The latest drought plaguing the box office has only been relieved somewhat by Disney’s “Snow White,” which earned $16 million from 4,200 theaters on its opening day and is earning a tepid $48 million opening weekend.
That result meets pre-release projections of a $45-50 million launch for the movie, but “Snow White” will need remarkable legs to break even theatrically against its $250 million-plus budget before marketing costs.
The possibility of that is decreasing as early audience reception for the film, while skewing positive, is less enthusiastic than for past films in the Disney remake series. Most notably, the film has earned a B+ on CinemaScore, marking the first time that a Disney remake polled by CinemaScore did not earn an A- or higher from opening day moviegoers.
Meanwhile, early Rotten Tomatoes scores stand at 44% critics and 71% audience. By comparison, the 2023 remake of “The Little Mermaid” stands at 67% critics and 94% audience, while “Mufasa,” which turned a lackluster $35 million domestic opening into a successful $253 million North American total this past holiday season, stands at 57% critics and 89% audience.
Next weekend will reveal