Tron: Ares isn’t just another box office miss; it may be the end of Jared Leto’s run as a Hollywood star.
The $180 million Disney sequel bombed with just $33.5 million domestic, far below expectations and even less than 2010’s Tron: Legacy. Despite an aggressive marketing push and Leto’s full-blown PR tour, insiders for the trades say the failure has finally ended his time as a bankable name.
Industry analysis from The Wrap and THR notes that Tron: Ares was Leto’s passion project, one he championed for years. But after Morbius, House of Gucci, and Haunted Mansion, this latest flop sealed his fate. Studios are moving on.
Agents told the trades that while Leto might still find work, his days leading major blockbusters are done. Two of his upcoming films, Barry Levinson’s Assassination and Lunik Heist, are reportedly no longer happening.
Hollywood Moves On
Even those defending him admit the movie never stood a chance. “You could have had Ryan Gosling, it wasn’t going to work,” one manager said. Others note Disney misjudged the appeal of the Tron brand, which underperformed across all demographics, especially young males.
Leto, once praised for Requiem for a Dream and Dallas Buyers Club, hasn’t had a major hit in nearly a decade. His recent films read like a checklist of misfires: Suicide Squad, Blade Runner 2049, Morbius, Haunted Mansion, and now Tron: Ares.
What’s Next
Leto will next appear as Skeletor in Masters of the Universe, starring Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man, Camila Mendes as Teela, and Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms. It’s a supporting role that could serve as a quiet reset, or another high-budget misfire.
We recently raised concerns, and an agent told The Wrap: “[That is a] supporting role where he’s unrecognizable. What lead role, let alone above the title role, has Leto gotten since 2021?”
Insiders for the trades also add that his producing clout has faded. Leto helped push Tron: Ares into production after years of delays, but many now see it as a costly mistake that ended his franchise-leading career.
