The debut of Disney’s sci-fi sequel, “Tron: Ares,” fell short of expectations, grossing only $33.5 million in its opening weekend across 4,000 North American theaters. This result is disappointing for a franchise with a history of lukewarm commercial success.
Box Office Performance
“Tron: Ares” was produced with a substantial budget of $180 million, excluding marketing expenses. The film also made $27 million internationally, resulting in a total global earnings of $60 million. Before the release, forecasts suggested a domestic opening of $45 million to $50 million.
- Opening Weekend Gross: $33.5 million
- Production Budget: $180 million
- International Gross: $27 million
- Total Global Earnings: $60 million
Despite receiving a “B+” CinemaScore grade, “Tron: Ares” struggled to attract a broader audience beyond its typical demographic of boys and men. In contrast, the previous installment, “Tron: Legacy,” opened to $44 million in 2010, a figure that does not account for inflation. However, “Tron: Ares” did outpace the original 1982 film, which debuted with $4.7 million.
Cast and Direction
The latest installment stars Jared Leto, Greta Lee, and Evan Peters, and is directed by Joachim Rønning, known for his work in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series. The film follows humanity’s first contact with artificial intelligence as an advanced program enters the physical world.
Industry Analysis
David A. Gross from Franchise Entertainment Research commented on the film’s performance, noting that anticipation waned significantly in the last ten days leading to its release. He remained optimistic about the potential for sci-fi films abroad, emphasizing universal themes in the genre.
Other Box Office Entries
A disappointing weekend at the box office saw other new releases struggle as well. Channing Tatum’s “Roofman” took second place with $8 million, while Jennifer Lopez’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman” collected only $840,000, debuting in thirteenth place.
- Roofman: $8 million from 3,340 theaters
- Kiss of the Spider Woman: $840,000 from 1,300 screens
“Roofman” was produced at a cost of $19 million and is based on the true story of a soldier who escapes from prison, with promising reviews including a “B+” grade on CinemaScore. In contrast, “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” which cost $34 million to produce, may struggle to find an audience after its acquisition following a Sundance debut.
Additional Films
In other cinematic news, “Soul on Fire,” a faith-based drama, debuted at No. 6, earning $2.8 million. Meanwhile, “One Battle After Another,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, maintained its position with $6.8 million, bringing its total earnings to $56.3 million domestically.
The weekend was marked by a significant drop for Dwayne Johnson’s “The Smashing Machine,” which saw a 70% decline with $1.7 million in its second weekend, suggesting challenges ahead for the film.
This weekend’s box office results highlight ongoing difficulties for new releases in capturing audience interest amid competition and expectations.
