Importance Score: 25 / 100 🔵
Disney’s live-action “Snow White” reboot is facing harsh criticism from personalities like podcaster Joe Rogan and comedian Kurt Metzger, amidst its theatrical release struggles. The film, already marked by controversies surrounding casting choices and deviations from the original fairytale narrative, is now under fire for its disappointing box office performance.
Comedians Roast “Snow White” Remake Amidst Box Office Flop
Joe Rogan and Kurt Metzger have openly criticized Disney’s new “Snow White” adaptation as it underperforms in cinemas. The remake has been plagued by negative attention since its 2022 production start, stemming from numerous issues.
Production Challenges and Delays
The “Snow White” live-action project encountered a year-long postponement and sparked debate regarding the portrayal of the “seven dwarfs,” notably after critical remarks from actor Peter Dinklage. Furthermore, lead actress Rachel Zegler faced backlash for publicly mocking the original Disney animation and supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Metzger Defends Lead Actress Amidst Scrutiny
Kurt Metzger suggested that while Rachel Zegler’s casting might be questionable, attributing the movie’s shortcomings solely to her would be unfair. He pointed out Zegler’s youth and questioned the extent of her influence on the script and decisions like altering the dwarfs’ representation, which he linked to Peter Dinklage’s earlier comments.
Box Office Performance Deemed “Catastrophic”
The reimagining of the 1937 classic animated film has significantly underperformed commercially. During its opening weekend in the United States and Canada, it only generated $43 million in ticket sales. The following week witnessed a steep 66% drop, with domestic earnings plummeting to just $14.2 million.
High Budget, Low Returns
These figures are especially concerning given the film’s substantial production budget, estimated at $250 million. This makes it one of Disney’s most financially intensive movie ventures in recent years, highlighting the scale of its box office failure.
Rogan and Metzger React to CGI and Production Costs
During their discussion about the movie’s troubled journey to the screen, Rogan played clips from the film to assess the visual effects used for the non-dwarf characters.
“Oh, wow, that does look bad,” Rogan commented upon viewing the footage.
Metzger concurred, “Oh, it doesn’t look real at all.”
Rogan then inquired about the film’s budget, incredulously joking about the CGI quality relative to the $250 million investment.
Concerns Over Actress’s Public Statements
Rogan also voiced concern over the lead actress’s public remarks, stating, “Imagine you spent $250 million, and you get some young girl, and you don’t kind of talk to her about like, ‘Hey, you know, don’t get political… this should be just about the movie.’”
Debate Over Film’s Message and Political Controversy
Metzger offered a nuanced perspective, arguing that Zegler’s outspoken nature may inadvertently reflect the film’s underlying message.
“They wrote a script that’s telling girls, ‘I don’t need nobody to tell me, I’m a 20-year-old girl, so obviously I should run my mouth all the time,’” Metzger elaborated.
“Free Palestine” Comment and Backlash
However, Metzger believes that Zegler’s public stance on a sensitive political issue exacerbated the negative reception.
“Here’s what happened, she made the cardinal error of saying ‘Free Palestine’ on Twitter,” Metzger stated, suggesting this act as a potential turning point in public perception.
He further added, “So she could say all that ‘men are bad’ and it’s this and that, but once you do that, now they’ve put the entire weight of the failure upon her.”
Producer’s Involvement in Damage Control
The film’s producer reportedly addressed the controversy surrounding Zegler’s social media activity. Following an anti-Israel post shared by Zegler in August during the movie’s promotional phase, the producer intervened, according to his son, Jonah Platt.
Producer’s Son Criticizes Zegler
Jonah Platt publicly criticized Zegler in a now-deleted Instagram post, detailing his father’s, producer Marc Platt’s, reaction.
Platt Jr. wrote about his father having to “reprimand his 20-year-old employee for dragging her personal politics into the middle of promoting the movie.”