Disney’s highly touted live-action adaptation of Snow White made a robust entry at the domestic box office, pulling in $16 million on its opening day from 4,200 locations in the U.S. and Canada. The film, featuring Rachel Zegler as the legendary princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, is expected to break $45 million in its first weekend—ranked as the second-largest opening of the year, behind only Captain America: Brave New World.
But that first hurdle is only the beginning for Disney. With a budget in production exploding above $250 million, Snow White is not simply a nostalgic retread—it’s a fiscal risk. For the movie to qualify as a full-fledged success, it requires legs: solid audience attendance on a week-in-week-out basis, robust overseas box office numbers, and weekend longevity over the course of two or three. History provides a measure of both hope and fear. Recent Disney reboots such as Mufasa: The Lion King opened quietly but went on to roar to more than $700 million worldwide. Others, such as 2019’s Dumbo, tanked despite a comparable opening and smaller budget.
Early indications are that Snow White has a chance to survive. While divided web debate and reduced press exposure at the premiere, moviegoers are reacting more positively than critics. The film has a CinemaScore of B+, and that is good news for word-of-mouth possibilities—a key commodity over the next several weeks.
Warner Bros. is on less solid ground. The Alto Knights, the 1950s-set mafia drama starring Robert De Niro in a dual role, launched with a pathetic $1.17 million from 2,651 theatres. Directed by Oscar winner Barry Levinson, the film appeared to be destined to ride its prestige and De Niro’s star power to box office success. Instead, both audience support and critical response have been lukewarm. With a $45 million price tag and no indication of building steam, The Alto Knights is already slipping out of the box office discussion.
This latest misstep comes on the heels of Warner’s previous misfire with Mickey 17, another disappointing release in a month that’s challenging the studio’s mettle. The bright spot may be the studio’s next Minecraft adaptation, which is seeking to entice a wider crowd when it opens in April.
For American audiences, Snow White is a familiar story encased in contemporary spectacle. But beneath the fairy dust is a high-stakes game of movie economics, in which nostalgia won’t suffice. As Disney makes its big bet and Warner Bros. reorganizes, Hollywood’s spring season gets off to a dramatic start.
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