Disney’s latest big-budget film has turned out to be a failure both critically and commercially, despite its massive $270 million budget. Technically speaking, it has already been labeled as one of the worst movies of all time.

Remaking classic animated films is certainly not a new trend in Disney’s world, but the initial optimism surrounding these projects has rapidly faded into frustration and disappointment. Over the years, Disney has attempted to capitalize on nostalgia by revamping its beloved animated classics into live-action adaptations. While some of these remakes have found success, others have been met with harsh criticism for failing to capture the magic of the originals.

Recently, Mufasa: The Lion King was released and received mixed reviews. However, things took a drastic turn for the worse for the entertainment giant Walt Disney with their latest effort.

Premiering in theaters on March 21, this year’s remake of Snow White was met with an overwhelmingly negative reception from online audiences. It recorded an all-time low rating on IMDB for a movie of this scale. The film’s promotional campaign was already surrounded by controversy, with many fans voicing concerns about changes to the original story and casting decisions long before its release.

According to reports from Western Standard, Snow White received a shockingly low score of 1.6/10 on IMDB at the time of writing, with over 201,000 reviews submitted. This level of criticism suggests that audiences felt strongly enough about the film to actively voice their disappointment on one of the most popular film rating platforms.

While this is not the absolute lowest rating on the platform, it is the worst among movies that have amassed more than 107,000 reviews. This alone could suggest that the film ranks among the most widely disliked productions in recent history.

Upon examining the rating breakdown, it becomes evident that a staggering 90.5% (182,000 reviews) of users rated the film a 1/10, whereas only 2.5% (5,000 reviews) gave it a perfect 10/10. This stark contrast indicates that the majority of viewers saw little redeeming value in the film, while a small fraction of audiences found something to enjoy.

Critics seem to align with the general audience’s negative sentiment, as Snow White currently holds a mere 42% score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, a significant portion of the backlash surrounding the film may stem from the ongoing culture war regarding Disney’s casting choices.

Many right-wing commentators criticized the casting of Rachel Zegler as the lead character, arguing that it did not “faithfully represent” the original animated film. However, most professional critics actually pointed out that Zegler was one of the few redeeming qualities of the movie. Her performance, while divisive, was praised by some for bringing a fresh take to the character, even if the film itself failed to impress.

Additionally, the film achieved a 74% rating from over 1,000 users on Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcornmeter, a metric that aggregates scores from verified ticket-buying audiences—a verification process that IMDB does not implement. This discrepancy between verified audience scores and general online reviews raises questions about the potential influence of review-bombing campaigns, where users intentionally give extreme ratings to influence public perception.

Despite this slight difference in perception, Snow White’s box office performance has been equally discouraging. In its opening week, the film grossed only $94,712,434 against its enormous $270 million budget, as reported by Box Office Mojo. This underwhelming performance makes it unlikely that the film will turn a profit, especially considering additional costs such as marketing and distribution.

A significant reason for the film’s lackluster box office numbers could be audience fatigue with Disney’s repeated attempts at remakes. While the studio once found great success in bringing animated classics to live action, recent years have seen diminishing returns as audiences grow weary of formulaic adaptations that add little to the original narratives.

Another contributing factor to the film’s failure is the changing landscape of movie consumption. With the rise of streaming services, many audiences now prefer to wait for new releases to arrive on platforms like Disney+ rather than paying for a theatrical experience. Given Snow White’s poor reception, it is likely that many potential viewers are choosing to wait rather than investing time and money in a film that has already been widely panned.

The film’s marketing strategy also played a role in its downfall. Instead of focusing on what made the original Snow White a beloved classic, the promotional campaign centered around modern updates and changes that alienated traditional Disney fans. This shift in branding may have contributed to the disconnect between the film and its intended audience.

Whether Snow White will experience a turnaround (or perhaps even find its first wave of success) and break even at the box office before eventually landing on Disney+ remains uncertain. However, given its abysmal IMDB ratings, it is clear that audiences have largely rejected the film for various reasons—whether those reasons are justified or not. If Disney continues down the path of live-action remakes, it may need to rethink its approach and find ways to reinvigorate these projects in order to regain the trust of its audience.

Ultimately, the failure of Snow White serves as a cautionary tale for major studios. The reliance on nostalgia-driven remakes without meaningful innovation can only take a company so far before audiences demand something fresh and original. While Disney remains a powerhouse in the entertainment industry, its recent struggles highlight the importance of adapting to changing audience expectations and creating films that truly resonate with viewers.