The live-action adaptation of *Snow White*, which faced controversy upon its casting announcement, premiered on January 21st. However, the film underperformed at the box office over the weekend and set a new low record among Disney’s real-life adaptations, raising concerns about recouping high production costs.

According to reports from Variety and Business Insider, *Snow White* debuted with disappointing results: its North American opening-weekend gross totaled $43 million—below market expectations of between $48–58 million—while overseas earnings reached approximately $44 million. The global box office total for the first weekend was just $87.3 million, falling short of analysts’ estimates exceeding $100 million; it received a 43% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating generally unfavorable reviews.

Forbes estimated that Disney's live-action *Snow White* had an astronomical production cost of up to $270 million and underperformed compared with the similarly controversial adaptation, *The Little Mermaid*.

Based on Disney’s classic animated version from 1937, the film was highly anticipated. However, casting Latina actress Rachel Zegler (who has been involved in several controversies) as Snow White sparked debate due to her appearance being perceived by many as a departure from the original character's depiction; international star Gal Gadot portrays the Evil Queen.

Disney’s stock closed at $99.46 on January 23rd, down approximately 10% year-to-date. The company plans upcoming live-action adaptations of *Moana* (titled *Ocean's Quest*) and *Tangled*, with *Lilo & Stitch: The Series* slated for release in May.

Recently, Disney has adjusted some aspects of its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion policies but faced opposition from shareholders who voted against a similar proposal; Apple Inc., Costco Wholesale Corporation also recently rejected comparable shareholder resolutions.
(Translated with permission from MoneyDJ News; Image source: Disney)