A few years ago, the Walt Disney Company threw a tantrum over Florida&#8217;s inaccurately nicknamed &#8220;Don&#8217;t Say Gay&#8221; law that bolstered parental rights in education.
Now, the entertainment behemoth is building its first new theme park in 15 years in — wait for it — Abu Dhabi, a city where homosexuality is illegal.
Turns out the bottom line matters!
Disney&#8217;s theme parks are performing well — the company <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/disneys-stock-jumps-after-big-earnings-beat-raised-outlook-3329fd61#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> they brought in $8.9 billion in the second quarter, but Disney shares have traded down 17.2% so far this year.
Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, where sexual activity between two men or two women is <a href="https://www.humandignitytrust.org/country-profile/united-arab-emirates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">punishable</a> by up to 14 years in prison.
Also, trans-identifying people or a &#8220;male disguising as a female&#8221; can be criminally prosecuted and face up to a year in prison and fines.
The country&#8217;s laws reportedly originate with Sharia law.
&#8220;The Walt Disney Company and Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences, announced an agreement to create a landmark Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates,&#8221; Disney <a href="https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-announces-abu-dhabi-theme-park/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an announcement Wednesday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This new theme park resort in Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati &#8211; combing Disney’s iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi’s vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture. ✨ <a href="https://t.co/M1GHeYgr4H">https://t.co/M1GHeYgr4H</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YasIsland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YasIsland</a>… <a href="https://t.co/IyjODlj9ar">pic.twitter.com/IyjODlj9ar</a>
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) <a href="https://twitter.com/DisneyParks/status/1920094616356892673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;This seventh Disney theme park resort will combine Disney’s iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi’s vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture,&#8221; Disney said.
Disney CEO Robert Iger called it a &#8220;thrilling moment for our company.&#8221;
Abu Dhabi&#8217;s &#8220;culture is rich with an appreciation of the arts and creativity,&#8221; Iger said, and &#8220;Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati.&#8221;
Disney also included a statement from Abu Dhabi&#8217;s chairman of its Department of Culture and Tourism, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, who said the city is a place &#8220;where we preserve our past while designing the future.&#8221;
Back in 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the state&#8217;s parental rights bill prohibiting classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
In response, Disney came out swinging against the law.
Disney&#8217;s CEO at the time, Bob Chapek, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/03/08/1085130633/disney-response-florida-bill-dont-say-gay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> DeSantis &#8220;to express our disappointment and concern that if the legislation becomes law, it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, non-binary and transgender kids and families.&#8221;
Disney&#8217;s unusual decision to publicly oppose the law kicked off a years-long fight with Florida officials.
DeSantis went after Disney&#8217;s special tax district in Florida, which had allowed Disney to govern semi-independently since 1967.
Meanwhile, Disney has come under fire from parents in recent years for inserting LGBT themes in children&#8217;s movies, such as a gay kiss in the 2022 “Lightyear” film, which flopped at the box office.

Walt Disney World

Disney Threw A Fit Over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ In Florida. It’s Building A Park Where Being Gay Is Illegal.

Disney Threw A Fit Over 'Don't Say Gay' In Florida. Now It's Building A Park In Abu Dhabi

Disney

Disney World

Florida

LGBT

LGBTQ

Comedian Nate Bargatze recently mentioned some of the failures of people currently running Disney.
The 46-year-old standup artist, who has become popular in recent years for telling clean jokes that are also hilarious, said that Walt Disney is one of his biggest influences, emphasizing that the entrepreneur cared about his audience (other names on the list included Jerry Seinfeld, Judd Apatow, and Adam Sandler). But he said CEO Bob Iger isn’t doing the best job of carrying on Disney’s legacy.
“Now Disney is run by a guy that’s just a businessman,” he told <a href="https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/a64621068/nate-bargatze-interview-2025/">Esquire</a> in a new cover interview, seemingly referring to Iger. “Well, that guy doesn’t care about the audience.”
He then referenced his own fans and how much he owes them, saying, “None of this happens without them.”
The article goes into detail about how Bargatze is currently the most successful comedian in the world, outselling Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, and Sebastian Maniscalco combined last year. What makes his story even more incredible is that his comedy doesn’t include swearing, sex, drugs, or politics. 
Bargatze talked about some of his fellow comedians who garnered attention for saying controversial things and how he attempted to avoid that path. 
“They would skip a bunch of steps,” he said of his contemporaries. “Now they’re mentioned everywhere because they said something crazy. Now Netflix called them and they got a special.” 
“The hardest thing to do is to stay that path because it’s not as flashy,” Bargatze told the outlet. “You got to just sit in it. You got to slowly keep going. Then you get to the point where I’m at now. I’m frustrated by an entire system that’s like, ‘Y’all were just grabbing headlines,’ when I felt like, ‘Why did y’all not look at me more?’”
The comedian also hinted at plans for ending his standup career and working on entertainment projects with broad appeal, plus opening a theme park in Tennessee called Nateland. “I don’t think anybody’s even trying to make stuff for everybody,” he said.
Meanwhile, Disney has not been doing well lately with several high-profile flops in recent years, including the latest disaster, “Snow White.” The film is expected to lose up to $100 million after being plagued by controversies with both the lead stars and the content of the movie itself. 
Iger was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disney-ceo-bob-iger-promises-to-reduce-output-of-marvel-movies-tv-spinoffs-after-multiple-flops?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Disney+CEO+Bob+Iger+Promises+To+%E2%80%98Reduce+Output%E2%80%99+Of+Marvel+Movies%2C+TV+Spinoffs+After+Multiple+Flops">formerly</a> the CEO of Disney from 2005 until 2020. He was replaced by Bob Chapek and then reinstated to his position in November 2022 when Chapek was fired. In November 2023, Iger said the studio was too focused on sequels.
Last May, the Disney exec promised the company would pivot from focusing on quantity to quality, reducing the studio&#8217;s output of sequels and television spinoffs overall.

Nate Bargatze

Comedian Nate Bargatze Says The ‘Businessman’ Running Disney ‘Doesn’t Care About The Audience’

Comedian Nate Bargatze Said The Person Running Disney 'Doesn't Care About The Audience'

Celebrities

comedian

Comedy

Entertainment

U.S.

Matt Walsh is a man of many talents — a popular podcaster, a notable documentarian, a feared fisherman, and a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyrDtgjAgII" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surprisingly good</a> &#8220;Mortal Kombat&#8221; player. There is one persistent trait, however, that must be addressed: his passionate hatred of &#8220;Star Wars.&#8221;
I discovered Walsh’s animosity for &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; in May of 2023 while listening to his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1156-princeton-professor-tries-to-debunk-biology-fails-hilariously?elementPosition=155&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+Show+Episodes+Carousel">show</a>. After hearing I played a recently released &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; game, he looked dead into the camera and said he was “repulsed by (me) completely.” And then continued to call me a “complete and utter disgrace.” Harsh. 
Last Thursday, theaters nationwide <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIbYlxVpJnc/">launched</a> a week-long re-release of “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” to celebrate the film&#8217;s 20th anniversary. The film stands out not only for its stunning cinematography, one of a kind soundtrack, and compelling life-lessons, but also as the final “Star Wars” entry before progressive-infused Disney’s acquisition.
Walsh, apparently, did not recognize the exceptional film for what it is. After taking his children to see it in theaters, he <a href="https://x.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1917266257956724823" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took</a> to X and attacked the movie.
I will now address his unfounded criticisms.
His first issue is with the film’s dialogue. Walsh claims “Revenge of the Sith” has “the worst dialogue he’s ever heard in a mainstream Hollywood film.” To support his claim, he quotes a romantic scene between Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala: 
<blockquote>Anakin: You’re so beautiful 
Padme: It’s only because I’m so in love
Anakin: No it’s because I’m so in love with you 
Walsh leaves out the second half of the scene, which reveals the lines are not poorly written, but instead an intentional foreshadowing of what is to come later in the film. The scene continues;
Padme: So love has blinded you?
Anakin: Well, that&#8217;s not exactly what I meant. 
Padme: But it’s probably true.</blockquote>
At this point in the film, Anakin believes his wife is going to die in childbirth because of a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLb_k4Pz3CM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vision </a>he has in his sleep. As the primary antagonist, Emperor Palpatine (not Ovaltine) tells him that committing to the Dark Side is the only way to save her. This, and his blinding love for Padme, leads him to commit the atrocities he does later in the film. Pure genius from George Lucas, who Walsh claims should be arrested.
<div id="attachment_914885" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-914885" class="size-large wp-image-914885" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-1024x576.jpg" alt="Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman. Lucasfilm, Ltd. All rights reserved." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Lucasfilm, Ltd. All rights reserved.</div>
Walsh’s next criticism of the film is that it has “abysmal action choreography.” To me, this attack is the most absurd. 
The final <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3OtoO5zjjU&amp;t=358s">fight</a> between Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi, master versus apprentice, is one of the most iconic fight scenes in cinema history. Numerous outlets such as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VpsG7JA-jc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WatchMojo</a>, <a href="https://screenrant.com/best-movie-sword-fights-ranked/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ScreenRant</a>, and <a href="https://movieweb.com/best-one-on-one-sword-fights-in-movies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MovieWeb</a> all rank the battle as one of the greatest sword fights in movie history. The fight was choreographed by legendary stuntman Nick Gillard, and is not sped up at all. Both actors trained relentlessly to master each move shown on camera.
<div id="attachment_914883" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-914883" class="size-large wp-image-914883" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-1024x576.jpg" alt="Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor. Lucasfilm, Ltd. All rights reserved. " width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Lucasfilm, Ltd. All rights reserved.</div>
Walsh specifically attacks the final move of the duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin, saying the following;
<blockquote>Anakin jumps and flips through the air like Spider-Man but then at the end he loses because the other guy is standing on a small hill and has the higher ground. This was for some reason an insurmountable strategic advantage, even though Anakin had just seconds earlier leaped like 20 feet in the air while doing flips like an Olympic gymnast. So then Anakin decides to jump directly over top the other guy, close enough that he can just casually reach up and cut his legs off. He could have jumped anywhere else on the hill, or just a little higher, and avoided this issue.</blockquote>
Like many things Walsh has criticized in the film, the seemingly risky move Anakin used was intentional. Young Anakin Skywalker was fascinated by his master Obi-Wan’s triumph over Darth Maul in “Episode I: The Phantom Menace.” To defeat Maul, Obi-Wan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsAEdblcqU4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flipped over him</a> and cut him in half upon landing.
When Anakin fights Obi-Wan, his pride and ego is at an all time high. He wants to prove to his once-master that he is now his superior. This is why moments before the final move, Anakin tells Obi-Wan, “You underestimate my power!”
Obi-Wan can sense Anakin is going to try his own move against him, so he offers one final warning, “Don’t try it.” Anakin did not listen, and ended up getting his legs cut off.
Walsh also criticized where the battle takes place, on a lava planet “for some reason.” He clearly suffers from a lack of knowledge in &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; lore. It’s the same reason he doesn’t understand why Anakin jumped over Obi-Wan.
The planet they fought on, Mustafar, is <a href="https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mustafar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described</a> by Wookiepedia as “powerful in the Dark Side of The Force.” Palpatine sent Anakin there so he could tap into the Dark Side more intensely as he slaughtered the separatists who were awaiting him. In the 2017 comic Darth Vader 5, Palpatine <a href="https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Darth_Vader_(2017)_5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">instructs</a> Vader to return to Mustafar because it “is not like other planets. It is unique. Deep beneath its surface rests a locus for the Dark Side of The Force.&#8221;
Vader was so drawn to the planet’s Dark Side power that seven years after “Revenge of the Sith,” he built his <a href="https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Fortress_Vader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">castle</a>, Fortress Vader, there. 
Walsh’s final objection to the film was that it “took itself too seriously.” He expands on this by claiming “You can’t be campy and fun and also have mass child slaughter in the same film.”
Most of Walsh&#8217;s criticisms come from a lack of looking beneath the surface, taking everything at face value. “Revenge of the Sith” was always meant to be lighthearted in the beginning, and tragic in the end. After nearly three decades of fans left without a backstory, the purpose of the movie was to show how Hollywood’s most iconic villain, Darth Vader, transformed from a cunning warrior for good, to the embodiment of evil.
Following the classic hero&#8217;s journey literary archetype, we witness Anakin’s lighthearted upbringing in Episodes 1 and 2, his tragic fall in the second half of Episode 3, and his eventual redemption in Episode 6. A story that George Lucas brilliantly wrote and produced over 3 decades.
Walsh’s tweet thread ends on a lighter note, expressing that despite all of his concerns, his kids liked it. To me and countless other fans who believe “Revenge of the Sith” is one of the greatest films ever made, we can only hope Matt Walsh will read this piece and watch it again with an open mind.
* * *
Jacob Falach is an associate producer at The Daily Wire. You can find him on Instagram at: @jacobfalach.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated Ray Park was the fight and stunt coordinator for the film. The actual fight and stunt coordinator for &#8220;Revenge of the Sith&#8221; was Nick Gillard.

Star Wars Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith Photocall In Japan

Why Matt Walsh Is Wrong About ‘Revenge Of The Sith’

Why Matt Walsh Is Wrong About 'Revenge Of The Sith'

Film Reviews

Hollywood

Matt Walsh

Movie Theaters

Movies

Opinion

Star Wars

The Daily Wire

Video Games

“Star Wars” fans are reeling from the unexpected rape scene in the new season of the popular series “Andor,” which just released the first three episodes of season two this week on Disney+.
So far, the “Star Wars” franchise has stayed away from sexual content beyond insinuations, but in episode three, that all changed. During the scene in question, an Imperial officer tries to rape the Rebel fugitive Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona) when she’s hiding out in a farming settlement to avoid Imperial troops who are rounding up “undocumented” citizens, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/andor-star-wars-season-2-bix-rape-interview-1236191397/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>.
Bix wins out in the life or death battle that ensues, then clarifies what just occurred when she screams, “He tried to rape me!”
“Andor” creator Tony Gilroy explained why he felt it was important to include the scene, saying it helped convey the realities of war.
“I get one shot to tell everything I know — or can discover, or that I’ve learned — about revolution, about battles, with as many incidents and as many colors as I can get in there, without having [the story] tip over,” Gilroy told the outlet. 
“I mean, let’s be honest, man: The history of civilization, there’s a huge arterial component of it that’s rape,” he added. “All of us who are here — we are all the product of rape. I mean armies and power throughout history [have committed rape]. So to not touch on it, in some way … It just was organic and it felt right, coming about as a power trip for this guy. I was really trying to make a path for Bix that would ultimately lead to clarity — but a difficult path to get back to clarity.”
Gilroy also noted that the studio didn’t give him pushback about including the topic. “No one ever ever said anything about it, ever,” the “Andor” creator said. “But I mean, we have limits on what we can do. We are very aware of what we can do sexually and violence wise. Those limits are made very clear.”
Arjona said she felt empowered during the scene. “The fact that I get to speak [the word rape] out [loud] — I felt so much power in that,” she told <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/andor-adria-arjona-bix-attempted-rape-1236375525/">V</a><a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/andor-adria-arjona-bix-attempted-rape-1236375525/">ariety</a>. “I felt it throughout the day. I felt it when I finished filming, and I went home.”
Fans had mixed reactions to the episode. 
“SA in SW feels unnecessary. You can portray power dynamics and making the audience hate the empire in other ways without taking it to such a disgusting place,” one X user <a href="https://x.com/realswtheory/status/1914896363051212849">wrote</a>. “Vader wouldn&#8217;t tolerate that sh** nor does the Empire condone it. It has no place in Star Wars. Period. Unnecessary.”
“[S]ome of you really do need to grow up because this is exactly what the empire would do, despite it making you uncomfortable. thats the POINT? an imperial officer using his unchecked power to attempt to rape someone he deems illegal is exactly what the empire condones,” another person <a href="https://x.com/kattywumpas_/status/1915027886953681353">argued</a>.

Adria Arjona

‘Andor’ Creator Discusses Rape Scene In ‘Star Wars’ Series: ‘We’re All The Product Of Rape’

'Andor' Creator Discusses  Rape Scene In 'Star Wars' Series: 'We're All The Product Of Rape'

Rape

Television

Don’t sit back and celebrate just yet, patriots: the culture war is far from over.
Sure, conservatives have won a few major battles, including the epic fight for the highest office in the land. And yeah, major companies are finally paying attention to consumer demands and walking back massively divisive DEI initiatives that only resonate with the most militant woke warriors among us.
Keep the cork in your champagne, though. While DEI is becoming a thing of the past, these sneaky national brands are simply pitching the same ideas using aliases.
And let’s face it – DEI by any other name smells just as bad.
Companies like Disney, UPS, and Dollar Tree have all recently claimed to have “moved past DEI.” But dig a little deeper, and you’ll see the truth: <a href="https://consumersresearch.org/woke-alert/woke-alert-kohls-dollar-tree-disney-nationwide-ups/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">they’ve simply rebranded it</a>. “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” is now masquerading as “Belonging” and “Culture Commitments.” But despite the new naming conventions, the ideology remains the same. 
Kohl’s also removed DEI from its mission statement but still touts “inclusion” as a core value. Nationwide claims to have “decentralized” DEI efforts but still highlights their “inclusive culture.”
It’s all sleight of hand. It’s a strategic PR move, not a philosophical shift. These companies want applause without accountability. They want to appear apolitical while clinging to divisive ideology behind closed doors.
They promise they’ve changed, yet there are still mandatory corporate training sessions rooted in group identity, internal employee resource groups divided by race and gender, and ad campaigns that lecture rather than sell. 
Consumers already said they’re fed up. Now it’s time to prove it.
In an era where corporate virtue signaling is as common as pronouns in email signatures, Jeremy’s Razors has emerged as a rare beacon of unapologetic sanity. The brand was launched as a direct response to companies like Harry’s and Gillette going full woke. 
From its inception, Jeremy’s Razors has been adamant in its mission: no DEI departments, no ESG buzzwords, and absolutely no tolerance for the identity politics that have infected corporate America. Their mission is as sharp as the blades on a <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/collections/jeremys-shaving/products/precision-5-trial-kit-2?selling_plan=3820880085" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Precision 5 Razor</a>, meaning there’s no woke drama hiding behind new labels and hollow slogans. Right now through this exclusive offer, you can <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/discount/DEI20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get 20% off your first order</a> with code “DEI20” at checkout. Help build the woke-free economy with <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/discount/DEI20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy’s Razors</a>.
That’s why Jeremy’s Razors’ message resonates not just with conservatives, but with everyday consumers who are tired of being lectured when all they want is a good shave.
In a market full of brands chasing trends and blatantly lying, Jeremy’s Razors is doing something radical: telling the truth plainly without sneaky words hiding their true intentions. And in 2025, that’s more refreshing than ever.
Jeremy&#8217;s Razors shares common ownership with The Daily Wire.

Don’t Be Fooled: DEI Isn’t Dead, It Just Got A New Pronoun

Jeremy's Razors

Kohl's

Disney has reportedly halted production of a live-action version of the movie “Tangled” following the disastrous results of the recently released “Snow White.”
“The Greatest Showman” director Michael Gracey was hired as director, while Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who also wrote “Thor: Love and Thunder,” was the scriptwriter. But now, according to sources who spoke with <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tangled-live-action-remake-pause-disney-1236180940/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>, the project is on hold.
The studio insiders did not mention when the project would move forward or if any changes were being made to what had been done so far. 
“Snow White” dropped to number four at the box office this week after a slow opening and overall lackluster showing. The film has so far earned $69 million domestically and $145 million worldwide meaning it hasn’t recouped its estimated $270 million production budget. 
There are several factors which likely contributed to the remake’s abysmal results. First, the actress playing the film’s titular star, Rachel Zegler, made controversial statements about politics and current events, including saying she hoped Trump supporters “never know peace.” She also mocked the source material for the movie she was starring in, calling Prince Charming a “stalker” and saying the new version of “Snow White” wouldn’t resemble the original.
“We have a different approach to, what I’m sure a lot of people will assume is a love story,” Zegler said in part. “[Snow White is] not going to be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love,” she continued. “She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave and true.”
Most critics also gave it a negative review, leading to “Snow White” earning a 44% critic score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
Disney has been in the live-action remake game for years with varying levels of success. “Cinderella” (2015) was considered a hit, bringing in $540 million against a $90 million budget. Another big success was “Beauty and the Beast” (2017), starring Emma Watson, which received rave reviews from viewers and critics for the cast, songs, and visual design. That remake grossed over $1.26 billion against a $255 million budget.
“Snow White” isn’t the only live-action remake that underperformed expectations. “Dumbo” (2019) was also considered a flop, as was “Pinocchio” (2022).

Tangled

Disney Halts Production On Live-Action ‘Tangled’ After ‘Snow White’ Disaster: Report

Disney Halts Production On Live Action 'Tangled' After 'Snow White' Disaster: Report

Snow White

Actor John Boyega claims that “Star Wars” fans are prejudiced against black actors and will only tolerate them being cast in minor roles.
The 33-year-old British star achieved global fame for his role as Finn in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015). Boyega made the remarks during the new Apple TV+ documentary “Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood.”
&#8220;Star Wars always had the vibe of being in the most whitest [sic], elite space,&#8221; the actor said, per <a href="https://ew.com/john-boyega-mocks-racist-star-wars-fans-11704825">Entertainment Weekly</a>. &#8220;It&#8217;s a franchise that&#8217;s so white that a black person existing in [it] was something.&#8221;
Boyega said “Star Wars” movies did have black stars such as himself in them, but complained the roles were secondary and both the fans and the franchise heads were too quick to celebrate the inclusion. 
&#8220;You can always tell it&#8217;s something when some Star Wars fans try to say, &#8216;Well, we had Lando Calrissian and had Samuel L. Jackson!'&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s like telling me how many cookie chips are in the cookie dough. It&#8217;s like, they just scattered that in there, bro!&#8221;
Boyega added, &#8220;They&#8217;re okay with us playing the best friend, but once we touch their heroes, once we lead, once we trailblaze, it&#8217;s like, &#8216;Oh my God, it&#8217;s just a bit too much! They&#8217;re pandering!'&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Star Wars actor John Boyega attacks fans of the franchise as racist white elitists <a href="https://t.co/s9zxszFwiR">pic.twitter.com/s9zxszFwiR</a>
&mdash; End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1906883888216957166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
He was upset that his character was not better developed and concluded that the fans didn&#8217;t want that to happen. Several commenters took issue with Boyega blaming the fans for his role being diminished, pointing out that they were also annoyed by Disney’s treatment of the franchise.
“John Boyega blaming fans instead of Disney’s disastrous handling of Star Wars is just lazy,” one person <a href="https://x.com/Manic_Doge/status/1906926828310421721">noted</a>. “Fans aren’t rejecting the franchise because of race—they’re rejecting it because Hollywood keeps shoving a woke agenda down their throats at every turn. People are tired of studios prioritizing identity politics over good storytelling, and the box office numbers prove it. Instead of attacking the audience, maybe he should ask why so many lifelong Star Wars fans have walked away.”
“What’s terrible about this take is it is the complete opposite,” another person <a href="https://x.com/Aku_700/status/1906885789025190033">agreed</a>. “Star Wars fans WANTED him to take up a bigger role, and work his way into becoming a Jedi. They completely shafted him for Rey’s BS story arc.  His problem is with the fans and not the writers??”
“Another Hollywood crybaby playing the race card because his career isn’t skyrocketing. Star Wars fans don’t care about your skin color. They care about good stories, something Disney stopped delivering years ago,” <a href="https://x.com/OneXOneY/status/1906885144713343431">echoed</a> a third.
This isn’t the first time the actor has voiced his issues with the role he played in “Star Wars.” During a 2020 <a href="https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/john-boyega-interview-2020">interview</a> with British GQ, Boyega said he was disappointed that the character of Finn had a more prominent part in “The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi” (2017) compared to his part in “The Rise of Skywalker&#8221; (2019). 
&#8220;What I would say to Disney is do not bring out a black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are and then have them pushed to the side. It&#8217;s not good,&#8221; he told the outlet at the time. 
“Like, you guys knew what to do with Daisy Ridley, you knew what to do with Adam Driver,” he continued, saying those actors got all the “nuance” while his character did not. “You knew what to do with these other people, but when it came to Kelly Marie Tran, when it came to John Boyega, you know f*** all. So what do you want me to say? What they want you to say is, ‘I enjoyed being a part of it. It was a great experience&#8230;’ Nah, nah, nah. I’ll take that deal when it’s a great experience.”

John Boyega

‘Star Wars’ Actor Comes After Fans, Calls The Franchise ‘The Most Whitest, Elite Space’

'Star Wars' Actor Comes After Fans, Calls The Franchise 'The Most Whitest, Elite Space'

Racism

World

Disney&#8217;s “Snow White” fell off a cliff during its second weekend in theaters, with ticket sales dropping 66% as Amazon MGM Studios&#8217; “A Working Man&#8221; took over the top spot at the box office.
Disney looks no closer to recouping the film’s massive $270 million production budget, which does not include months-long worldwide marketing efforts. Per <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/2025W13/">Box Office Mojo</a>, “Snow White” brought in just $14.2 million over its second weekend at theaters. 
These disappointing numbers come on the heels of a lackluster opening weekend for the massive Disney production. As multiple controversies saw the film making headlines for all the wrong reasons, “Snow White” premiered with a disappointing $43 million domestic gross, cementing the film as one of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/snow-white-bombs-with-one-of-disneys-lowest-opening-weekends-for-a-remake">worst-performing live-action remakes</a> Disney ever made.
“A Working Man” is an action thriller starring Jason Statham as a military man-turned-construction foreman who uses his combat skills to rescue his employer&#8217;s kidnapped daughter from Russian traffickers. It has nowhere near the amount of name recognition or promotions as “Snow White.”
It’s worth noting that the original 1937 animated film, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” cost just $1.5 million to make and became the top-earning animated film ever, adjusted for inflation when counting all the re-releases over the years. The beloved Disney classic has grossed just over $1.5 billion in revenue worldwide, <a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/highest-box-office-film-gross-for-an-animation-inflation-adjusted">per</a> The Guinness Book of World Records. 
There are several factors which likely contributed to the remake’s abysmal results. First, the actress playing the film’s titular star, Rachel Zegler, who has <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/rachel-zegler-white-west-side-story-executives-latina/">described</a> herself as a &#8220;white Latina,&#8221; made a series of controversial statements about politics and current events, including saying she hoped Trump supporters &#8220;never know peace.&#8221; She also made fun of the source material for the movie she was starring in, calling Prince Charming a “stalker” and saying the new version of “Snow White” wouldn’t resemble the original.
“We have a different approach to, what I’m sure a lot of people will assume is a love story,” Zegler <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disney-hired-social-media-guru-for-rachel-zegler-after-anti-trump-posts-report">said</a> in part. “[Snow White is] not going to be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love,” she continued. “She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave and true.”
Most critics have totally trashed the film. “Snow White” currently has a 44% critic score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
One critic described the movie as “made by people with cartoon dollar signs for eyes and not even the tiniest glimmer of art in their souls.”

‘Snow White’ Drops 66% At Box Office In 2nd Week, ‘A Working Man’ Takes Top Spot

'Snow White' Drops 60% At The Box Office In Second Week, Loses Top Spot To 'A Working Man'

The “Malcolm in the Middle” revival will be missing one of its major stars when it returns after the actor left Hollywood and his acting career behind.
The popular sitcom is set to hit Disney+ with a four-episode series &#8212; and when it does, all but one of the stars from the original series are coming back, <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/malcolm-in-the-middle-revival-christopher-masterson-justin-berfield-dewey-recast-1236347654/">Variety</a> reported.
Stars like Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, Christopher Masterson, Justin Berfield, and Jane Kaczmarek are all on board, but the actor who played the youngest member of the family Dewey, Erik Per Sullivan, will be absent.
The young star’s last project was in 2010 with the release of the feature “Twelve,” the outlet noted. He has also been noticeably absent from various “Malcolm in the Middle” reunions over the years.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Dewey is being recast for the ‘MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE’ revival series with Caleb Ellsworth-Clark taking over the role
Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield will return as Malcolm’s brothers Francis and Rees <a href="https://t.co/2a20pvH3XA">pic.twitter.com/2a20pvH3XA</a>
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1904595069656850481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
During an interview in 2024, Kacsmarek, who played the mom on the hit show, said that Per Sullivan is &#8220;well, he’s very, very well,” <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/malcolm-middle-revival-missing-key-actor-who-ditched-hollywood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a> noted.
&#8220;He wasn’t interested in acting at all,” the actress said. “He goes to school at a very, very, very prestigious American university that he’s asked us all to be quiet about.”
&#8220;I think so many people think being in show business is just the greatest thing in the world, and it’s not for everybody,” she added. &#8220;He’s a very grateful kid, for Dewey.”
“&#8217;Malcolm in the Middle&#8217; is set to begin production in the coming weeks in Vancouver,” the official logline for the revival series read.
“Malcolm (Muniz) and his daughter are drawn into the family’s chaos when Hal (Cranston) and Lois (Kacsmarek) demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party,” it added.
At the time of this publication, a release date has yet to be announced. 
In February, Muniz opened up about the upcoming project and said he was &#8220;really excited,&#8221; <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1415283/malcolm-in-the-middle-revival-recasts-major-role">E! News</a> reported.
&#8220;I’m so excited,” the actor explained. “I think Brian and I first started talking at a dinner that we had in 2015. And the fact that now, 10 years later, 25 years after the show started, it&#8217;s going to happen—I&#8217;m really excited.”
“I think people are going to be thrilled to see everybody and the ideas that they&#8217;ve come up with,” he added. “Because that was a big thing for me, too, is like the possibilities are endless on what Malcolm and his family could be up to. I&#8217;ve read the scripts, so I know. And I think people are going to be pretty excited.&#8221;
The original series appeared on Fox and ran from 2000 to 2006, earning 33 Emmy nominations, including two wins each for best writing and best directing for a comedy, Fox noted.

Malcolm In the Middle

‘Malcolm In The Middle’ Revival Will Be Missing One Major Star Who Has Left Hollywood Behind

Bryan Cranston

Christian Bale pulled a Rachel Zegler before anyone knew the young actress’ name.
Everyone recalled Bale’s work from the “Dark Knight” trilogy, so when director Ridley Scott cast him in 2014’s “Exodus: Gods and Kings” it mattered. Who wouldn’t want the Oscar winner in their next project?
Then Bale dubbed Moses a “<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/christian-bale-says-moses-could-be-considered-a-terrorist/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">terrorist</a>” in publicity interviews for the film.
&#8220;If you&#8217;re not religious, you can look at it as one man&#8217;s freedom fighter is another man&#8217;s terrorist,&#8221; he said of Moses.
<div id="attachment_899039" style="width: 792px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-899039" class="size-large wp-image-899039" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-460174862-782x576.jpg" alt="GOOD MORNING AMERICA - Christian Bale is a guest on &quot;Good Morning America,&quot; 12/5/14, airing on the Walt Disney Television Network. (Photo by Fred Lee/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)" width="782" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-460174862-782x576.jpg 782w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-460174862-300x221.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-460174862-768x566.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-460174862.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px" />Fred Lee/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images</div>
Religious audiences, otherwise curious to see a movie featuring Moses, weren’t amused. The film, despite the talents of Scott and Bale, tanked.
Sound familiar?
By now, everyone knows how Zegler helped crush Disney’s “Snow White” at the box office. She’s not alone, though.
Stars routinely damage their own projects with ill-advised comments. That mostly involves stars getting hyper-political on publicity tours, stoking partisan rage. Many movie goers refuse to see movies made by two-time Oscar winner Sean Penn, for example, due to decades of charged comments.
Just look at Robert De Niro. He has spent nearly a decade savaging President Donald Trump from every available platform. His latest film, “The Alto Knights,” opened to a disastrous $3.1 million despite his gravitas in gangster movies and tackling not one but two mobster roles in the film.
Was it something he said? It can’t be ruled out.
The Zegler fallout, though, is different. And it could be the final warning for stars to heed when they talk to the press moving forward. Anger potential fans at your peril.
<div id="attachment_899013" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-899013" class="size-large wp-image-899013" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2205296417-864x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 15: Rachel Zegler attends the World Premiere of Disney's Snow White at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 15, 2025. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for Disney)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2205296417-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2205296417-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2205296417-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2205296417.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for Disney</div>
“Snow White’s” slow-moving car crash began two years ago when <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/rachel-zegler-viral-backlash-snow-white-disney-live-action-rcna99848" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zegler trashed the iconic source material</a> on the red carpet.
“I just mean that it’s no longer 1937 … We absolutely wrote a ‘Snow White’ that &#8230; she’s not going to be saved by the prince, and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love; she’s going to be dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave and true.”
<div id="attachment_610047" style="width: 690px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-610047" class="wp-image-610047 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/GettyImages-1243085976-copy1.jpeg" alt="D23 EXPO 2022 - The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by VISA - brings together all the worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks, shopping, and more. The event, which takes place September 9, 10, and 11 at the Anaheim Convention Center, provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, series, games, theme parks, collectibles, and celebrities. (The Walt Disney Company via Getty Images) Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot" width="680" height="504" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/GettyImages-1243085976-copy1.jpeg 680w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/GettyImages-1243085976-copy1-300x222.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px" />The Walt Disney Company via Getty Images. Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot.</div>
A separate interview found her mocking the story’s male hero, the prince who saves Snow White with a kiss.
“Weird,” she infamously called him, reframing his affection as a “stalker.”
&#8220;It&#8217;s really not about the love story at all, which is really, really wonderful.&#8221;
Tell that to adults who grew up adoring “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” the 1937 animated film that helped launch Disney into the pop culture stratosphere. Chances are they introduced the classic story to their children and grandchildren.
That’s the opposite of weird.
Zegler opened her mouth and inserted both feet. Enter an army of YouTube personalities who ran with Zegler’s quotes.
Had she opined in the past, the quotes would have circulated in the press and faded to black. In our digital age, they only got more attention as the months wore on. It got worse when she started braying, “Free Palestine” on social media, another deeply divisive message.
It didn’t help that her co-star, Gal Gadot, is Israeli and served in the IDF.
Then, before the film’s belated March 2025 opening, Zegler raged against President Donald Trump and, more specifically, his supporters. She hoped they would “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disneys-snow-white-actress-attacks-trump-voters-tells-people-to-leave-x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">never know peace.”</a>
Now, we’re seeing the fruits of her warped words. “Snow White” opened to a dreadful $43 million at the U.S. box office, the worst showing to date for a Disney live-action update. The film had other issues, like Disney disavowing dwarfs as problematic before backpedaling and adding CGI little people.
Zegler’s comments made the most noise, to the film’s detriment.
It’s not enough that Zegler helped sink her own film. The industry called her out for doing just that. Variety ran an <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/snow-white-death-threats-zegler-social-media-guru-1236347433/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exhaustive autopsy</a> on the film’s failure, letting anonymous Disney sources trash the young star. An executive from a different studio also chimed in, “You can’t say that a live-action remake of the most iconic film in the vault that cost [$270] million and has been reshot multiple times opening to $50 million is OK. The math does not work.&#8221;
Media outlets couldn’t hide how damaging her comments had been to the film’s box office potential, even though reporters have yet to connect De Niro’s box office tailspin to his anti-Trump diatribes.
<div id="attachment_899055" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-899055" class="size-large wp-image-899055" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2206051478-864x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 20: Actress Rachel Zegler is seen leaving &quot;Good Morning America&quot; on March 20, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Raymond Hall/GC Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2206051478-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2206051478-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2206051478-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2206051478.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Raymond Hall/GC Images</div>
Even Jonah Platt, son of “Snow White” producer Marc Platt, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2025/03/27/rachel-zegler-snow-white-marc-platt-jonah/82686271007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weighed in</a> against Zegler.
&#8220;My dad, the producer of (an) enormous piece of Disney IP with hundreds of millions of dollars on the line, had to leave his family to fly across the country to reprimand his 20 year old employee for dragging her personal politics into the middle of promoting the movie for which she signed a multi-million dollar contract to get paid and do publicity for … This is called adult responsibility and accountability. And her actions clearly hurt the film&#8217;s box office.&#8221;
Those Platt quotes also got magnified by legacy media outlets.
Will the Zegler Effect change Hollywood? It could.
Hollywood can&#8217;t afford more “Snow White” debacles. The box office is down, again, this year, and 2024’s numbers suggest pre-pandemic levels of movie going may be gone with the wind.
We&#8217;ll never go back to the Golden Age of Hollywood where the studios controlled what the actors could and couldn&#8217;t say. No one wants or encourages that level of control.
Still, it doesn’t take years of media training to understand a simple policy. Don’t alienate potential audiences when promoting your film or TV show. That shouldn’t be complicated, but apparently it is for some stars.
The Zegler fallout may make some actors think twice before trashing their own films or the people they need to watch them.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

World Premiere Of Walt Disney Studios’ “Snow White”

The Real Cost Of The Rachel Zegler Fallout

actors

Rachel Zegler

Woke Culture

“Snow White” producer Marc Platt’s son, Jonah Platt, called actress Rachel Zegler “immature” and more amid the film’s struggles at the box office.
After some online attacked Marc Platt, calling him “creepy as hell” following a report about the producer trying to rein in the young actress&#8217; controversial comments, Jonah Platt slammed Zegler in a post that has since been deleted.
“You really want to do this?” Platt’s son <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/snow-white-marc-platt-jonah-slams-rachel-zegler-1236173434/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. “Yeah, my dad, the producer of enormous piece of Disney IP with hundreds of millions of dollars on the line, had to leave his family to fly across the country to reprimand his 20 year old employee for dragging her personal politics into the middle of promoting the movie for which she signed a multi-million dollar contract to get paid and do publicity for.”
“This is called adult responsibility and accountability,” he added. “And her actions clearly hurt the film’s box office. Free speech does not mean you’re allowed to say whatever you want in your private employment without repercussions.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: The son of &#8216;Snow White&#8217; producer Marc Platt absolutely unleashes on Rachel Zegler for ruining his father&#8217;s movie.
Jonah Platt is ripping the 23-year-old actress for getting political and ruining Snow White.
The comment from Platt was found on Instagram after one user asked… <a href="https://t.co/1k1xnnw2af">pic.twitter.com/1k1xnnw2af</a>
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1905038466557280712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Tens of thousands of people worked on that film and she hijacked the conversation for her own immature desires at the risk of all the colleagues and crew and blue collar workers who depend on that movie to be successful,” Jonah continued. “Narcissism is not something to be coddled or encouraged.”
The live-action remake of Disney’s 1937 animated classic had its worst-ever opening weekend for a classic remake and will likely come nowhere close to recouping its massive $270 million production budget, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/snow-white-bombs-with-one-of-disneys-lowest-opening-weekends-for-a-remake">reported</a>. The film brought in just $43 million domestically, which was on par with major studio flop “Dumbo” (2019), which made $46 million during its debut.
The vocal left-wing activist has made headlines numerous times leading up to the film’s release. First when she faced backlash after she slammed the original story, describing the prince as a “stalker” and made it clear the live-action story she was part of would have nothing in common with the “weird” original 1937 love story.
Months later in an interview for <a href="https://x.com/realDailyWire/status/1734342385721844037">Variety</a> with fellow Disney actress Halle Bailey, Zegler appeared to sing a different tune when she gushed over the original “Snow White” as “a monumental moment in film history,” and said she “loves everything the Disney company has put out” since its inception.
In November, Zegler had to issue an apology after attacking Trump voters following a rant on social media about the election results.
“Hi everyone, I would like to sincerely apologize for the election post I shared on my Instagram last week,” Zegler wrote amid calls to boycott the upcoming Disney film, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/11/15/entertainment/snow-white-star-rachel-zegler-apologizes-after-post-about-trump-voters/">New York Post </a>reported.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/snow-white-star-rachel-zegler-apologizes-after-backlash-for-attacking-trump-voters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Snow White’ Star Rachel Zegler Apologizes After Backlash For Attacking Trump Voters</a>

‘Snow White’ Producer’s Son Destroys Rachel Zegler Amid Film’s Box Office Struggles

Box Office

Donald Trump

Disney reportedly hired a social media expert to vet “Snow White” leading actress, Rachel Zegler, after the actress insulted Trump voters following the 2024 election.
Variety <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/snow-white-death-threats-zegler-social-media-guru-1236347433/">reported</a> that the movie’s producer, Marc Platt, made the move following social media posts Zegler shared, including one that said “F*** Donald Trump” and another saying she hoped Trump supporters would “never know peace.”
The 23-year-old star later apologized for the remarks. Per the Variety report, she also agreed to work with the social media expert.
This was after Zegler posted on X in August 2024 to thank fans for helping the trailer get to 120 million views. She added a <a href="https://x.com/rachelzegler/status/1823146134769893534">follow up</a> which said, “and always remember, free palestine.”  
That follow up tweet earned 8.8 million views, which was four times more than the original post. It also added to the drama surrounding the film — which was in large part due to Zegler making controversial statements.
The outlet noted that Zegler’s Israeli co-star Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen in the movie, started receiving death threats after the post went up. Variety’s source says Gadot was issued added security the studio had to pay for. 
“She didn’t understand the repercussions of her actions as far as what that meant for the film, for Gal, for anyone,” their source told the outlet.
This wasn’t the first time Zegler caused issues for Disney. The remarks about Trump voters and her “free Palestine” statement came after the actress caused a frenzy for disparaging comments she made about the original 1937 animated movie upon which the live action version is based.
During a 2022 expo, Zegler <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disneys-snow-white-star-slammed-as-she-continues-bashing-original-film-in-another-resurfaced-video">called</a> Prince Charming a “stalker.”
“I mean, you know, the original cartoon came out in 1937 and very evidently so. There’s a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird! Weird. So we didn’t do that this time,” she said at the time.
“We have a different approach to, what I’m sure a lot of people will assume is a love story, just because we cast a guy in the movie, Andrew Burnap, great dude,” she added. “It’s one of those things that I think everyone’s going to have their assumptions about what it’s going to be, but it’s really not about the love story at all, which is really, really wonderful.”
At another point, Zegler said, “[Snow White is] not going to be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love,” Zegler said in the clip. “She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave and true.”
For this and other reasons, “Snow White” has been underperforming box office expectations and hasn’t come anywhere near recouping its massive $270 million production budget. It had one of the worst opening weekends for a Disney remake in history, bringing in just $43 million total.

Disney Hired ‘Social Media Guru’ For Rachel Zegler After Anti-Trump Posts: Report

Disney Hired 'Social Media Guru' For Rachel Zegler After Anti-Trump Posts: Report

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