Ares Underwhelms, New Sequel Might Not Be Coming Soon

Fans got really excited when it was announced that Disney would be coming forward with another Tron movie, following the 2010 film Tron: Legacy. Of course, they wanted to see a big name attached to the project, and the production giant gave them what they wanted by casting Jared Leto in the titular role. Everything seemed to be working smoothly, and analysts believed that this might be a hit at the box office. However, what happened was the exact opposite, and the film lost 90% of the battle in the first three days of its release.

With an underwhelming start at the box office and mixed reviews, it is highly possible that a new Tron movie might not be arriving any time soon.

In a report shared by The Hollywood Reporter, the outlet talked to a couple of industry insiders about the film’s poor performance at the box office. Citing industry people, the report indicated that producers might be moving away from casting Leto as a leading star in their upcoming projects. His recent projects, including Morbius and Tron: Ares, opened to an underwhelming response and received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics as well as audiences.

It is not unusual for a big project to perform subpar at the box office. However, it raises questions about production houses coming forward with stories that only rely on nostalgia rather than offering fresh narratives for moviegoers. Moreover, the insider noted that it won’t be easy for producers to have the ’30 Seconds to Mars’ singer as the leading actor in an industry where actors such as Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Fassbender are not able to find lead roles.

However, another source made it clear that Leto is not the only reason for the film’s debacle at the box office. “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,” a source told the outlet.

Tron: Ares grossed over $60.2 million globally in its opening weekend, which was well below the initial projections. On the other hand, it earned a B+ Cinemascore, making it clear that only die-hard fans of Tron and Leto went on to see the film on the big screen.

As a result, industry insiders believe that this is the final nail in the coffin for the series, and fans shouldn’t expect a Tron movie in the near future. In an era where sci-fi and fantasy dominate in the minds of people, it is a travesty that a story like Tron didn’t get the treatment it deserved.

Most of the moviegoers had a problem with the storytelling aspect of the movie and believed that Tron: Ares did nothing extraordinary. The movie had amazing visuals, and some of the action sequences were top-notch; however, fans complained about the one-dimensional characters featured in the narrative. Although the ending of the movie assures the fans that Disney has massive plans for the sequel, it seems highly unlikely that the production house would now want to move ahead without having a proper roadmap.

Ares might be able to outgross Tron: Legacy’s lifetime figures of $172 million at the box office, but it hasn’t been as impactful as its predecessor. It would be interesting to see how Disney plans to take the story forward, and if they decide not to, it might be a huge dent in the franchise’s legacy.

Related: TV Squad Review – Tron: Ares