‘Snow White’ debuts with $43 million to lead box office
This image released by Disney shows Andrew Burnap, left, and Rachel Zegler in a scene from “Snow White.” (Disney via AP)
LOS ANGELES – “Snow White” opened with $43 million this weekend to lead all films in North America, according to industry estimates released Sunday – a modest total for a major release from Disney that faced little competition.
The live action remake of the studio’s beloved 1937 classic has been a lightning rod of controversy for years preceding its release, with star Rachel Zegler igniting criticism in 2022 by assailing what she characterized as the original’s dated depiction of gender roles.
“The original cartoon came out in 1937 and very evidently so,” she said at the time. “There’s a big focus on her love story with the guy who literally stalks her. Weird, weird. So we didn’t do that this time.”
This image released by Disney shows Rachel Zegler in a scene from “Snow White.” (Disney via AP)
Zegler later walked back those comments, but more controversy erupted in recent months based on her political comments, including harsh criticism of people who voted for President Donald Trump and comments about the war in Gaza.
The latter issue was said to cause friction with co-star Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen. Gadot hails from Israel and is supportive of the Israeli government in its war against Hamas. She served in the Israeli Defense Forces for two years.
You may like: Protests disrupt Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony honoring Gal Gadot
The two stars did appear together at the Academy Awards on March 2 and at the Los Angeles premiere of “Snow White” on March 15, but they have not commented on the reported feud.
The production also faced issues over its depiction of the seven dwarfs of the original story, ultimately using CGI to depict the characters.
The various controversies caused “Snow White” to be delayed a full year from its planned March 2024 release.
Director Steven Soderbergh’s spy thriller “Black Bag” was a distant second with $4.4 million in its second weekend in theaters in the United States and Canada, Comscore reported.
“Captain America: Brave New World” was third with $4.1 million Friday through Sunday in its sixth weekend.
“Mickey 17” was fourth with $3.9 million in its third week, followed by “Novocaine,” which grossed $3.7 million one week after opening in first place.
“The Alto Knights,” the new crime drama directed by Barry Levinson and written by Nicholas Pileggi, in which Robert De Niro plays two characters, opened with a disappointing $3.1 million.
Rounding out the top 10 domestic releases were “The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Toons Movie” ($1.8 million), “The Monkey” ($1.54 million), “Dog Man” ($1.5 million) and “The Last Supper” ($1.3 million). (CNS)
