Disney and Jared Leto’s Tron: Ares has crashed and burned at the box office, with the blame bizarrely being blamed on COVID for the failure.
The $180 million sci-fi reboot opened this weekend to only $35–37 million, far below expectations that had it tracking as high as $50 million. For context, Tron: Legacy debuted to $44 million fifteen years ago ($81.92M in today’s dollars) — and that was considered a disappointment back then.
For Jared Leto, Tron: Ares is another box office bomb. Social media is already comparing the movie to Madame Web, calling it another flashy but soulless mess. While critics said the visuals looked impressive, audiences clearly didn’t care enough to show up.
PostTrak data shows only 57% of viewers said they’d “definitely recommend” the movie, and Tron: Ares received a B+ CinemaScore, the same grade as Tron: Legacy. Those are mediocre numbers for a massive tentpole film that was supposed to relaunch the franchise.
On Rotten Tomatoes, Critics gave it a 57%, with the fan score being 86%, which is consider lopsided due to Rotten Tomatoes’ new policy of only counting reviews from fans that purchased using the Fandango app.
Deadline laughably states: “The long-term lasting impact from Covid thwarting moviegoing is easily felt this weekend…” That explanation doesn’t hold water.
Other films — from Deadpool & Wolverine to Inside Out 2 and The Batman — have performed strongly post-pandemic, proving that people will still show up for movies they actually want to see. Heck, Spider-Man made over a billion “during” COVID. The problem isn’t COVID. It’s that Tron: Ares failed to give anyone a reason to rush to theaters.
Why Tron: Ares Failed
Weak Storytelling
Audiences and critics alike say the film looks good but has no heart or compelling story. It’s another case of style over substance.
Franchise Fatigue
Fifteen years after Tron: Legacy, the brand doesn’t carry the same weight. Younger audiences don’t care (and likely don’t even know about it), and older fans weren’t convinced this was worth a trip to theaters.
Leto’s Reputation
Jared Leto’s recent track record — from Morbius to House of Gucci — hasn’t exactly inspired confidence. His name no longer sells tickets. He’s also recently faced heat for alleged sexual assault.
Marketing Confusion
The marketing campaign focused on visuals and tech, but not on character or emotion. The average moviegoer had no idea what the film was about.
This marks another major loss for Disney in the sci-fi genre. Between Lightyear, Strange World, and now Tron: Ares, the studio can’t seem to recapture the magic of its early hits.
With an estimated $180 million budget plus marketing costs, Tron: Ares will likely need over $400 million worldwide just to break even. That looks unlikely.
Tron: Ares isn’t a victim of COVID — it’s a victim of weak storytelling, franchise fatigue, and poor audience interest. The excuses are running thin, and Disney’s decision to revive Tron with Jared Leto at the center might go down as one of the studio’s biggest miscalculations in years.
