Disney Reportedly Pulls the Plug on TRON 4 After TRON: ARES Crashes at the Box Office, Is Jared Leto to Blame?
After years of development, Tron: Ares finally hit theaters, but its disappointing box office debut may have just ended the digital saga for good.
Serving as a standalone follow-up to 2010’s Tron: Legacy, Ares follows a powerful Program, played by Jared Leto, who crosses from the Grid into the real world on a dangerous mission.
It was an interesting direction to take the franchise, one that aimed to expand the franchise into something bigger and more relevant for the AI age. Unfortunately, critics didn’t log in. While the movie has a 54% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 87% rating from audiences.
Despite receiving slightly stronger reviews than Legacy, Tron: Ares earned just $33 million domestically during its opening weekend, falling short of the $43 million Legacy made 15 years ago. That underperformance has sent shockwaves through Disney, which had plans for a Tron 4 already in motion.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, insiders claim the studio is now stepping away from Tron on the big screen. That means the post-credits tease director Joachim Rønning included, which was meant to set up Tron 4, will likely remain unresolved, unless the franchise attempts a revival again 15-20 years from now.
As for why Ares flopped, opinions are divided. Online chatter has put Jared Leto in the crosshairs, with many pointing to his previous superhero misfire, Morbius, as proof that he’s not a box office draw. One talent manager told THR:
“In a world where Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor and Benedict Cumberbatch are having a hard time getting lead roles, why would you even go to a person who can’t open a movie and who has question marks around him as a person.”
But others argue the problem runs deeper than casting. Another insider suggested the Tron name simply doesn’t resonate with modern audiences anymore, saying,
“You could have had Ryan Gosling, it wasn’t going to work. No one asked for this reboot. If you say, ‘Tron: Ares is good, we just needed a different actor,’ you’re deluding yourself.”
If Ares truly marks the end of the line, it wouldn’t be the first time Tron has gone dark. The franchise has vanished before. 28 years separated the original Tron from Legacy, and another 15 passed before Ares finally appeared. So while Disney might be unplugging for now, history shows the Grid has a way of rebooting itself when least expected.
It’s a shame this movie didn’t do better at the box office. It really is a fun and awesome movie worth watching on the big screen!