Tron: Ares’ Box Office Is Way Lower Than Legacy

With Tron: Ares leading the weekend lineup alongside Roofman and Soul on Fire, its box office results have become a central topic of discussion. While Disney’s sci-fi sequel opened below projections, its premium-format turnout and global campaign have drawn attention across the industry. Meanwhile, Roofman achieved a steady debut, and Soul on Fire performed well among faith-based audiences.

Tron: Ares falls way short of Legacy’s box office opening

Disney’s Tron: Ares opened below expectations with a $33.5 million domestic and $60.5 million global debut. Initial projections placed its North American opening between $45 million and $50 million, with a potential worldwide launch of $90 million to $95 million. The Joachim Rønning–directed sequel cost an estimated $180 million to produce and earned 67% of its revenue from premium formats such as IMAX, 3D, and ScreenX. (via Deadline)

The film’s audience skewed older, with only 30% under 25 attending. PostTrak reports a 57% “definite recommend” score, while CinemaScore graded the film a B+, similar to Tron: Legacy. The franchise’s 2010 installment opened to $44 million domestically and grossed $400 million worldwide, including $172 million in the U.S. and $228 million overseas (via Box Office Mojo). In comparison, Tron: Ares’ $33.5 million debut marks around 24% decline in opening revenue from its predecessor.

Industry analysts compared Ares’ performance to Blade Runner 2049, which debuted at $32.7 million in 2017 on a similar budget and release frame. Both films targeted niche sci-fi audiences and underdelivered against forecasts.

Despite a global promotional campaign involving IMAX tie-ins and gaming collaborations with Fortnite and Minecraft, audience turnout stayed limited. The film also partnered with the NFL and MLB for large-scale sports integrations, but these efforts failed to generate wider attendance.

Disney launched the Tron franchise in 1982 with Tron. Nearly three decades later, Tron: Legacy revived the series. Over a decade after Legacy, Disney developed Ares around the concept of artificial intelligence crossing into the real world. The film’s performance shows that the audience failed to expand beyond franchise loyalists despite strong brand recognition.

Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on SuperHeroHype.

Source: Comingsoon.net