Snow White faces embarrassment as cinemas show empty seats and low sales

The Walt Disney Company’s Snow White reboot is facing a crisis as the film struggles to fill seats in cinemas worldwide, despite a massive budget of over $270 million (£210 million).

Following a disappointing opening weekend, which saw the film gross just $87.3 million (£67.4 million) globally far below expectations of $100 million (£79 million) the movie is being labelled a “flop.”

Empty theatres, particularly in primetime slots, have raised eyebrows, with pictures circulating online showing cinema screens with no bookings at all.

Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, has also been criticised for its re-imagining of the Seven Dwarfs as ‘magical creatures,’ which many have labelled as part of the film’s ‘woke’ agenda.

Ahead of the release, Zegler and Gadot made comments that stirred controversy, further damaging the film’s reception.

The film, which had hopes of drawing large crowds, has struggled to find its footing in several key markets, including China, where it failed to make a mark, earning under $1 million (£800,000) in its opening days.

In the US, some moviegoers reported seeing cinemas with zero bookings for prime weekend slots, with one person sharing a screenshot of a near-empty IMAX screening.

They commented: “Only ONE person bought tickets for tonight. Yeah, this movie’s gonna flop.” Another post from the same user claimed that Saturday night screenings also had zero bookings, calling the film’s performance “hilariously abysmal.”

The film’s failure comes despite the high expectations set by Disney, but as one former cinema worker pointed out, the late-night showings may have skewed the perception of poor ticket sales, as prime showings typically occur earlier in the evening.

Read More: Disney’s Snow White box office collection falls short of expectations

The criticism grew when a video resurfaced of Rachel Zegler expressing hope that people would “wait in line” to see her films, only for Snow White to perform poorly at the box office.

Fans on social media have since drawn attention to the irony of her comments, with many taking to X (formerly Twitter) to point out the stark contrast between Zegler’s optimism and the film’s dismal performance. The Snow White reboot is now facing an uncertain future as it struggles to find an audience.