It seems as though the failure of Snow White might not have been political after all, despite literal years of main stream media spin.
For months, Disney’s live-action Snow White remake has been a lightning rod for controversy—and not without reason. Between Rachel Zegler’s numerous PR blunders, the creative reimagining of one of Disney’s most iconic characters, and the bungled handling of the Seven Dwarfs, the studio has been in full damage control mode. The legacy media? They’ve been more than happy to carry water, consistently framing any Snow White criticism as “politically motivated backlash.”
Dopey in the Live Action Snow White movie – YouTube, Disney
But now, with the film’s disastrous opening weekend numbers in, even Deadline is quietly shifting gears—and whether they intended to or not, they’ve essentially confirmed that the rejection of Snow White wasn’t political at all.
Let’s look at what they actually reported. The article opens the way we’ve come to expect, referencing how Snow White was being labeled “Snow Woke” in “vitriolic online circles” and teeing up the idea that the film’s poor box office performance might be due to Red state boycotts or politically-motivated audiences staying home.
However, buried further down, they include something far more revealing. Box office analytics firm EntTelligence provided clear, undeniable data:
“There was no red theater blockade due to any perceived controversies with Snow White,” said EntTelligence Chief Strategy Officer Steve Buck. “In fact, the opposite—theaters in Red counties performed better than they would normally for a family/animated film of this size and scope.”
Read that again. Red counties didn’t stay away—they showed up better than usual. According to Deadline’s own numbers, Snow White drew 40% of its ticket sales and 43.5% of its attendance from Red counties, which is higher than the norm for family films (typically around 37% and 40%, respectively).
Rachel Zegler as Snow White in Snow White (2025), Walt Disney Studios
Not only that, but the highest-grossing theater for the movie was in none other than Lake Buena Vista, Florida, at Walt Disney World, smack in the middle of a Red state.
It seems as though the only political attack lobbed around Snow White came from within the production itself.
In November 2024, Rachel Zegler faced significant backlash following a series of social media posts expressing her discontent with the re-election of President Donald Trump. She described a “deep sickness” in the country and stated, “May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace.” These remarks ignited controversy, leading to criticism from various public figures, including commentator Megyn Kelly, who labeled Zegler “a pig” and questioned Disney’s continued association with her. In response to the uproar, Zegler issued an apology, acknowledging that she let her emotions get the best of her and expressed regret for contributing to negative discourse. However, the authenticity of the apology was called into question when people noticed Zegler’s grammar and tone had shifted radically from her earlier posts.
This is far from Zegler’s only controversy that soured audiences on her.
The Snow White special preview Dislike Ratio as of 12/24/24 – YouTube, Disney
One major factor fueling audience rejection was Rachel Zegler’s own string of public missteps. From dismissing the original 1937 Snow White as “dated” and calling the prince a “stalker,” to her repeated remarks about how her version of the character wouldn’t be dreaming about love, Zegler alienated a sizable portion of Disney’s core fanbase. She also stirred controversy by injecting political commentary into promotional posts, such as adding “Free Palestine” to a post meant to market the film’s trailer.
Each time, rather than endearing herself to audiences, Zegler seemed to further distance herself from the very fans Disney needed to turn out. Disney’s decision to hide her from the press tour—favoring tightly controlled appearances—only added to the perception that the studio was trying to minimize her potential to spark further backlash.
Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen in Disney’s live-action SNOW WHITE. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved
For months, legacy outlets—Deadline included—were more than happy to suggest that criticism of Snow White was primarily driven by conservative circles or culture war commentators. Any backlash, they said, could safely be dismissed as politically charged. But now, with the raw data staring them in the face, they had no choice but to include this glaring contradiction.
It’s not accidental. It’s strategic.
By including the Steve Buck quote, Deadline is giving itself an out. They continue gesturing toward controversy in their opening lines, but they slip the facts in quietly—covering themselves and preserving credibility without fully abandoning their preferred narrative.
What’s more, they shift blame elsewhere. They pivot to discussions about “lack of demand for older Disney IP,” “limited crossover appeal,” and general audience fatigue. Suddenly, the political scapegoat isn’t quite so central.
In truth, audiences—both Red and Blue—showed up at near-normal rates. The film flopped because people rejected it across the board, not because of partisan politics. Bad PR, creative missteps, and a general rejection of Disney’s latest live-action strategy did far more damage than any imagined “red theater blockade.”
(L-R): Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen and Rachel Zegler as Snow White in Disney’s live-action SNOW WHITE. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
For months, media outlets have insisted the criticism of Snow White was purely political noise. Now, as the box office reality sets in, they’re being forced to quietly acknowledge what audiences have known all along: this movie failed on its own merits.
Are you surprised that the political backlash theory against Snow White was proven false? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
“If I let go of a hammer on a planet that has a positive gravity, I need not see it fall to know that it has in fact fallen.” – Spock
No one here is surprised. Maybe the people that are deserve to be fired.
Yet Disney is still forging ahead with plans for more live-action adaptations. That’s an iffy proposition at the best of times and even when a studio actually listens to its audience. Paramount pulled it off because they did just that. Disney? When was the last time they listened to anything but their own echoes?