A new report has indicated the massive budget for Snow White makes the film one of the most expensive live-action Disney adaptations of all time. The upcoming Snow White live-action remake stars Rachel Zegler as the titular character, offering a new take on the classic fairy tale story, and one of Disney’s first animated films. The movie has been plagued with controversy and setbacks, including criticism over Zegler’s casting, her negative comments about the original, the inclusion of the Seven Dwarfs, and the release date getting delayed by a full year amid the 2023 Hollywood strikes.

Now, Variety reports the budget of Snow White is sitting at $240 million, making it the third-most expensive Disney live-action adaptation of all time. However, there have been conflicting reports about the actual number, with Forbes claiming the budget is actually as high as $269.4 million. If the latter number is correct, then it would make it the most expensive Disney live-action remake of all time, surpassing 2023’s The Little Mermaid‘s budget of $250 million and 2019’s The Lion King‘s budget of $260 million. While the latter’s live-action status is somewhat debated, the upcoming film still beats out both budgets.

What Snow White’s Gargantuan Budget Means For The Live-Action Adaptation

The Film Needs To Be A Massive Box Office Success

Both budgetary reports emphasize how much the film’s cost has ballooned throughout production. While filming began in March 2022 and wrapped by July, additional filming took place in June 2024. The cast of Snow White was also altered as well, with the Dwarfs being re-worked into CGI following controversies surrounding the potential casting of real actors with dwarfism in the roles. This in particular likely accounts for much of the budget, since the seven characters are highly important to the overall story.

No matter the exact cost of the movie, though, both numbers signal the remake needs to become a huge box office success to earn a profit. Since break even points are typically calculated by doubling the budget to account for ad costs and theater sales cuts, Snow White needs as little as $480 million and as high as $538.8 million at the box office to not lose any money. It will require even higher numbers to make a profit, which could be disappointing if it’s not able to crack $600 million by the end of its theatrical run.

Our Take On Snow White’s Huge Budget

It’s Unclear If The Movie Will Make A Profit

Disney’s last live-action adaptation, The Little Mermaid, managed to earn $569.6 million at the box office, something that, if replicated by Snow White, would guarantee the film’s profit. However, out of every upcoming Disney live-action remake, the Zegler-led film has had a myriad of controversies surrounding it since the very beginning. While this doesn’t necessarily reflect how the film will play out in theaters, its history would make it unsurprising if the movie didn’t manage to make a profit.