Tron: Ares is not delivering a powerful performance in terms of box office results, as the science fiction action film only grossed $33.2 million during its first weekend against a target domestic debut of $45-$50 million. As of this writing, the movie has garnered $124 million against a $180 million budget, an ominous warning of financial loss.
While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, actor Jeff Bridges, who plays Kevin Flynn, addressed the disappointing performance of the film in a positive way. He mentioned a past work from the 1980s, which was initially crucified by the public but later gained a cult following.
It’s interesting, though, how movies are received at opening weekend. I remember Heaven’s Gate was considered, you know, very disappointing or a flop, but nowadays it’s considered kind of a masterpiece.
Heaven’s Gate only made $3.4 million against a budget of $44 million, and the rumored factors that affected the film’s performance were allegations of animal cruelty and the director’s authoritarian method. It was infamously pulled out of theaters, resulting in the production company’s financial and reputation damage.
After Tron: Ares’ Lackluster Performance, Disney Is Reportedly Done With the Franchise
Bridges remains hopeful that fans will someday appreciate Tron: Ares. He admitted that, as an individual, there had been times when he hated a movie, but after a couple of months, he would see it again and wonder why he thought it was bad.
This is applicable for the general audience, but not for big Hollywood companies. The result of Tron: Ares’ box-office performance is allegedly making Walt Disney think twice about moving forward with the franchise. “Sources say Tron will likely retire from the big screen,” wrote The Hollywood Reporter.
With the current state of the new film, it’s very likely that we won’t see a sequel or perhaps any revival. Critics were also harsh towards the movie, giving it a dismal 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Flop Films Can Find Second Chances, But Tron Remains A Niche Property
The Tron franchise was popular in the ‘80s, with the original movie considered a cultural phenomenon. However, it seemingly did not retain that shine and slowly shifted to becoming a niche property, one that has a relatively small but solid following.
One of the speculations concerning Tron: Ares’ flop was due to its lead star, Jared Leto. He hasn’t been on the good side of the media after he got embroiled in several misconduct allegations. Somehow, Disney knew that only die-hard fans would go and see the movie, which means it was more of an IP issue than a cast problem.
It remains to be seen how Tron: Ares will fare at the end of its theatrical run and if Bridges’ foretelling of its future public appreciation would come true.
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Tron: Ares is now showing in theaters worldwide.
