Disney’s sci-fi sequel, Tron: Ares, struggled in its box office debut, earning a disappointing $33.5 million from 4,000 theaters across North America this past weekend.
This lackluster start is particularly troubling given that the franchise has been around for five decades and has not been a financial powerhouse. Compounding the issue, “Tron: Ares” had a hefty production budget of $180 million, not including significant marketing expenses. Internationally, it managed to pull in an additional $27 million, bringing the total global earnings to $60 million by Sunday.
Before its release, “Tron: Ares” was predicted to debut between $45 million and $50 million domestically. The film, featuring captivating visual effects and neon-drenched action, found success in premium formats like IMAX and Dolby, which made up 67% of its ticket sales.
Although audience feedback remained positive with a CinemaScore grade of “B+”, indicating general satisfaction, the film failed to reach a wider audience beyond its male-focused demographic; about 70% of viewers during the opening weekend were male. Consequently, its earnings fell short of the previous film, 2010’s “Tron: Legacy,” which made $44 million upon release, and it significantly surpassed the original 1982 version that opened with just $4.7 million. The latest installment stars Jared Leto, Greta Lee, and Evan Peters, directed by Joachim Rønning, and explores humanity’s first encounter with artificial intelligence.
“The film had promising initial tracking, but interest declined in the last ten days leading to a lower-than-expected opening,” noted David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. He added that the sci-fi genre generally performs well internationally, as its themes and narratives resonate with global audiences.
The weekend was disappointing overall, as two other newcomers—Channing Tatum’s “Roofman” and Jennifer Lopez’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman”—also failed to attract large crowds. Domestic ticket sales are only 4% ahead of 2024, according to Comscore, due to the absence of a major blockbuster in October.
“Roofman” debuted on the lower end of expectations with $8 million from 3,340 locations, while “Kiss of the Spider Woman” performed poorly at No. 13, earning only $840,000 from 1,300 screens. With a production budget of $19 million, “Roofman” is seen as a smaller financial risk, compared to its paltry debut, while “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” financed for $34 million, faces uncertain losses after its acquisition following a Sundance premiere.
