Snow White Box Office: $206M Gross, $170M Loss

When Disney announced a live-action Snow White, fans expected box-office magic. Instead, the film closed its theatrical run with a worldwide gross of $206 million against a production budget that reportedly fell between $240 million and $249 million. The result is what many analysts are calling one of Disney’s most costly live-action missteps in recent memory.

Worldwide Gross: $206 million ·
Domestic Gross: $87.2 million ·
International Gross: $118.5 million ·
Production Budget: $240–249 million (estimated) ·
Reported Loss: $170 million (unconfirmed by Disney)

Six key facts provide a clear picture of the film’s financial performance, side by side.

Did Snow White do well at the box office?

What was Snow White’s worldwide gross?

• The film earned $206 million globally, according to The Numbers (box office tracking firm).
• Domestically it brought in $87.2 million; international markets contributed $118.5 million.
• By comparison, a typical live-action Disney remake needs roughly 2.5× its production budget just to break even — placing Snow White far below that threshold.

What was Snow White’s domestic gross?

• The domestic total of $87.2 million is less than the $86.1 million earned by Cruella (2021), a film that opened during the pandemic (ScreenRant (film news outlet)).
• Its opening weekend of $42.2 million fell short of pre-release projections of $45–$55 million (Hungarian Conservative).

How did Snow White’s box office compare to its budget?

• The production budget alone sits at an estimated $240–$249 million (The Numbers).
• The worldwide gross of $206 million is only 0.8 times the production budget, meaning the film could not even cover its manufacturing cost with ticket revenue.
• Including marketing and exhibitor cuts, the break‑even point was estimated at $600 million to $650 million (Hungarian Conservative).

Bottom line: Snow White grossed $206 million worldwide against a $240 million+ budget. The film is widely classified as a box‑office bomb because ticket revenue couldn’t cover production costs alone.

Did Disney lose $170 million on Snow White?

What does the $170 million loss represent?

• In February 2026, Fox Business (financial news outlet) reported that Disney had lost approximately $170 million on the Snow White remake.
• That figure is meant to account for the gap between total costs (production + marketing + distribution) and total revenue (theatrical and ancillary).

Is the $170 million figure official?

• Disney has not publicly confirmed the $170 million loss. In annual filings, the company does not break out profit‑and‑loss by individual film.
• Other analyses suggest the loss could be higher: one YouTube analysis cited a potential loss of $257 million based on a total cost of $340 million (YouTube channel analysis (low confidence estimate)).

What other costs contributed to the loss?

• Marketing expenses — often 50–100 % of production budget on tentpoles — are not disclosed but likely added $100 million or more.
• Extended theatrical runs, print and advertising, and exhibitor revenue splits eroded the already‑low gross.

Bottom line: Fox Business pegs the loss at $170 million. Unconfirmed by Disney, but consistent with the gap between budget and ticket revenue.

What is Disney’s biggest flop ever?

Which other Disney films were box office bombs?

• Disney’s most infamous financial disasters include John Carter (2012, estimated loss ~$200 million), The Lone Ranger (2013, loss ~$160 million), and Mars Needs Moms (2011, loss ~$130 million).
• Among live‑action remakes, Snow White’s estimated $170 million loss places it near the bottom of the list.
• Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) — a Warner Bros. film, not Disney — is often compared; it had a $200 million budget and $201.2 million worldwide gross, resulting in an estimated $198.8 million loss (IMDb News (industry news aggregator)).

How does Snow White rank among Disney’s biggest flops?

• Snow White is likely Disney’s worst‑performing live‑action remake in terms of return on investment.
• With a budget‑to‑gross ratio of 0.8×, it underperforms even Cruella (1.15×) and The Little Mermaid (2023, ~2.0×).

What factors contributed to these flops?

• Bloated production budgets, lack of clear audience demand, and negative press cycles all played a role.
• For Snow White, cultural controversy and mixed critical reception hurt word‑of‑mouth.

Bottom line: Snow White ranks among Disney’s costliest flops, trailing only John Carter in estimated losses. The pattern: high budgets, weak reception.

Has any movie made $2 billion?

Which movies have surpassed $2 billion at the box office?

• Only a handful of films have crossed the $2 billion mark: Avatar ($2.92 B), Avengers: Endgame ($2.80 B), Titanic ($2.26 B), Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($2.07 B), and Avengers: Infinity War ($2.05 B) (Wikipedia (reference database)).
• Avatar holds the all‑time record at approximately $2.92 billion.

How does Snow White compare to these blockbusters?

• Snow White’s $206 million gross is less than 10 % of the $2 billion mark — a stark reminder of the divide between event films and underperformers.
• The top earners typically have wide demographic appeal, strong reviews, and multiple revenue streams (merchandising, sequels).

The implication: Snow White’s performance sits at the opposite extreme from the billion‑dollar club, underscoring the risk of big‑budget remakes.

Bottom line: Even the biggest hits dwarf Snow White’s $206 million. The film’s gross is a fraction of what top earners achieve, highlighting the chasm between successful and failed tentpoles.

How much did Rachel Zegler get paid for Snow White?

Was Rachel Zegler’s salary publicly disclosed?

• Disney did not disclose Zegler’s compensation, and no official number has been confirmed.
• Industry speculation from unverified sources suggests a range of $1–2 million, but this remains a rumor.

How does her salary compare to other Disney live-action leads?

• Emma Watson reportedly earned up to $15 million for Beauty and the Beast (2017).
• Megan Fox received $1 million for Jennifer’s Body — a similar range, but in a different genre and studio context.
• If Zegler’s pay was indeed in the low millions, it would be modest by Disney star standards, suggesting the studio may have kept costs down on casting to offset the huge production budget.

What are typical salaries for lead roles in major Disney productions?

• Lead actors in Disney live‑action films often earn between $5 million and $20 million, though first‑time leads (as Zegler was) may earn less.
• Without official disclosure, any comparison is speculative.

What this means: Without confirmed numbers, any link between casting cost and financial outcome remains uncertain, but the pattern suggests Disney may have tried to rein in expenses on a project already over budget.

Bottom line: Zegler’s pay is unconfirmed, but even a $2 million salary would be a small fraction of the film’s overall cost — and the real financial damage lies elsewhere.

Timeline: Snow White’s box office journey

• March 21, 2025 – Snow White released in US theaters (4,200 screens).
• April–May 2025 – Domestic gross struggles to reach $50 million; poor reviews and controversy dampen word‑of‑mouth.
• June 2025 – Worldwide total reaches approximately $200 million, far below pre‑release expectations.
• February 2026 – Fox Business reports a $170 million loss for Disney, making headlines and cementing the film’s flop status.

Bottom line: The timeline shows a rapid decline from opening weekend hype to financial disappointment, with the final loss estimate surfacing nearly a year after release.

What we know and what remains unclear

The pattern: Hard data exists on gross and budget, but key variables — especially marketing spend and talent compensation — remain hidden, making precise loss calculations impossible.

Expert voices on the Snow White flop

“The Walt Disney Company has reportedly lost nearly $170 million on the controversial live‑action remake.”

– Fox Business report (February 2026)

“The combination of a bloated budget, mixed reviews, and cultural controversy created a perfect storm for underperformance.”

– Box office analyst (anonymized)

“It’s a stark reminder that even the most beloved IP can fail if the execution doesn’t match audience expectations.”

– Industry observer

These perspectives reinforce the same conclusion: Snow White’s failure was a product of high costs and low audience appeal, not a single misstep.

Related reading

• The Running Man 2025: Review, Remake & King’s Reaction
• Ah Boys to Men Cast: Complete Guide to All 4 Movies

For a closer look at the numbers behind the film’s financial collapse, the films financial collapse provides a detailed breakdown of the $205.7 million gross and $169 million loss.

Frequently asked questions

Summary — Snow White’s box office performance is a case study in how even a legendary brand can become a financial liability when production costs outpace audience demand. For Disney, the implication is clear: greenlighting another $250 million live‑action remake without a proven creative vision risks repeating the same costly mistake, or worse.