Remember when the media was predicting that “Tron: Ares” would open to up to $55 million? Now, it’s almost a month after it opened, and it has only made about $68 million domestically and $135 million globally.
No one is talking about it. It quietly has gone out with a whimper and will likely cost Disney millions in losses.
Any gains the Walt Disney Company made on the live action “Lilo & Stitch” have been wiped out by Disney’s box office bombs like “Snow White” and “Tron: Ares.”
Even “Freakier Friday” likely made some money with a $40 million budget and a global box office of $153 million. It broke even if nothing else.
“Tron: Ares” is indicative of Hollywood and Disney’s problem with “tent pole” franchise films.
Most are failing or making very little profit. Consumers seem to be over the big-budget IP, franchise films, and instead are going for independent or less expensive crowd pleasers like “A Minecraft Movie” or “Weapons.” Family films are performing better as well.
“Tron: Ares” was also years too late, as the last “Tron” film, “Tron: Legacy,” was 15 years ago.
People don’t like Jared Leto all that much. Sure, he has his fans, but his recent films have not performed at the box office. He reportedly helped fund and produce the latest “Tron” film.
Disney has a problem, as most of their golden geese are laying rotten eggs.
Disney has spent years buying up companies and IP, which they ruin by mismanagement or brand fatigue.
Marvel and Star Wars are suffering from both issues. Lucasfilm has managed to ruin “Willow” and “Indiana Jones” as well. Now they buried “Tron” too. (I’m a Tron fan, but it was never a big IP to begin with.)
Most of Disney’s live-action adaptations have been in rapid decline until “Lilo & Stitch.” They get one hit and immediately order a second film and revive other shelved remakes like “Tangled.”
Aside from that, Disney’s most likely ticket to success rests with sequels like “Zootopia 2”, “Frozen 3”, and “Toy Story 5”.
“Tron: Ares” is just another bomb Disney has to justify to investors.
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