Tron: Ares, once billed as Disney’s big sci-fi resurrection, sputtered into theaters with all the impact of a dying circuit board. Despite heavy marketing artillery, slick trailers, and Oscar-winner Jared Leto front and center, Tron: Ares barely scraped together $60.5 million worldwide in its opening weekend, $33.5M from the US and $27M internationally (via Box Office Mojo).
Critics were equally lukewarm, currently handing it a 54% score on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences tried to be kinder with an 87% audience rating and a B+ CinemaScore. And as the blame game kicked off, industry insiders came armed with receipts. A top talent agent said bluntly (via THR):
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.
Leto isn’t alone in this misfire. With Tron: Ares boasting a cast that includes Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Gillian Anderson, and even Jeff Bridges returning as Flynn, this wasn’t a solo act gone sour; it was a group project that nobody wanted to present.
So what exactly went wrong? Let’s decode the real malfunction in Disney’s circuit board.
What Caused Jared Leto’s Tron: Ares
to Flop at the Box Office?
Well, Tron was always a bit of a cult darling, not a cultural juggernaut. The original 1982 film was a technical marvel but barely made a blip at the box office. Tron: Legacy in 2010 just managed to break even with $400M worldwide on a $170M budget, and even then, most of that love came from international fans (57% overseas earnings).
By 2025, nostalgia for the neon-soaked digital realm had dimmed. The sequel waited too long, and by the time Ares arrived, it was fighting for attention. Then, Despite Disney’s glossy push, critics weren’t sold. /Film’s Witney Seibold went as far as calling Ares a “thoughtless sequel”. Even a decent B+ CinemaScore and 87% audience rating couldn’t drag moviegoers off their couches in the streaming age.
Then, the trailers sold visual candy and very little story. Disney bet big on aesthetics; yes, Nine Inch Nails did the score, but it gave little narrative meat to chew on. Style is seasoning, not the meal. And while Jeff Bridges popping in for a cameo as Flynn might tickle fans, to the casual viewer, it means zilch.
Moreover, there’s no denying Jared Leto has range, but lately, it’s been all downhill. From the catastrophic Morbius to the haunted numbers of Haunted Mansion, his recent resume reads like a cautionary tale. Yet, blaming Leto alone ignores the bigger issue: no one wanted this movie.
Despite a stacked cast (Greta Lee, Gillian Anderson, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith) there was no Tom Cruise, no Ryan Gosling, no Margot Robbie. No one who could sell a movie by name alone.
Tron: Ares Flop May Spell Trouble for Jared Leto’s Upcoming Masters of the Universe
With Tron: Ares flopping, all eyes now turn to Jared Leto’s next mega-project: 2026’s Masters of the Universe. Set to release on June 5, 2026, and starring Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man and Leto as Skeletor, this adaptation comes from Amazon MGM Studios and Sony. Budget? A hulking $200 million. Yep, even more than Tron: Ares.
Masters of the Universe (2026) key details:
With no major director, Masters of the Universe has a mountain to climb. Still, writing it off too early might be foolish. A compelling trailer or standout early buzz could flip the narrative. But if Tron: Are is any indicator, the nostalgia train might be approaching its final stop.
As for Leto? If Masters of the Universe tanks, it could redefine his place in blockbuster cinema. Will Masters of the Universe be Leto’s redemption arc or just another meme-worthy misstep? Drop your hot takes, roasts, or bold predictions in the comments below.
Tron: Ares is now playing in theaters.
Masters of the Universe releases June 5, 2026 (US).
