Disney's much-awaited live-action film Snow White opened at the box office with its preview shows on Thursday night, in which the film grossed $3.5 million. According to sources, the figure has not been officially released by Disney. The shows of the film began at 2 pm, and now all eyes are on whether the film will be able to take the legacy of Disney's original princess to new heights.
The musical film, directed by Marc Webb, seems to be ahead of some of Disney's other live-action remake films based on its preview performance. For instance, 2019's Maleficent: Mistress of Evil opened with previews of $2.3 million, which was 18% of its $12.5 million opening day and earned a total of $36.9 million in its 3-day run.
Similarly, Dumbo had a 3-day collection of $46 million after a preview gross of $2.6 million. In comparison, Snow White's performance is closer to last year's DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda 4, which had a 3-day gross of $57.8 million after previews of $3.8 million.
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Made with a hefty $270 million budget, the film's success now depends on whether families, especially those with daughters, flock to theaters over the weekend. 25% of K-12 schools will be closed on Friday due to the spring break season, and this trend is expected to continue for the next few weeks.
While awareness of the film is at an impressive 94%, audience interest has been recorded at only 39%. This has raised questions among film industry experts about whether a film with such low interest will be able to open above $50 million.
Despite the controversy surrounding the film's lead actress Rachel Zegler, Snow White is being touted as a brilliant production. It's not some crazy experiment, but a musical experience thanks to Wicked producer Marc Platt and Oscar-winning composer duo Pasek & Paul.
Director Marc Webb, known for romantic comedies like 500 Days of Summer, and Barbie's Greta Gerwig's contribution to the screenplay make it special. A studio marketing expert said, "This film is a perfect picture for families. Why would anyone turn away from seeing it?"
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However, the film's critical score on Rotten Tomatoes is stuck at 46%, which puts it on par with some of Disney's other remakes like Maleficent (54%, $69.4 million), Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (40%), and Aladdin (57%, $91.5 million). These films also did well at the box office despite low scores and all received an A CinemaScore. It remains to be seen how Snow White will fare in the audience.
The film is being released in 4,200 theatres, including premium formats like PLF, 4DX, Screen-X, Dolby, and IMAX. It will also compete with Warner Bros' Alto Nights, starring Robert De Niro, this weekend. The gangster film directed by Barry Levinson has a score of 38% on Rotten Tomatoes and has had previews of less than $0.5 million.
The film is expected to remain limited to single-digit collections. On the other hand, RLJE/Shudder's science-fiction horror film Ash, starring Eiza Gonzalez and Aaron Paul, has also released in 1,136 theatres. It has received a brilliant rating of 74% from critics.