Disney’s latest offering, Tron: Ares, faced a disappointing box office debut, garnering only $33.5 million across approximately 4,000 theaters. This opening significantly fell short of expectations, raising concerns about the revival of a sci-fi franchise that has seen both acclaim and struggle since its inception over 40 years ago.
Internationally, the film’s performance mirrored domestic struggles, with a $27 million opening, culminating in a global total of $60.5 million. Notably, the film has yet to debut in China, where it is scheduled to release next weekend.
Prior to its release, Tron: Ares was projected to achieve a domestic opening in the range of $40 million to $45 million, following a robust marketing campaign and a substantial production budget of $180 million, aided by significant tax incentives.
The Tron franchise has a history of prolonged gaps between releases, with its sequel, Tron: Legacy, appearing after a 33-year hiatus and debuting with $44 million, ultimately earning $409.9 million globally. Development challenges plagued Ares for over a decade before finally reaching the big screen, thanks to the perseverance of former Disney executive Sean Bailey.
Although industry insiders anticipated potential challenges for Ares, they remain optimistic that favorable audience feedback could counterbalance the critics’ mixed reviews, evidenced by its Rotten Tomatoes score of 57 percent and a significantly better audience rating of 87 percent. The film has also received a commendable four out of five stars on PostTrak and will enjoy ongoing screenings in premium formats, which significantly contributed to its opening weekend revenue.
Directed by Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Rønning, Tron: Ares features Jared Leto in the titular role, alongside Greta Lee as Eve Kim and Evan Peters as the antagonist, Julian Dillinger.
Competing against this release is the romantic crime-comedy Roofman, from Miramax and Paramount, featuring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst. The film opened to $8 million, landing towards the lower end of its projection range from 3,362 theaters. While it presents a modest production budget of $19 million, it has attracted audiences looking for alternative programming.
In contrast to Tron: Ares, Roofman boasts favorable reviews, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 85 percent among critics and an audience score of 84 percent. Both films received a B+ from CinemaScore, reflecting comparable viewer feedback.
Based on true events, Roofman follows the escapades of an Army veteran-turned-robber who becomes notorious for his unique methods of crime. After a stint in prison, his life takes a turn as he hides out in a Toys “R” Us while planning his next venture, only for complications to arise when he falls in love.
In the independent segment, Sony’s faith-based film, Soul of Fire, debuted with $3 million from 1,730 sites, ranking sixth, while the critically acclaimed If I Had Legs I’d Kick You from A24 excelled with an impressive per-location average in its limited release.
Meanwhile, Dwayne Johnson’s film, The Smashing Machine, witnessed a significant decline after an underwhelming second-week performance, rounding out the top tier of releases with a total of $9.8 million.
As the industry keeps a watchful eye on Tron: Ares for potential recovery, the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether it can turn its fortune around or succumb to its slow start.
Based on reporting by Hollywood Reporter. Read the full story at Hollywood Reporter.