Disney's sci-fi sequel TRON: Ares has reportedly faltered at the box office, casting doubt on the viability of the decades-old franchise. Directed by Joachim Rønning and starring Jared Leto alongside Greta Lee and Jeff Bridges, the third installment in the TRON saga aimed to recapture the neon-soaked magic of its predecessors but has instead stumbled into financial turmoil, according to industry reports.
The film picks up from 2010’s TRON: Legacy, following digital warrior Ares as he navigates a collision between virtual and real worlds. With a script initially by Jesse Wigutow, later refined by Jez Butterworth and Billy Ray, TRON: Ares underwent brief reshoots to polish its tale of light cycles and existential stakes. Despite its cutting-edge visuals and electronic score, the movie has failed to resonate, struggling to draw audiences in a competitive blockbuster market.
Box office figures tell a stark story. TRON: Ares opened to a lackluster $33.2 million domestically, falling short of Disney’s projected $40 million debut. The film’s second weekend saw a steep 66% drop, earning just $11.1 million, per Deadline. To date, it has grossed $54 million domestically and $102 million globally, with projections suggesting a ceiling of $160 million worldwide—far below the $400 million hauled in by TRON: Legacy on a leaner budget.
The financial picture grows bleaker when costs are considered. The production budget, filmed in Vancouver with tax incentives, reached a net $220 million. Promotion and advertising pushed the tally higher, with over $100 million spent on high-profile campaigns, including Comic-Con stunts, nationwide vehicle tours, and a Nine Inch Nails concert premiere that briefly closed Hollywood Boulevard. Factoring in additional production, distribution, and residual costs, the total expenditure reportedly hits $347.5 million. With estimated theatrical rentals ($72.2 million), home entertainment ($37.6 million), TV licensing (nearly $100 million), and ancillary streams ($5 million) totaling $214.8 million, the film stands to lose a reported $132.7 million, assuming these figures withstand scrutiny.
This shortfall places TRON: Ares among high-profile sci-fi disappointments. The original TRON (1982) flopped theatrically before gaining cult status, while TRON: Legacy barely broke even. Comparisons to films like Blade Runner 2049 ($278 million worldwide on a $185 million budget) highlight the genre’s risks, especially without the cultural tailwinds that propelled Dune to over $1.1 billion across its recent entries.
Financial analysts are reportedly sounding alarms over the sequel's ballooning costs, which have reportedly eclipsed initial estimates and turned what was meant to be a franchise revival into a cautionary tale of Hollywood excess. The production budget alone clocked in at a net $220 million after tax incentives from filming in Vancouver, Canada—well above the $170 million to $180 million range floated earlier in development. But the expenses don't stop at the soundstage. Promotion and advertising for TRON: Ares reportedly tallied well over $100 million, encompassing extravagant stunts like light-cycle displays at San Diego Comic-Con, nationwide tours of replica vehicles, and a spectacle-filled premiere concert featuring Nine Inch Nails' laser-light show that temporarily shut down Hollywood Boulevard.
Layer in further outlays for ancillary production elements, global distribution logistics, and residuals owed to cast and crew, and the total reported tab climbs to $347.5 million. Even if the film claws its way to that projected $160 million global gross, revenues from theatrical rentals ($72.2 million), home entertainment ($37.6 million), television licensing (nearly $100 million), and ancillary streams like airline screenings ($5 million) would reportedly top out at $214.8 million—leaving a staggering shortfall of $132.7 million, assuming the calculations hold up under scrutiny.
This reported debacle places TRON: Ares in infamous company among recent sci-fi misfires. The original TRON from 1982 famously tanked theatrically with a domestic haul of just $33 million (in unadjusted dollars) before finding legs on home video as a cult classic. TRON: Legacy, while profitable, barely broke even after marketing and never approached the stratospheric heights of contemporaries like James Cameron's Avatar. Broader comparisons to other genre entries highlight the risks: Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 (2018), also featuring Leto, cost $185 million and managed $278 million worldwide despite critical acclaim. Revived franchises like Dune—building on a 1984 bomb—have soared to over $1.1 billion combined, but such turnarounds often require visionary direction and timely cultural resonance, elements reportedly lacking here.
One talent representative close to the production reportedly decried the decision-making, stating, “There was no specific vision, to be honest. The idea that Disney would spend a quarter of a billion dollars on a Jared Leto film that is a franchise that hasn’t worked in four decades is insane.” Another insider went further, declaring, “The franchise is dead,” in the wake of the opening weekend shortfall.
In its second weekend tumble of 66%, TRON: Ares has reportedly hit a wall with domestic audiences, suggesting its final totals won't climb much higher. Yet, some observers point to silver linings: the film's eye-popping visuals could reportedly boost attendance at Disney's TRON-themed theme park attractions, much like Pirates of the Caribbean has sustained park revenue for years. Still, for a studio banking on IP-driven spectacles, this reported wipeout serves as a stark reminder of the perils in resurrecting relics from the grid.
Source: Deadline
