Disney’s TRON: ARES Fails to Power Up at the Box Office and That's a Bummer
Disney was hoping that Tron: Ares would reboot the energy of its cult-favorite sci-fi franchise, but instead, the film’s opening weekend numbers point to another stumble for the studio’s 2025 lineup.
Tron: Ares grossed $33.5 million domestically and $60.5 million worldwide during its opening weekend. That’s far below early projections of $44 million, which would have matched Tron: Legacy’s debut back in 2010.
Given the franchise’s cult reputation, Disney’s decision to revisit the Grid made sense. In the years since Tron: Legacy, the property has built a loyal following, and with modern conversations around AI and digital identity, a new Tron film seemed timely. But with a $180 million production budget (not including marketing), Ares faces an uphill battle to turn a profit.
I guess a fourth film is going to be a long shot. I would love to see the story continue, which this film set up, but with these numbers, I just don’t think it’s going to happen. I’ll be surprised if it does.
Critically, Tron: Ares isn’t faring much better. While I loved the movie, the film’s 56% Rotten Tomatoes score edges out Tron: Legacy’s rating of 51%, but still lands it squarely in “rotten” territory. In case you’re wondering, the original Tron has a 60% rating, so all of the films are in that zone.
Reviewers praised Ares visual design and electronic soundtrack but criticized its story and characters for lacking depth. That’s pretty much what was said about Legacy. With lukewarm word of mouth, it’s unlikely Ares will find long-term success in theaters.
Disney has seen some success this year, proving audiences will still turn out for the right project. The live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch became 2025’s biggest hit, crossing the $1.037 billion mark globally.
Meanwhile, The Fantastic Four: First Steps reached $521.7 million worldwide, despite its sharp second-week drop. Unfortunately, that kind of box office magic hasn’t carried over to the rest of Disney’s lineup.
Both Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts underperformed with $415.1 million and $382.4 million respectively, while the Snow White remake bombed at $205.6 million. Pixar’s Elio didn’t fare any better, earning just $154.2 million worldwide, the lowest-grossing Pixar release ever.
Disney’s attention now shifts to upcoming releases like Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash, which could determine how the studio closes out what’s been a turbulent year at the box office.
If Tron: Ares proves anything, it’s that a big budget visually awesome sci-fi action film can’t guarantee success in today’s theatrical landscape. The Grid may have been reactivated, but this time, it looks like the connection just didn’t hold.
