‘Tron: Ares’ Bombs at the Box Office with Disappointing Global Opening

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Disney’s new sci-fi film, *Tron: Ares*, didn’t perform well at the box office during its opening weekend, earning only $33.5 million in North America and $60 million globally. It played in 4,000 theaters across North America.

Despite costing a huge $180 million to make – and that doesn’t even include advertising – the movie isn’t performing as well as the studio expected.

Before it came out, the movie was predicted to make between $45 and $50 million in the US. However, despite receiving a “B+” rating from CinemaScore, it only appealed to its most dedicated fans – primarily young men – and didn’t attract a wider audience.

Compared to the original *Tron* from 1982, which opened with $4.7 million, and 2010’s *Tron: Legacy* which debuted with $44 million, the recent film had a slower start.

Starring Jared Leto, Greta Lee, and Evan Peters, the film is directed by Joachim Rønning, who previously worked on Pirates of the Caribbean. It tells the story of what happens when humans first encounter artificial intelligence, as a highly advanced computer program becomes a real-world presence.

This October, worlds will collide. #TronAres. Only in theaters 10.10.25

— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) April 5, 2025

According to David A. Gross at Franchise Entertainment Research, the film initially showed promising signs, but lost momentum in the final ten days before its release, leading to a lower-than-expected opening weekend.

However, Gross also pointed out that science fiction films generally perform better internationally. He explained that the genre’s focus on visual effects and classic hero-versus-villain narratives is universally appealing and easily understood by audiences around the world.

Rotten Tomatoes gave *Tron: Ares* a 57% rating based on 175 reviews, noting that while visually stunning with its bright colors and music, the story feels somewhat mechanical and lacks emotional depth. Metacritic assigned it a score of 48 out of 100, indicating mixed reviews from critics.

Although opinions were divided, a few critics found positive aspects. David Rooney of *The Hollywood Reporter* specifically commended Jared Leto’s performance as surprisingly restrained, which he felt gave the film emotional depth and moments of humor. Tara Brady from *The Irish Times* thought the movie was an improvement over the first one, particularly praising the music and acting, but noted it felt very much like a music video at times.

Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com praised the film, awarding it four stars and describing it as visually stunning, fast-moving, and intelligently written and directed. However, Kyle Smith of The Wall Street Journal offered a contrasting view, stating that *Tron: Ares* largely retreads familiar ground from the *Terminator* films, with the character Eve taking on a role similar to Sarah Connor, but lacking the tension, frights, and clever writing of the originals.

Honestly, the movie didn’t land with everyone. Peter Bradshaw from *The Guardian* was pretty harsh, giving it only one star and calling it unbelievably boring. I also saw that Robbie Collin of *The Telegraph* and Clarisse Loughrey from *The Independent* both felt the same way, handing out single-star reviews as well.

John Nugent at Empire gave the film three out of five stars, calling it enjoyable but not particularly memorable ‘futuristic fluff.’ David Ehrlich of IndieWire rated it a C+, but praised the Nine Inch Nails soundtrack for giving the sequel a unique and aggressive feel.

Despite not performing well in theaters initially, *Tron: Ares* clearly stood out with its stunning visuals, memorable music, and bold concepts. It’s uncertain if the film will gain traction in the coming weeks or find more success with international audiences.

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2025-10-12 23:44