erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
Sorry, but nope. And now we've said our peace and move on.
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Disney (and others) at the Box Office - Current State of Affairs
- Thread starter Disney Analyst
- Start date
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
I'd like this 4 times if I could.
BrianLo
Well-Known Member
It’s after, the number sources from Anthony at Deadline who has a consistent way of reporting it. So expect an asinine article from Forbes about how ‘the budget’ is 375M in the Spring.
But that figure won’t include the tax credit and include overhead and interest.
MoonRakerSCM
Well-Known Member
5:00pm showing (after 5 so this includes walkups).
Look out folks, theyre filling up!
Wow.
Look out folks, theyre filling up!
Wow.
BrianLo
Well-Known Member
My first two quotes are examples of pontification or monologuing to yourselves. The trouble is sometimes these posts are subsequently recalled by other posters. Thinking these claims were actually made, except the ones making them were made sarcastic all along.
This message board is a log, if people have made these outlandish claims, or Casper has clearly labeled something, bring the receipts.
Since there often are none, it comes down to not having understood the points people actually are trying to make and drawing your own conclusions of something long forgotten.
Then Walter having likely flown in talking to himself. That’s how TP gets turned into a deep movie insider recognized by many trades with shelves of accolades for his years of service to the movie industry.
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easyrowrdw
Well-Known Member
Whoa whoa whoa, somebody went to college!
easyrowrdw
Well-Known Member
When it was announced in 2019 I would’ve expected a big box office. They were coming off remakes in Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book, and Lion King that averaged 1.25 billion. Snow White might be the crown jewel of Disney. The original movie has been criticized for being a bit slight so there is room to expand it. I figured they could add to the movie without changing its core. Evidently there were plans for the original movie that never made it due to animation difficulties or whatever. There’s potential there.
But there seems to have been so many things up against success for this movie. You have the “controversy” over the casting to the “controversy” over the comments and the “controversy” over the dwarfs. That’s to say nothing of whatever issues resulted in delays and alleged changes to the movie itself. At this point it does seem doomed to fail but I don’t think it was destined to.
MoonRakerSCM
Well-Known Member
730p showing! Looks like it's a success!
MoonRakerSCM
Well-Known Member
Weekend numbers are slouching downward for Snow White... whispers of it potentially not making 40 this weekend are being said in the shadows.
There are murmurs of it not having legs and not cracking 300m worldwide for its run.
There are murmurs of it not having legs and not cracking 300m worldwide for its run.
Baloo124
Premium Member
Still haven't seen the movie yet, and probably won't until next weekend. From what I'm gathering so far from reading here and other reviews:
-Raise my expectations on Zegler
-Lower my expectations on Gadot.
My thing though with Gal, is it really her acting that's so bad, or is it just that the wicked queen is really quite stale of a villain until she turns into the old hag and can have more flexible character and mannerisms. Basing all this strictly on the original animated feature. The queen as herself had pretty much one emotion: mean & angry. Whereas once she becomes the old hag, she becomes a bit more emotionally ranged (still wicked), but diabolical and crafty.
So for those of you who've seen the movie, do you think the criticisms of Gal are moreso her trying to imitate the animated queen with a limited range of emotions?
-Raise my expectations on Zegler
-Lower my expectations on Gadot.
My thing though with Gal, is it really her acting that's so bad, or is it just that the wicked queen is really quite stale of a villain until she turns into the old hag and can have more flexible character and mannerisms. Basing all this strictly on the original animated feature. The queen as herself had pretty much one emotion: mean & angry. Whereas once she becomes the old hag, she becomes a bit more emotionally ranged (still wicked), but diabolical and crafty.
So for those of you who've seen the movie, do you think the criticisms of Gal are moreso her trying to imitate the animated queen with a limited range of emotions?
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
donaldtoo
Well-Known Member
MagicMouseFan
Well-Known Member
ChatGPT 4.5 Deep Research answering question:
“Did Disney originally expect huge box office numbers for Snow White when the movie was announced to be made in 2019?”
Disney’s Initial Expectations for the Live-Action Snow White (2019)
Announcement and Remake Strategy in 2019
Disney’s intent to remake Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was first confirmed in 2016, but the project gained momentum in 2019 as part of the studio’s live-action remake boom . By May 2019, Disney had director Marc Webb (of The Amazing Spider-Man fame) in talks, and he was officially announced by September 2019 . The film was envisioned as a theatrical tentpole release – not a streaming project – aligning with Disney’s strategy of reimagining animated classics for the big screen. Executives slated production to begin in 2020 (before COVID-19 delays) , signaling that Snow White was a priority in the post-Aladdin and Lion King pipeline. This timing positioned Snow White as a flagship entry in Disney’s ongoing remake slate, not a niche experiment.
Riding the Wave of Billion-Dollar Remakes
Disney had strong reasons to expect Snow White to be a major theatrical success. The few years prior saw several live-action remakes turn into box-office juggernauts. Beauty and the Beast (2017) grossed a colossal $1.263 billion worldwide , and Aladdin (2019) likewise soared past the $1 billion mark – outcomes that proved audiences would flock to lavish re-stagings of beloved Disney musicals. In fact, 2019’s The Lion King (another remake) became one of the highest-grossing films ever with well over $1.5B globally (though it was virtually an animated CG remake). Coming off these successes, Snow White – as Disney’s original princess story – was expected to “stomp the competition” at the box office . Industry observers in 2019 speculated that a property as iconic as Snow White could follow the pattern of Beauty and Aladdin, which had been among their year’s top earners. The remake formula was clearly working for Disney, so anticipation was high that Snow White would become the next family blockbuster in line.
Disney’s Expectations and Positioning
Internally, Disney treated Snow White as a key piece of its live-action remake strategy, which by 2019 had become a lucrative enterprise. The studio’s leadership emphasized how revisiting classics attracted broad, multi-generational audiences and boosted Disney’s broader businesses (merchandise, theme parks, Disney+ content) in tandem . Even if some remakes drew mixed reviews, they reliably drew big crowds – as Reuters noted, these films “tend to perform quite well at the box office” despite lukewarm critical enthusiasm . Disney was riding a record-breaking box office year in 2019 (with seven releases surpassing $1B globally), and Snow White was positioned to continue that streak. With the company pouring substantial resources into the project – reportedly over $200 million in budget, a level usually reserved for tentpole franchises – it’s clear Disney expected a significant return on investment. Simply put, Snow White was never intended as a modest release; it was banked on as a major theatrical event that could replicate the commercial magic of its remake predecessors.
Disney’s live-action Snow White (portrayed by Rachel Zegler) with the Seven Dwarfs. As the remake of Walt Disney’s 1937 animated classic, the film was envisioned as a big-budget musical fantasy aimed at today’s audiences.
Creative Team and Ambitions
From the outset, Disney assembled an A-list creative team for Snow White, signaling high ambitions for the film’s quality and appeal. Marc Webb was hired to direct, bringing experience in both character-driven drama (500 Days of Summer) and large-scale spectacle (Marvel’s Spider-Man) . The songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul – known for hit musicals (La La Land, The Greatest Showman) – were commissioned to write new songs for Snow White . (Pasek & Paul had just contributed music to 2019’s Aladdin, so their involvement bridged the remake successes.) This indicated Disney’s intent to make Snow White a full-fledged musical extravaganza, much like Beauty and the Beast, rather than a straightforward retelling. Longtime Disney collaborator Marc Platt was on board as a producer (he previously produced Mary Poppins Returns and Into the Woods), underscoring the studio’s confidence in the film as a prestige project. Even before casting, the creative choices suggested Disney was targeting the broad family audience that had embraced prior live-action musicals – blending nostalgia for older fans with fresh elements for new generations.
Casting Choices and Target Audience
When casting news eventually broke (slightly after 2019, but stemming from the film’s development goals), it further reflected Disney’s big aspirations and inclusive target audience. In June 2021, the relatively unknown Rachel Zegler (then 20 years old) was cast as Snow White, just before her breakout in West Side Story. Director Marc Webb praised Zegler’s “strength, intelligence and optimism” as integral to “rediscovering the joy” in the classic fairy tale . Choosing a young Latina actress with powerhouse vocals signaled Disney’s aim to update Snow White for a modern, diverse audience while still honoring its princess legacy. Meanwhile, Disney tapped Gal Gadot – an internationally famous actress from Wonder Woman – to play the Evil Queen, bringing star power and adult audience appeal to the project . Gadot’s excitement about “stepping into the shoes and crown” of this iconic villainess underscored the film’s event status. These casting decisions indicated that Disney was courting all quadrants: children and families (with a youthful new princess to root for), nostalgia-driven viewers (with a story they grew up on), and even global action-fantasy fans (with Gadot’s draw). In short, everything about the early announcements – from creative team to casting buzz – pointed to Disney positioning Snow White as a major theatrical tentpole with broad appeal, on par with its billion-dollar remake predecessors.
Early Media Speculation and Forecasts (2019–2020)
When Snow White was announced, media outlets and industry analysts largely assumed it would be another huge hit for Disney, barring any unforeseen issues. The studio’s live-action remake track record through 2019 made it “the fairest of them all” in box office terms – hence expectations for Snow White were optimistic. Some commentary did note potential challenges, such as Snow White coming after other studios’ versions of the tale (2012’s Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman). But Disney’s Snow White had the advantage of the trusted Disney brand and the musical formula that had just propelled Aladdin and The Lion King to enormous success. Early on, observers mused that a “beloved Disney property like ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ is supposed to stomp the competition” – in other words, anything short of dominating the box office would be surprising. While Disney did not publicly release a numeric target, the internal and external narrative in 2019 cast Snow White as a film with billion-dollar potential. In investor circles, Disney’s pipeline of remakes (including Mulan, The Little Mermaid, and Snow White) was cited as a reliable growth driver, given the past performance of similar titles. The general sentiment was that Snow White would be one of Disney’s marquee theatrical releases in the coming years, expected to draw massive crowds as the next live-action chapter of a timeless fairy tale.
Conclusion
In summary, when the live-action Snow White was first being unveiled in 2019, Disney undoubtedly expected it to be a major theatrical success. The project was launched on the heels of multiple $1B-plus hits from the same remake strategy, and Disney approached it with commensurate scale and confidence. From the high-profile creative talent and considerable budget, to the deliberate positioning alongside films like Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Aladdin (2019), every sign pointed to Disney viewing Snow White as a potential blockbuster meant to enchant global audiences. As one report later quipped, a classic IP like Snow White was “supposed to” be a surefire hit – highlighting just how high the expectations were at the outset.
Sources:
• Walt Disney Company – Snow White project development timeline
• Cinemark News – Snow White production details & creative team
• Beauty and the Beast (2017) box office – $1.263B worldwide
• Aladdin (2019) box office – $1.05B worldwide
• Reuters – Disney’s remake strategy and Snow White budget context
• Hollywood in Toto – commentary on Snow White and past remake performance
• PEOPLE – casting announcements (Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot) and director quotes
“Did Disney originally expect huge box office numbers for Snow White when the movie was announced to be made in 2019?”
Disney’s Initial Expectations for the Live-Action Snow White (2019)
Announcement and Remake Strategy in 2019
Disney’s intent to remake Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was first confirmed in 2016, but the project gained momentum in 2019 as part of the studio’s live-action remake boom . By May 2019, Disney had director Marc Webb (of The Amazing Spider-Man fame) in talks, and he was officially announced by September 2019 . The film was envisioned as a theatrical tentpole release – not a streaming project – aligning with Disney’s strategy of reimagining animated classics for the big screen. Executives slated production to begin in 2020 (before COVID-19 delays) , signaling that Snow White was a priority in the post-Aladdin and Lion King pipeline. This timing positioned Snow White as a flagship entry in Disney’s ongoing remake slate, not a niche experiment.
Riding the Wave of Billion-Dollar Remakes
Disney had strong reasons to expect Snow White to be a major theatrical success. The few years prior saw several live-action remakes turn into box-office juggernauts. Beauty and the Beast (2017) grossed a colossal $1.263 billion worldwide , and Aladdin (2019) likewise soared past the $1 billion mark – outcomes that proved audiences would flock to lavish re-stagings of beloved Disney musicals. In fact, 2019’s The Lion King (another remake) became one of the highest-grossing films ever with well over $1.5B globally (though it was virtually an animated CG remake). Coming off these successes, Snow White – as Disney’s original princess story – was expected to “stomp the competition” at the box office . Industry observers in 2019 speculated that a property as iconic as Snow White could follow the pattern of Beauty and Aladdin, which had been among their year’s top earners. The remake formula was clearly working for Disney, so anticipation was high that Snow White would become the next family blockbuster in line.
Disney’s Expectations and Positioning
Internally, Disney treated Snow White as a key piece of its live-action remake strategy, which by 2019 had become a lucrative enterprise. The studio’s leadership emphasized how revisiting classics attracted broad, multi-generational audiences and boosted Disney’s broader businesses (merchandise, theme parks, Disney+ content) in tandem . Even if some remakes drew mixed reviews, they reliably drew big crowds – as Reuters noted, these films “tend to perform quite well at the box office” despite lukewarm critical enthusiasm . Disney was riding a record-breaking box office year in 2019 (with seven releases surpassing $1B globally), and Snow White was positioned to continue that streak. With the company pouring substantial resources into the project – reportedly over $200 million in budget, a level usually reserved for tentpole franchises – it’s clear Disney expected a significant return on investment. Simply put, Snow White was never intended as a modest release; it was banked on as a major theatrical event that could replicate the commercial magic of its remake predecessors.
Disney’s live-action Snow White (portrayed by Rachel Zegler) with the Seven Dwarfs. As the remake of Walt Disney’s 1937 animated classic, the film was envisioned as a big-budget musical fantasy aimed at today’s audiences.
Creative Team and Ambitions
From the outset, Disney assembled an A-list creative team for Snow White, signaling high ambitions for the film’s quality and appeal. Marc Webb was hired to direct, bringing experience in both character-driven drama (500 Days of Summer) and large-scale spectacle (Marvel’s Spider-Man) . The songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul – known for hit musicals (La La Land, The Greatest Showman) – were commissioned to write new songs for Snow White . (Pasek & Paul had just contributed music to 2019’s Aladdin, so their involvement bridged the remake successes.) This indicated Disney’s intent to make Snow White a full-fledged musical extravaganza, much like Beauty and the Beast, rather than a straightforward retelling. Longtime Disney collaborator Marc Platt was on board as a producer (he previously produced Mary Poppins Returns and Into the Woods), underscoring the studio’s confidence in the film as a prestige project. Even before casting, the creative choices suggested Disney was targeting the broad family audience that had embraced prior live-action musicals – blending nostalgia for older fans with fresh elements for new generations.
Casting Choices and Target Audience
When casting news eventually broke (slightly after 2019, but stemming from the film’s development goals), it further reflected Disney’s big aspirations and inclusive target audience. In June 2021, the relatively unknown Rachel Zegler (then 20 years old) was cast as Snow White, just before her breakout in West Side Story. Director Marc Webb praised Zegler’s “strength, intelligence and optimism” as integral to “rediscovering the joy” in the classic fairy tale . Choosing a young Latina actress with powerhouse vocals signaled Disney’s aim to update Snow White for a modern, diverse audience while still honoring its princess legacy. Meanwhile, Disney tapped Gal Gadot – an internationally famous actress from Wonder Woman – to play the Evil Queen, bringing star power and adult audience appeal to the project . Gadot’s excitement about “stepping into the shoes and crown” of this iconic villainess underscored the film’s event status. These casting decisions indicated that Disney was courting all quadrants: children and families (with a youthful new princess to root for), nostalgia-driven viewers (with a story they grew up on), and even global action-fantasy fans (with Gadot’s draw). In short, everything about the early announcements – from creative team to casting buzz – pointed to Disney positioning Snow White as a major theatrical tentpole with broad appeal, on par with its billion-dollar remake predecessors.
Early Media Speculation and Forecasts (2019–2020)
When Snow White was announced, media outlets and industry analysts largely assumed it would be another huge hit for Disney, barring any unforeseen issues. The studio’s live-action remake track record through 2019 made it “the fairest of them all” in box office terms – hence expectations for Snow White were optimistic. Some commentary did note potential challenges, such as Snow White coming after other studios’ versions of the tale (2012’s Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman). But Disney’s Snow White had the advantage of the trusted Disney brand and the musical formula that had just propelled Aladdin and The Lion King to enormous success. Early on, observers mused that a “beloved Disney property like ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ is supposed to stomp the competition” – in other words, anything short of dominating the box office would be surprising. While Disney did not publicly release a numeric target, the internal and external narrative in 2019 cast Snow White as a film with billion-dollar potential. In investor circles, Disney’s pipeline of remakes (including Mulan, The Little Mermaid, and Snow White) was cited as a reliable growth driver, given the past performance of similar titles. The general sentiment was that Snow White would be one of Disney’s marquee theatrical releases in the coming years, expected to draw massive crowds as the next live-action chapter of a timeless fairy tale.
Conclusion
In summary, when the live-action Snow White was first being unveiled in 2019, Disney undoubtedly expected it to be a major theatrical success. The project was launched on the heels of multiple $1B-plus hits from the same remake strategy, and Disney approached it with commensurate scale and confidence. From the high-profile creative talent and considerable budget, to the deliberate positioning alongside films like Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Aladdin (2019), every sign pointed to Disney viewing Snow White as a potential blockbuster meant to enchant global audiences. As one report later quipped, a classic IP like Snow White was “supposed to” be a surefire hit – highlighting just how high the expectations were at the outset.
Sources:
• Walt Disney Company – Snow White project development timeline
• Cinemark News – Snow White production details & creative team
• Beauty and the Beast (2017) box office – $1.263B worldwide
• Aladdin (2019) box office – $1.05B worldwide
• Reuters – Disney’s remake strategy and Snow White budget context
• Hollywood in Toto – commentary on Snow White and past remake performance
• PEOPLE – casting announcements (Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot) and director quotes
TalkingHead
Well-Known Member
The simple fact is that Disney’s theatrical brand is lower than it was five years ago, rarely turning out hits at the scale that was common pre-2020. It’s a problem that’s plagued all studios since it reflects theatrical industry drops across the board.
What’s pretty clear is that Disney/Iger have no plan to course correct, just sticking to the same playbook and hoping the next sequel/remake makes a billion. Strongly suspect the next CEO will reevaluate Disney’s theatrical strategy.
What’s pretty clear is that Disney/Iger have no plan to course correct, just sticking to the same playbook and hoping the next sequel/remake makes a billion. Strongly suspect the next CEO will reevaluate Disney’s theatrical strategy.
Agent H
Well-Known Member
How are sequels the same playbook they’ve been using? Cause from my perspective Disneys made less of them over the last 15 years than most studios.
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LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
To be clear, I don’t think anyone here is claiming that Disney didn’t expect this to do well when they launched the project. We don’t need ChatGBT to tell us that they wouldn’t have decided to greenlight the remake if they didn’t think it would make them money. What I and others have refuted is the claim that those posters who weren’t caught up in the anti-Zegler frenzy once believed that the film would be a rollicking success. That’s never been a mainstream position here.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
I can’t speak for chatGBT or the Disney company but as an outside who is just observing, it doesn’t look like Disney makes movies to make money.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
That’s just silly on its face. I don’t know why you keep repeating it.
Chi84
Premium Member
That’s a lot of AI. Are you sure you’re not toeing the line on what’s allowed here?