The latest box office numbers are in, and it's not looking good for Disney's Tron franchise. Tron: Ares, the third installment, had a disappointing opening weekend, raising questions about the future of this iconic series.
Our initial predictions, posted just days ago, estimated a modest $40 million opening for Tron: Ares. However, the reality was even more sobering, with the film barely scraping together $33.5 million. That's a far cry from the $150 million production budget, leaving many to wonder if the Tron legacy has run its course.
But here's where it gets controversial: the Tron series has never been a consistent box office hit. The original film, released in 1982, was considered a flop, and even Tron: Legacy, which made a respectable $170 million domestically in 2010, ultimately broke even due to its high costs. Disney had hoped it would be their next Avatar, but it seems the studio's expectations were never fully met.
Despite the weak opening, there's still a glimmer of hope for Tron: Ares. If the international box office performs well and the film finds success on Disney+, it might just break even for the studio. But as for future big-screen Tron adventures, I suspect we'll see The Grid return through a streaming series rather than another feature film.
So, what went wrong with Tron: Ares? One factor could be the star power (or lack thereof) of Jared Leto, who has a mixed track record at the box office. His recent film, Morbius, was a notable flop, and his polarizing presence may have deterred some audiences from flocking to see him in action this weekend. That said, I found his performance in Tron: Ares to be decent.
In other box office news, Roofman took the runner-up spot, but with a distant $8 million domestically. Paramount can take solace in the film's low $19 million budget and positive audience reception, earning a solid B+ CinemaScore. Hopefully, it will follow in the footsteps of One Battle After Another, which saw a modest drop of 39% this weekend, bringing its domestic total to $54 million.
Gabby's Dollhouse held steady in fourth place with $3.35 million, while Soul on Fire rounded out the top five with $3 million, a disappointing number for Sony's Affirm label. The Conjuring: Last Rites continued its impressive run, adding $2.9 million to its massive $172 million domestic total, making it the highest-grossing film in the franchise by a wide margin. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle also contributed another $2.25 million to its growing $128 million total.
Unfortunately, The Rock's Smashing Machines suffered a devastating decline in its second week, dropping a whopping 69% to $1.79 million and a total of $9.8 million. Given the budget and expectations, it's shaping up to be one of the year's biggest box office disappointments. No wonder The Rock is already gearing up for another Jumanji sequel.
The Strangers: Chapter 2 wrapped up its underwhelming run with $1.55 million, while IFC/Shudder's Good Boy continued to bring in modest business, adding $1.3 million to its $4.6 million total.
What did you catch at the movies this weekend? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments! Let's discuss the latest box office trends and the future of these franchises.
