The highly anticipated installment in the Tron series, Jared Leto‘s Tron: Ares, has opened to underwhelming figures (via Box Office Mojo), falling short of its initial projections. The movie even failed to match Tron Legacy‘s opening weekend numbers, and considering Legacy was considered a box-office disappointment at the time of its release, things aren’t looking well for the franchise.
It’s safe to say the execs at Disney aren’t alone when it comes to being conflicted about Leto’s commercial draw, as Sony’s upcoming Masters of the Universe movie might face some serious threat following its huge budget.
Masters of the Universe Faces Uphill Battle Amid Budget Concerns
Following the huge success of Barbie, Mattel opted to roll the dice on their other prominent IPS, including Masters of the Universe, set to release next year. Starring Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man and Leto as his arch-nemesis, Skeletor, the movie is being backed by Amazon MGM Studios, and Sony after Netflix dropped it altogether following budget concerns.
With a reported budget of $200 million (via Deadline), which is more expensive than Ares, the box-office struggles of Ares will surely evoke some concern among the higher-ups at Sony and Amazon. As for the movie itself, Mattel’s chief creative officer Robbie Brenner described it as an antithesis of Barbie, claiming it deals with masculinity in a very fun way (via TheWrap).
However, it’s important to note that Barbie was being led by two prominent A-listers, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, with revered auteur Greta Gerwig behind the wheel. As for Masters of the Universe, Leto is undoubtedly the movie’s biggest star power, and given his recent career trajectory, the He-Man adaptation might be setting itself up for a difficult run.
Tron: Ares Continues a Troubling Jared Leto Trend
Leto, while an Oscar winner, has had some major hiccups in recent times, as his reputation as a major box office draw has taken some substantial hits. From the controversies surrounding his alleged behavior to the enormous failure of Morbius, a movie that was bullied by the internet, it’s evident that Leto doesn’t possess the appeal to lead a blockbuster to success on his shoulders alone.
Sony itself is no stranger to this, as they were at the receiving end of Morbius‘ struggle, both critically and commercially. Coupled with Leto’s controversies and now Ares‘ failure, which also highlights the growing industry trend of IPs no longer guaranteeing success despite an in-built audience, things are looking a bit worrying for Masters of the Universe.
Then again, writing it off ahead of its release won’t be ideal, as it’s entirely possible that the movie could wow critics and fans, something Leto’s recent studio movies haven’t succeeded at.
Do you think Sony’s gamble will pay off?
Masters of the Universe will release on June 5, 2026 (US).
Tron: Ares is currently playing in theaters.
