The Disney fairy tale is asking who is the fairest of them all as audiences start the week voting with their wallets.
It was reported earlier this week that Disney’s new live-action adaptation of their classic animated film Snow White was aiming to open the weekend with a range from $45 million to $55 million as it screens in 4,200 North American theaters. Internationally, the Rachel Zegler-led fairy tale is estimating a $50 million take and bring its overall gross to somewhere around $100 million in its first week. Projections are not putting Snow White above previous live-action remakes from the House of Mouse, where 2023’s The Little Mermaid would gross $95 million in its opening weekend.
Snow White has an uphill battle to fight as it encountered much controversy, ranging from casting to CGI issues to the stigma of Disney live-action remakes in general. Marc Webb directs this new interpretation. Webb is previously known for also taking up the task of battling the uphill fight of a divisive franchise with The Amazing Spider-Man reboot at Sony. Deadline is now reporting that as Snow White finally faces the audience, Thursday numbers from their source is totaling at $3.5 million with showtimes starting at 2 pm. However, these are not official numbers reported by Disney.
These numbers are quite solid when they’re held up to past Disney animation-to-live-action adaptations, such as the $2.3 million previews of 2019’s Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (18% of a $12.5 million Friday for a 3-day of $36.9 million) and Dumbo‘s $2.6 million Thursday night preview (17% of a $15.2 million on Friday for a 3-day total of $46 million). It’s also reportedly pretty comparable to DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 4 last year, which started with $3.8 million in Thursday previews for a $19.4 million Friday take and $57.8 million 3-day opening.
Our Chris Bumbray wasn’t taken with the movie as he said in his review, “With many other, better, fairy tale adaptations out there, Snow White feels like little more than cash grab. If there was anything about the approach that was once deemed fresh (original screenwriter Greta Gerwig no longer has a screenplay credit), it’s been sanded off, with director Marc Webb having made a pretty dull film (sadly, his first in eight years). That said, I hate to put too much blame at his feet, as this reeks of moviemaking by committee, and in the efforts of pleasing everyone, Disney’s made a film that will please no one. “
