😲 DISNEY+ SHOCKER! 😲 Disney+ has reportedly CANCELED the Snow White release on their platform after Rachel Zegler’s Evita casting sparked a MASSIVE backlash! 🎭 Zegler’s bold political posts and her slamming of the original fairy tale have fans in an UPROAR, with some cheering and others crying foul! 😱 Is this Disney ditching a $270M flop or caving to the culture wars? The internet’s BURNING UP! 🔥 Share your take and dive into this fairy-tale fiasco!

Disney+ Cancels Snow White Release: The Rachel Zegler Evita Backlash and Its Fallout

In a stunning turn of events, reports surfaced on June 5, 2025, claiming that Disney+ had canceled the streaming release of its live-action Snow White remake, starring Rachel Zegler as the titular princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. The $270 million film, which hit theaters on March 21, 2025, was a box office disaster, grossing just $43 million domestically and $87 million globally in its opening weekend. Now, a YouTube video titled “Disney+ CANCELS Snow White Release After Rachel Zegler Evita Backlash!” has fueled speculation that Zegler’s casting in a West End production of Evita—and the renewed controversy it sparked—prompted Disney to pull the film from its streaming platform. Zegler’s outspoken political views, criticism of the 1937 Snow White classic, and the Evita backlash have been cited as key factors. But is this cancellation real, and what does it reveal about Disney’s struggles with Zegler and the broader cultural landscape?

The Claim: Disney+ Cancels Snow White

The cancellation claim originated from a YouTube video by @SyntheticGhoul_, posted on June 5, 2025, alleging that Disney+ had scrapped plans to stream Snow White due to backlash over Zegler’s Evita role. The video pointed to X posts, like one from @vinhlegacy, claiming Zegler was “officially cancelled by Disney for being a brand risk.” It suggested that her political activism, particularly a pro-Palestine post in August 2024, and her comments disparaging the original Snow White alienated audiences, making the film toxic for Disney+. The Evita casting, announced in October 2024, reportedly reignited these tensions, with critics like Madonna, who played Eva Perón in the 1996 film, expressing dismay.

However, no mainstream outlet, such as Variety or The Hollywood Reporter, has confirmed the cancellation. J-14 on March 24, 2025, clarified that Zegler was not fired from Disney, and her promotional duties were completed, albeit scaled back. A BBC report from March 30, 2025, noted Disney’s silence on Zegler-related controversies, suggesting the studio is distancing itself without formally cutting ties. The lack of an official Disney+ announcement—no trailer, poster, or streaming date—lends some credence to the rumor, but it may reflect strategic hesitation rather than a full cancellation. Disney’s history of releasing underperforming films on Disney+, like The Marvels, makes an outright cancellation unlikely, though a delayed or low-key release is plausible.

The Snow White Flop: A Perfect Storm

The Snow White remake’s theatrical failure set the stage for these rumors. With a budget of $270 million (some estimates cite $350 million with marketing), the film needed to gross $600–700 million to break even. Its $43 million domestic opening, reported by Vanity Fair on March 29, 2025, was dwarfed by Moana 2 and lagged behind other Disney remakes like Aladdin ($1 billion) and The Little Mermaid ($569 million). Critics gave it a 40% Rotten Tomatoes score, with The Guardian calling it “exhaustingly awful” and The New York Post labeling it “pointless.” Audiences, per CinemaScore, gave it a B+, but only 43% recommended it on PostTrak.

Zegler’s comments were a lightning rod. In 2022, at Disney’s D23 Expo, she called the 1937 film “dated” and “weird,” criticizing its prince as a “stalker” and Snow White’s focus on love, per Variety. She told Entertainment Weekly the original scared her as a child and that she’d only watched it once. These remarks, while aligning with the remake’s feminist vision, alienated fans who cherished the classic, listed by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 greatest American films. Her political posts, including a “Free Palestine” tweet in August 2024 that garnered 8.8 million views, prompted Disney to hire a social media guru to vet her posts, per Variety. Her post-election Instagram rant against Trump voters, later apologized for, further polarized audiences.

The Evita Backlash: A New Flashpoint

Zegler’s casting as Eva Perón in a West End Evita production, set to run from June to September 2025, reignited controversy. Announced in October 2024, the role drew criticism from Madonna, who told The Daily Mail on April 11, 2025, that she felt a “deep connection” to Eva and questioned Zegler’s suitability. Some fans echoed this, arguing Zegler, at 23, lacked the gravitas for the iconic role, previously played by figures like Elaine Paige. On X, posts like @vianratulangi’s claimed Zegler’s “Free Palestine” stance and perceived disrespect toward Snow White made her a liability, with one user alleging she shouted the phrase at Gadot during an Oscars appearance—a claim with no evidence.

The Evita backlash also tapped into broader cultural tensions. Zegler’s pro-Palestine activism clashed with Gadot’s vocal support for Israel, creating a perceived feud that Disney managed by limiting their joint appearances, per Variety. The Snow White premiere on March 15, 2025, at the El Capitan Theatre was scaled back to photos only, with Zegler seated apart from Gadot. Jonah Platt, son of producer Marc Platt, posted (then deleted) an Instagram rant accusing Zegler of “narcissism” for mixing politics with promotion, intensifying the narrative of her as a liability.

Disney’s Dilemma: Scapegoating Zegler?

Disney’s handling of Zegler has drawn accusations of scapegoating. Vanity Fair on March 29, 2025, argued that blaming Zegler for the film’s failure is backfiring, turning her into an “icon” for her defiance. The film’s troubles extend beyond Zegler: costly reshoots, a year-long delay due to the 2023 actors’ strike, and creative missteps like replacing the Seven Dwarfs with CGI “magical creatures” alienated audiences. Peter Dinklage’s 2022 criticism of the original’s dwarf stereotypes led to this change, but fans missed the classic characters. David Hand, son of the 1937 film’s co-director, called the remake a “disgrace” for its “radical” changes, per The Telegraph.

Zegler’s casting as a Latina Snow White sparked racist backlash from the start, with conservative pundits like Ben Shapiro arguing it betrayed the character’s “skin as white as snow” description. Yet, CBR noted that Disney’s push for diverse casting in Aladdin and Mulan was praised, suggesting the backlash is partly rooted in prejudice against Zegler’s Colombian heritage. Film critic Kelechi Ehenulo called her a “victim of culture wars,” noting that actors of color, like Halle Bailey, face disproportionate scrutiny. Zegler’s harassment, including trolls appearing outside her apartment in 2023, underscores the toxicity she’s endured, per Cosmopolitan.

Zegler’s Response and Career Path

Zegler’s June 4, 2025, Instagram statement—“I’m not going to let hate define me”—reaffirmed her commitment to her beliefs and art, framing Snow White’s failure as a casualty of cultural divides. Her removal of Snow White from her Instagram bio, noted by Cosmopolitan, may signal the end of her Disney obligations or a shift in focus to Evita. Supporters, including Melissa Barrera, fired from Scream 7 for pro-Palestine posts, and critic David Ehrlich, have rallied behind her, with an open letter from 50 journalists condemning Variety’s reporting as a “hit job.”

Zegler’s career remains robust. Her Golden Globe win for West Side Story (2021) and role in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023) showcase her talent. Her recent cover of “Who I’d Be” from Shrek the Musical for MCC Theater’s album highlights her musical prowess. Evita offers a chance to pivot to theater, where her Broadway stint in Romeo and Juliet (2024) was well-received despite political controversies, like co-star Kit Connor’s Artists4ceasefire pin.

The Bigger Picture: Disney’s Live-Action Woes

The Snow White saga reflects broader challenges for Disney’s live-action remakes. The Little Mermaid (2023) and Aladdin (2019) succeeded commercially, but Lilo & Stitch and Mulan faced casting backlash. Slate argued that audience fatigue with remakes, combined with Disney’s “creative stagnation,” contributed to Snow White’s failure. The film’s 47% Rotten Tomatoes score and divisive changes, like the prince’s reimagining as “Jonathan,” failed to capture the original’s magic. Disney’s reported $115 million loss, per Daily Mail, has led to the shelving of a Tangled remake, signaling a reevaluation of the remake strategy.

The Evita backlash, while significant, seems an unlikely sole trigger for a Disney+ cancellation. More likely, Disney is grappling with the film’s poor performance and Zegler’s polarizing presence, opting for damage control. The New York Times on March 27, 2025, described the film as “doomed by culture war skirmishes,” a victim of Hollywood’s ideological divides. Posts on X, like @dom_lucre’s claim that Snow White is Disney’s “greatest failure,” exaggerate the narrative but reflect real fan discontent.

Conclusion

The reported Disney+ cancellation of Snow White remains unconfirmed, but the rumor captures the intense fallout surrounding Rachel Zegler and the film’s failure. Her Evita casting, while a flashpoint, is just one piece of a complex puzzle involving racist backlash, creative missteps, and cultural polarization. Zegler’s defiant response and ongoing projects, from Evita to musical releases, prove her resilience, even as Disney distances itself. The Snow White debacle is a cautionary tale for Hollywood: in an era of social media scrutiny and divided audiences, even a fairy tale can become a battleground. Whether Disney+ truly canceled the release or merely delayed it, Zegler’s story is far from over, and her next chapter may yet redefine her legacy.