Disney’s Tron: Ares crashed and burned at the box office with a dismal $33.5 million opening weekend, proving that slapping a familiar name on a movie without delivering actual nostalgia is a recipe for disaster. The $180 million sci-fi sequel managed to alienate the franchise’s core fanbase while failing to attract new audiences.
The numbers tell a brutal story. Tron: Ares was targeting $45-50 million domestically (which was low to begin with for the budget of the film) but fell short by nearly $12 million. Overseas didn’t provide salvation, adding just $27 million for a global total of $60 million for its opening weekend box office. For a film that cost more than the original Tron and Tron: Legacy combined, these results spell disaster.
The failure stems from Disney’s misunderstanding of what made Tron special. By excluding Bruce Boxleitner, the actor who originated both Alan Bradley and the digital warrior Tron himself, Disney made a Tron movie without Tron. It’s like making a Superman movie without Superman, though James Gunn came close in what he did with Mr. Terrific being more the protagonist of the recent film than Superman himself.
Boxleitner’s comments during the Ares press tour reveal Disney’s tone-deaf approach: “I was asked constantly, ‘Are you in it? Are you in it? Are you in it?’ I said, ‘No, they didn’t ask.’ Simple as that.” The 74-year-old actor, who bridged the original and Legacy, expressed his frustration with Disney’s inconsistent treatment: “I’m done with it. I’ve moved on. I hate to say that, but it’s been too up and down for me.”
Fan reaction was predictably harsh. The Angry Badger captured widespread sentiment: “But yeah, know that guy, the actual character of the first movie that we like, that we wanted a sequel to, where is he?”
Disney’s decision to center the film around Jared Leto proved equally problematic. The actor brings significant baggage, with nine women accusing him of sexual misconduct in recent years. Multiple accusers claim they were minors during alleged incidents, including a 16-year-old who says Leto made sexual remarks and a 17-year-old who alleges he exposed himself. DJ Allie Teilz reposted a 2012 Facebook status describing an alleged assault when she was 17, calling Leto’s behavior an “open secret” in Hollywood.
These controversies make Leto a questionable choice for a Disney tentpole, especially one trying to recapture family-friendly nostalgia. The allegations span decades, creating a cloud of scandal that likely deterred parents from taking children to see the film.
Tron: Ares follows “a highly sophisticated AI program sent from the digital world into reality on a dangerous mission, marking humanity’s first encounter with AI beings.” Greta Lee stars as ENCOM CEO Eve Kim, with Jeff Bridges returning as Kevin Flynn. Director Joachim Rønning positioned the story as “evolution with fresh faces,” but evolution requires connection to what came before.
Tron: Legacy opened to $44 million in 2010, not adjusted for inflation. Despite 15 years of technological advancement and a much larger budget, Ares couldn’t match those numbers. The cult fanbase that sustained the franchise through Disney’s decade of neglect simply didn’t show up.
What do you think about Disney’s approach to reviving classic franchises without their original stars?
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They might have made more money if they labeled it Troon, instead.
"Toppling the MAGA supercomputer from within." I dunno. Are there enough septum rings out there to do better than 33 mill?
This is hilarious. Disney failures are like manna from Heaven for me, and I hope they just keep coming. We already know Wonder Man is going to be a massive upcoming flop, even if the clown commentors over at Den of Geek think otherwise.