Snow White’s performance at the domestic box office may look similar to another successful Disney live-action movie, but there is a key difference that should be kept in mind. The House of Mouse has been all about live-action remakes over the last decade, but these projects are far from guaranteed successes. There have been some hits, but the years have proven that Disney is taking a gamble every time it adapts an animated classic into live action. In the case ofSnow White, the gamble didn’t quite pay off.
TheanimatedSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs(1937)is a Disney staple, so it’s no big surprise that it got the live-action treatment. Unfortunately, 2025’sSnow Whitehas significantly underperformed, only managing $83 million at the domestic box office so far. This is even more concerning consideringSnow White’srather large budget of about $270 million (estimated), and that’s not even including the millions of dollars in promotional costs. It’s looking unlikely thatSnow Whitewill break even, and we may be safe to call this movie a flop—but then why are its numbers so similar to a previous Disney hit?
Snow White’s Domestic Box Office Is Similar To 2021’s Cruella
Snow White Is Still Underperforming (Despite The Similar Numbers To Cruella)
ThoughSnow White’s performance is disappointing, its domestic box office numbers are pretty similar to Disney’s 2021 hit,Cruella. This movie was a financial win for Disney, butits opening weekend was even worse thanSnow White’s, with only $21.5 million brought in at the box office (compared to the $42 million brought in by the 2025 movie). Overall,Cruellamade $86 million at the domestic box office, andSnow Whiteis close on its tail with its $83 million. These numbers suggest that the twoDisney live-action moviesshould be categorized the same in terms of success, but it’s more complicated than that.
$21,496,997
$86,103,234
$42,206,415
$83,397,889
How Snow White’s Budget Compared To Cruella’s
Cruella Was A Much Cheaper Movie To Make
Snow White’s budget of about $270is pretty massive, all things considered. To break even, Disney would have to make about double that, and such a goal seems entirely out of reach at this point.Cruella, on the other hand, cost Disney far less money.The 2021 film’s estimated budget was only about $100 million.Cruellacame close to covering that with just its domestic box office, and its global earnings of $234 million closed the gap even further.
Cruella’s Box Office Potential Was Hurt By The Ongoing Pandemic In 2021
Disney Didn’t Expect A Great Theatrical Turnout
Disney’s streaming plan forCruellawas a smart move, not only because of the relatively recent rollout of Disney+, but also because the world wasn’t ready to head back to the theaters yet. The COVID-19 pandemic broke out in early 2020 and was still ongoing by the timeCruella wasreleased in May 2021. Social distancing made going to the theaters difficult, and people were generally more comfortable staying home. Now, in 2025, box offices have finally begun to get back to something like normal (though general performance is still lower than 2019). Disney seemed to hope thatSnow Whitewould make it.
Snow White and Cruella are great examples of how bringing in the same amount of cash doesn’t necessarily reflect the same level of success.
Ultimately, Cruella’s success inspired Disney to invest in more live-action movies inspired by animated classics, and a sequel was greenlit (though it continues to face delays).Snow White, on the other hand, has reportedly caused the House of Mouse to put a hold on other similar projects. Overall,Snow WhiteandCruellaare great examples of how bringing in the same amount of cash doesn’t necessarily reflect the same level of success.
