Disney’s Live-Action “Snow White” Off to a Lackluster Start, While De Niro’s “Alto Knights” Flops Spectacularly
The magic of Disney is fading as the latest live-action adaptation, “Snow White,” opens with a modest $43 million at the domestic box office. While this fairy tale’s tale may be enchanting, the numbers reveal a sluggish start for Disney’s beloved franchise.
A Global Review: “Snow White” and Its Domestic Debut
Overseas, “Snow White” slightly underperformed expectations, raking in $44.3 million, which brings its global total to $87.3 million. Prior to its release, analysts had anticipated a $100 million worldwide debut. Unfortunately, the excitement surrounding the film appears to be dampened by a wave of controversies.
- Controversy Clouds the Launch: “Snow White” faced significant criticism regarding its portrayal of the seven dwarves and the overall modernization of the nearly century-old story. The film also drew ire due to the public comments of co-stars Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot amid ongoing global events, leading to calls for boycotts. With costly reshoots inflating its budget, Disney even scaled back the film’s premiere in Los Angeles, opting for a modest rollout devoid of traditional red carpet festivities.
Audience Reactions: Will They Overlook the Drama?
Despite the uproar, industry experts believe that general audiences were likely unaware of the controversies. According to Paul Dergarabedian, a senior Comscore analyst, families may have simply been after a PG-rated film without concerns about external issues.
The film is now recorded as the lowest domestic debut of Disney’s live-action adaptations, topping even “Dumbo,” which opened with $45 million. Contrary to prior successes like “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast,” which grossed over $1 billion, this latest effort may indicate that audiences are growing fatigued with Disney’s continuous reimaginings.
Financial Forecast: Can It Pull Through?
With a production budget of $250 million, the fate of “Snow White” now hinges on its staying power. If it follows the trend of past underperformers like “Dumbo,” which topped out at $353 million globally, it could spell trouble for Disney’s long-term strategy in adapting its animated classics.
On a brighter note, Disney remains optimistic. “Snow White” has an A- CinemaScore among female audiences, who made up nearly 70% of the opening weekend crowds, signifying there may still be hope for the film’s performance moving forward.
Robert De Niro’s “Alto Knights”: A Flop of Epic Proportions
While Disney grapples with its latest release, Robert De Niro’s “Alto Knights” has bombed spectacularly, earning a woeful $3.2 million in its domestic debut across 2,800 cinemas. This crime drama, made with an estimated $45 million budget, flopped so severely it failed to break into the top five, landing at a dismal sixth place.
- Critics and Audiences Alike Not Impressed: The film received a B CinemaScore and holds a mere 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating a poor reception from both critics and general audiences alike. This disappointment is compounded by its status as Warner Bros.’ second consecutive theatrical misfire, following the underwhelming performance of “Mickey 17.”
Other New Releases and Box Office Trends
Compounding the woes at the box office, “Magazine Dreams,” which features Jonathan Majors, debuted with just $700,000 from 800 theaters. This film was initially praised at Sundance but is overshadowed by Majors’ troubled past, further complicating its reception.
Amid these disheartening figures, Steven Soderbergh’s “Black Bag” performed well, maintaining solid audience interest with $4.4 million from its second weekend, while Disney’s superhero installment, “Captain America: Brave New World,” continues to draw crowds with $4.3 million in its sixth weekend.
Looking Forward: A Slim Hope for Box Office Recovery
As it stands, the overall box office gains are trailing 7% behind last year and a staggering 39% below 2019 figures. Eyeing the horizon, films such as “A Minecraft Movie” (April 4) and Marvel’s “Thunderbolts” (May 2) are hoped to inject new life into theaters.
Paul Dergarabedian optimistically remarks, “We will be singing a much more positive tune in just a few short weeks,” hinting at a potential turnaround for the struggling box office.
For more detailed box office analysis and trends, you can check out Variety’s Box Office.
