Is the iconic Tron franchise fading into the digital abyss? The recent box office flop of Tron: Ares has left fans and studios scratching their heads about whether this sci-fi saga can ever light up the screens again—and that's just the tip of the iceberg in a weekend packed with surprising twists at the ticket booth.
Let's dive into the Weekend Box Office report from just a few minutes ago.
Disney's Tron series struck out for the third time at the box office, proving that lightning—or in this case, lasers—doesn't always strike twice, let alone thrice. Earlier this week, we shared our predictions, anticipating a decent but not spectacular launch in the neighborhood of $40 million for Tron: Ares. Unfortunately, even those cautious estimates were overly rosy. According to ComScore, the film limped in with a mere $33.5 million on its opening weekend. For a blockbuster that reportedly cost at least $150 million to produce, this is a painful underperformance. To put that in perspective for newcomers to the movie business lingo, the 'box office' refers to the total money a film earns from ticket sales, and a 'weak opening' means it didn't draw enough crowds right away, which often spells trouble for long-term success.
But here's where it gets controversial: Has the Tron franchise ever truly captured audiences' hearts? Let's rewind the clock. The original Tron from 1982 was pretty much a box office dud, failing to dazzle viewers despite its groundbreaking visuals. Then came Tron: Legacy in 2010, which raked in around $170 million domestically—impressive on the surface—but it only broke even financially due to sky-high production costs and massive marketing hype. At the time, Disney was banking on it becoming their next mega-hit like Avatar, but it fell short. This pattern suggests the franchise has a knack for building buzz without delivering the broad appeal needed for massive profits. And this is the part most people miss: Despite the lackluster start, Tron: Ares might still eke out a break-even point if its international earnings soar. Plus, with Disney+ in the mix, it's poised to thrive as a streaming sensation. However, for theatrical Tron adventures on the big screen, I suspect any future returns to 'The Grid'—the virtual world of the films—will likely be through a TV series on streaming platforms rather than another costly feature film. What do you think—is this franchise too niche for mainstream cinemas, or could a fresh twist revive it?
What went wrong with this latest outing? One major factor could be the involvement of star Jared Leto, whose track record at the box office is, let's say, spotty. His recent film Morbius was a notable flop, and as a celebrity known for stirring up debates—whether through his music, fashion choices, or public persona—he tends to divide opinions. Some fans avoid his projects entirely, which might explain why turnout wasn't higher this weekend. That being said, I personally found his performance in Tron: Ares quite solid, as I detailed in my review: visually and sonically stunning, though not without its flaws.
Shifting gears to the rest of the weekend's contenders, the runner-up was Roofman, which came in a distant second with $8 million domestically. For Paramount, the silver lining is its low $19 million budget, and critics and audiences seem to be on board, as evidenced by its B+ CinemaScore. Fingers crossed it builds momentum like P.T. Anderson's One Battle After Another, which dropped only 39% this weekend to earn $4.6 million, pushing its domestic total to a respectable $54 million. Granted, Warner Bros. might still end up losing money on it, but an Oscar sweep could turn that narrative around entirely.
Gabby’s Dollhouse landed in fourth with $3.35 million, bringing its total to $26 million. The faith-based film Soul on Fire wrapped up the top five with $3 million, a modest figure for Sony’s Affirm label. The Conjuring: Last Rites kept the scares coming, adding $2.9 million to its enormous $172 million domestic haul—making it the top earner in the franchise by far. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle chipped in another $2.25 million, upping its total to $128 million.
On the flip side, The Rock’s Smashing Machine faced a brutal sophomore slump, plummeting 69% to $1.79 million and a paltry $9.8 million overall. Considering the budget and star power, this is shaping up as one of the year's biggest box office disappointments—no wonder Dwayne Johnson is gearing up for another Jumanji sequel. The Strangers: Chapter 2 is winding down its lackluster run with $1.55 million and a disappointing $13 million total. Meanwhile, IFC/Shudder’s Good Boy held steady with modest gains, earning $1.3 million toward its $4.6 million sum.
What caught your eye this weekend? Share your picks in the comments!
MOVIE TITLE WKND $ TOTAL $
1 Tron: Ares $33.5 M $33.5 M
2 Roofman $8 M $8 M
3 One Battle After Another $6.67 M $54.5 M
4 Gabby's Dollhouse $3.35 M $26.4 M
5 Soul on Fire $3 M $3 M
6 The Conjuring: Last Rites $2.935 M $172.44 M
7 Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle $2.25 M $128.6 M
8 The Smashing Machine $1.79 M $9.8 M
9 The Strangers: Chapter 2 $1.55 M $13.49 M
10 Good Boy $1.36 M $4.86 M
About the Author
Editor-in-Chief - JoBlo
Favorite Movies: Goodfellas, A Clockwork Orange, Boogie Nights, Goldfinger, Casablanca, Scarface (83 version), Heat, The Guns of Navarone, The Dirty Dozen, Pulp Fiction, Taxi Driver, Blade Runner, any film noir
Likes: Movies, LP's, James Bond, true hollywood memoirs, The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, every sixties british pop band, every 80s new wave band - in fact just generally all eighties songs, even the really shit ones, and of course, Tom Friggin' Cruise!
