Disney’s "Snow White" and Robert De Niro’s "The Alto Knights" Face Diverging Fates at the Box Office
Disney’s live-action remake of "Snow White" and Warner Bros.’ "The Alto Knights," both released on March 21, 2025, have drawn considerable attention for different reasons. While "Snow White," featuring Rachel Zegler in the titular role, emerged as the box office leader of the weekend, its performance has been scrutinized for disappointing expectations. Conversely, "The Alto Knights," starring Robert De Niro in a dual role, has been labeled a significant box office failure.
"Snow White" Not Quite Thrilling the Box Office
Despite the enduring popularity of Disney’s animated classics and the high budget of the live-action remake—estimated between $200 million to $269 million—"Snow White" opened with a domestic total of $43 million. While this result allowed it to outpace its rival at the box office, the figure falls short of studio projections, raising concerns that it may not recoup its substantial production costs in the long run. Industry analysts have already flagged this performance as a potential flop, indicating that it may need to earn at least $125 million to break even.
"The Alto Knights" Struggles to Make an Impact
In stark contrast, "The Alto Knights" reported dismal opening weekend figures, bringing in only $3.1 million domestically and $1.9 million internationally for a total of $5 million worldwide. This lackluster performance is compounded by its production budget ranging between $45 million to $50 million, with its opening weekend earnings amounting to just 6% of its estimated budget. This performance places "The Alto Knights" in one of the worst financial positions for a Warner Bros. release this year.
Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav originally pushed for the film’s production, even as he canceled several projects to save costs following his takeover in 2022. The results of both films suggest that the studio may be struggling to find solid box office hits, especially following multiple high-profile films that have also underperformed this year.
Comparative Box Office Performance
A comparison of the two films paints a clearer picture of their relative success at the box office:
| Movie | Domestic Box Office | Worldwide Box Office | Budget | % of Budget Earned Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snow White | $43 million | $87.3 million | $200M-$269M | 15-20% (Domestic), 32-41% (Worldwide) |
| The Alto Knights | $3.1 million | $5 million | $45M-$50M | 6% (Domestic), 10% (Worldwide) |
While "Snow White" could potentially recover enough to lessen its losses, "The Alto Knights" faces far greater challenges going forward. Its opening weekend gross equates to only 10% of its budget overall, which puts it in a particularly precarious financial position.
Warner Bros.’ Ongoing Struggles
The disappointing box office numbers for "The Alto Knights" contribute to ongoing difficulties for Warner Bros. This marks a challenging period for the studio, with films like "Mickey 17," directed by an Oscar-winning filmmaker and featuring similar high-budget production values, also failing to realize their box office potential. Moreover, it has been six months since a Warner Bros. film crossed the $200 million mark globally, highlighting a troubling trend for the studio.
To date, "Companion," which stars Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher in a sci-fi/horror/romance, is their best-performing release this year, having earned $36.5 million worldwide against a much smaller budget of $10 million.
Conclusion: The Path Ahead
The contrasting fortunes of "Snow White" and "The Alto Knights" illuminate critical trends in the current film industry landscape. While Disney continues to capitalize on its rich legacy, the performance of its latest adaptation suggests an audience divided on remakes. On the other hand, Warner Bros., facing ongoing challenges in attracting viewers to theaters, is left to reassess its strategies and production choices in a rapidly changing marketplace.
As both films move through their theatrical runs, the box office outcomes will likely shape the future direction of both studios, influencing their decisions regarding upcoming projects and creative directions in the years to come.
