Number one means nothing when theatres are empty

Recently, Disney Snow White actress, Rachel Zegler proudly declared on Instagram that Snow White was the “#1 movie in the world,” throwing in a cute little apple and snowflake emoji for good measure. But let’s talk facts. Yes, the film technically held the top spot for a single weekend. However, that doesn’t mean it was a success—it just means every other movie playing was either old, under-marketed, or an indie flick that had no shot at competing in the first place. The movie clearly flopped. And not just in a ‘oh no, we slightly underperformed’ way. No, this was a full-scale Disney disaster.

Here’s the reality check: Snow White opened with a disastrous $43 million domestic debut, bringing its worldwide total to $87 million after opening weekend. That’s an embarrassingly low number for a film that cost a whopping $270 million to make, and when you factor in marketing costs, experts estimate the break-even point is around $700 million. In other words, this thing is set to lose hundreds of millions of dollars​.

What does ‘#1 movie’ even mean when theatres are empty?

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Being “#1” at the box office usually means something—but not when audiences are actively avoiding your movie. Reports from across the country show embarrassingly empty theatres, with some locations barely selling tickets for evening showings. It’s not that no one saw Snow White—it’s that not enough people did.

Meanwhile, in its second weekend, the movie plummeted 66 per cent in ticket sales, earning just $14.2 million. That’s a complete nosedive. To make things even more humiliating, A Working Man, a Jason Statham movie with a fraction of Snow White’s budget, overtook it at the box office with $15.2 million​.

‘#1’ doesn’t matter when no one likes the movie

Let’s not forget—audiences and critics hate this thing. Snow White sits at a 41per cent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, with most reviews slamming it for being lifeless, bland, and utterly unnecessary​.

The controversies surrounding the film—including the backlash against Rachel Zegler’s comments on the original Snow White, the bizarre CGI dwarves, and the constant delays—only made things worse.

Disney needed this movie to be a massive hit to justify its bloated budget. Instead, it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest box office bombs of all time.

via Disney

Yes, Snow White was #1 for a weekend, but let’s not pretend that means it’s a success. Box office rankings don’t matter when a movie is hemorrhaging money. It’s losing audiences week after week, and getting demolished by mid-budget action flicks.

So, when Rachel Zegler proudly declared Snow White as the “#1 movie in the world,” it felt less like a celebration and more like a desperate manifestation attempt.