when $60 million represents a failure

The performance of “Tron: Ares” in its first weekend, with around 60 million dollars grossed globally, is being seen as a failure, but this analysis deserves consideration. The Tron franchise, since its inception, has never been a phenomenon with popular appeal like the entertainment giants, always orbiting a loyal but restricted niche. Expecting this new chapter, even with high investments, to reach larger blockbuster numbers is disproportionate to the relevance of the brand.

What reveals the size of the problem is less the film’s performance and more the inflated standard of production costs in Hollywood. The budget of “Tron: Ares” is around 180 million dollars, without including marketing, creating a perverse trap: a film that would be a success in previous contexts now needs to overcome unrealistic expectations to pay off.

The result is that even an income of 60 million in three days becomes synonymous with disaster, a context that is repeated with more and more films considered “blockbusters”.

This cycle will only be broken with a review of studio investment models. Rebalancing budget, expectations and the actual size of franchises is essential.

Betting on creativity, novelty and less risky strategies can allow films with solid — but not overwhelming — performance to once again be celebrated, and not seen as unfair failures.