Even the biggest box office bomb in history has grossed twice as much as 'Tron: Ares'. Disney's Tron: Ares, which has been in theaters for a month, is facing a grim future at the worldwide box office, with projections indicating it will fall short of the $150 million mark. The movie received mixed reviews and has had a disappointing commercial run. In comparison, its 2010 predecessor, Tron: Legacy, grossed around $100 million more domestically and was still considered a disappointment. Legacy built a cult following over the years, which likely influenced Disney's decision to pursue a sequel. However, Ares stands alone as a sequel, lacking the creative team and musical elements that contributed to Legacy's post-release success. With a worldwide gross of $139 million, Ares has struggled at the box office since its debut. Directed by Joachim Rønning and starring Jared Leto, the film's production cost $220 million, and it is expected to result in a loss of up to $130 million for Disney. This pales in comparison to the estimated $260 million loss from Disney's 2012 film John Carter, which was directed by Andrew Stanton and starred Taylor Kitsch. Despite its poor performance, John Carter eventually grossed over $280 million globally, more than twice Ares' current earnings. Disney's year has been challenging, with several underperforming films, but the studio has also delivered successful projects like the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake and has upcoming releases that are expected to perform well, such as Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash. Tron: Ares received mixed reviews, currently holding a 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with praise for its original score by Nine Inch Nails and cinematography by Jeff Cronenweth. The film is directed by Joachim Rønning and features a talented cast and crew, but its box office performance has been underwhelming. With a release date of October 8, 2025, and a runtime of 119 minutes, Tron: Ares is a significant addition to the franchise, but it may be the final nail in the coffin for the Tron series.
