Tron: Ares tanks at the box office

Will Tron: Ares be the end of the road for the legendary franchise? Unfortunately, it appears the film continues to struggle mightily at the box office, facing a nearly 70% drop in attendance compared to its opening weekend. So far, Ares has managed to raise $103 million globally. Hardly enough to come close to covering the $220 million it cost Disney to produce, possibly making Ares one of the studio’s biggest flops in recent times.

According to analysts and sources close to Disney, there are several reasons why Tron: Ares failed to take off. First of all, the franchise was never huge to begin with. If anything, Tron has been more of a curiosity, albeit one with a very dedicated but small fanbase. Secondly, there’s Jared Leto, who has repeatedly failed to draw crowds – at least as a leading man.

Speaking anonymously, a source said that:

“In a world where Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor and Benedict Cumberbatch are fighting to get leading roles, why would you go for someone who can’t open a movie and who comes with personal question marks?”

Another source close to Disney also stated that there appears to have been a lack of focus and direction during production, which, of course, also probably ended up hurting the film. The person also singled out Leto as a poor casting choice.

“There wasn’t a specific vision, to be honest. The idea that Disney would spend a quarter of a billion dollars on a Jared Leto film in a franchise that hasn’t worked for forty years is insane.”

Have you seen Tron: Ares and what are your thoughts on the film?