has not only joined the Under-Five Club, but the actual worst list of all. That list is IMDb’s Lowest Rated Movies, where Snow is currently in the #11 spot. #11! As in the 11th worst-reviewed movie of all time! This means that, following nearly 63K reviews, it has indeed received a catastrophic 2/10. I need you to understand that John Travolta’s Battlefield Earth has a higher score. We’re talking about a 2.5 vs. a 2 here, but still, that is an ouch if I’ve ever seen one. And Battlefield Earth has been called “ugly, campy, and poorly acted” as well as a “stunningly misguided, aggressively bad sci-fi folly.” Ow.
Now, look ⏤ this score could have easily come from anti-woke viewers taking to the app in an attempt to destroy Zegler’s moment in the sun. It’s no secret that she has more haters than many would argue she deserves. In fact, onlookers are wasting no time pointing out how poorly the film has been received. Many have resurrected a video Zegler previously posted in direct response to her haters to underline Snow’s floppage.
Some are loudly encouraging Zegler to “keep her politics to herself.”
Many are calling Snow “one of the biggest flops in history,” underlining Zegler’s criticism of the original animated film as a major pre-release mistake.
With an alleged budget of over $250 million, Snow White only making “a sleepy 43 million” in its opening weekend is….grim.
Eek, even promotional posters for the film are allegedly already being pulled down.
Does everyone hate Snow White?
Despite these negative reactions, not everyone thinks the film is a complete disaster. Though NPR describes the film’s songs as forgettable, critic Bob Mondello maintains that Zegler’s new take on the title character offers a “refreshing update” to the Disney classic. The Hollywood Reporter calls Snow “mostly captivating,” noting that Zegler is “incandescent” and has “conviction and heart.” The Washington Post goes so far as to say that Zegler graduates from princess to queen with her portrayal. So while the film might not be the fairest of them all, at least not everyone is feeling grumpy about it.
Still, one must wonder if Disney’s live-action remakes have really been as necessary as its recent portfolio would suggest. No one would fault you if you’re still experiencing PTSD from the likes of Dumbo, Pinocchio, or Mulan. And while fans are praying that the upcoming Lilo & Stitch isn’t a cinematic tsunami, many would argue that the live-action damage has already been done. Let’s just hope the studio doesn’t ruin Hercules, lest a certain writer who shall remain nameless turns blue and starts spewing fire. (No pressure, Russos.)
Published: Mar 24, 2025 5:23 PM UTC