The TRON franchise is back with yet another instalment, and now all that’s left to do is see if the film does better or worse than its predecessors. While it is too early to give a final verdict, let’s take a look at the numbers that could provide some insight.
Financial metrics are always a clear lens for comparison. For starters, Tron: Legacy was made on a budget of $170 million, and the film only brought in $400 million at the box office (via Variety). While the worldwide gross was about 2.0 times the production budget, it still wasn’t enough. It may not have been a complete failure, but the numbers are still considered disappointing.
As for the recently released Tron: Ares, it’s difficult to say how much the sci-fi action will accumulate during its run. However, Variety has reported that the threequel is on track to debut at $45-50 million from 4,000 North American theaters over the weekend. On the other hand, Legacy opened to $44 million.
Internationally, though, Ares is looking to make anywhere between $40-45 million, which might take the global number to $85-95 million. Which film performed better? Keep in mind that Ares is the most expensive film of the trilogy, with a budget of $180 million.
Despite being a “legacy” film, it seems that Tron: Ares is lagging behind in ticket sales. Let’s see if it can keep up with the critics.
Comparison: Tron: Legacy and Tron: Ares From the Critics’ Eyes
This is a close call. On Rotten Tomatoes, Tron: Legacy has a score of 51% whereas Tron: Ares received 55%. On IMDb, Legacy is rated 6.8/10 while Ares is rated 6.5/10. Clearly, there isn’t much of a difference here, is there?
Talking about Legacy, the Joseph Kosinski-directed film was praised for its stunning visuals that immerse the audience into The Grid as well as for its soundtrack. Actor Michael Sheen was also praised for his role as Castor, while the rest of the cast was deemed “uninteresting
Ares is also being praised for its visuals and hypnotic soundtrack. RT claims that the film may be “gorgeous to behold“, but it’s “too narratively programmatic to achieve an authentically human dimension.”
New York Post’s Johnny Oleksinski called Ares “groundbreaking” for being the first TRON film with a “discernible” plot. The New York Times‘ Alissa Wilkinson stated in her review that while Ares may not have the charm of the 1982 OG, it is at least more enjoyable than Legacy.
Those who didn’t like the film called it hollow, complicated, and emotionally unsatisfying. As for the actors’ performances, Jared Leto and Evan Peters were praised for portraying Ares and Julian, while others couldn’t impress the critics as much.
Netizens are also divided in their opinion:
Just got home from seeing 'Tron: Ares'!
My review, as a longtime Tron fan:
Good. Not as impactful as Tron Legacy, but it certainly has moments that made me smile. The visuals are what they're cracked up to be, big talking point for sure.
Pictured: official Tron: Ares shirt pic.twitter.com/ODs8YP8qE2
My Tron: Ares review: I don’t think you can compare this film to Legacy, they’re two different films in a good way and I really like the alternative they did with this film. I think this film is a good film in its story in its own right. It felt more like a spiritual successor… pic.twitter.com/qhEDgpV5FS
Tron Ares is exactly the sequel we all needed & leaves room for so much more to be explored.
Please go out and see this movie! The story is great (possibly better than Legacy's) and the characters' motivations are really intriguing.
Tron Ares 8.5/10
Full Review on YouTube! pic.twitter.com/7hM27r8H9X
All in all, the critical reception for both films seems to be similar, and you just might have to be the judge on this one yourself! Until then, do check out FandomWire’s review of Tron: Ares.
Director Lost 20 Pounds in 6 Weeks Trying to Live up to TRON‘s Legacy
Kosinski didn’t return to the franchise after Legacy and instead, Joachim Rønning stepped into the picture. Rønning gave the film his all in order to make sure that his installment would be able to stand tall with its predecessors.
During a scene featuring light cycles that leave trails of light behind that can block/slice other vehicles, Rønning did not rely on computer-generated effects. In one scene, Ares’ cycle drives through a police car, slicing it in half. Apparently, this was done by building pre-cut police cars that were later stitched together.
Describing the efforts put into the scene, Rønning told IndieWire,
It’s being pulled by a truck on a 100-yard wire to get up to speed, and it’s remote-controlled. At a certain point, charges in the middle of the car blow and split the car in half, and then Industrial Light and Magic comes in and creates the light wall going through it.
So why go the extra mile? Well, as far as Rønning is concerned, he was surrounded by the best of the best, and the pressure of making Ares stand out all fell on his shoulders. In fact, he was so engrossed by just this scene in particular that he ended up losing 20 pounds in just six weeks. He hopes that the audience will appreciate the hard work.
When you do these big movies, you have amazing support and some of the best actors in the world. You have the best crews in the world. You have Industrial Light and Magic. So the daunting aspect is thinking that it all comes down to me to fill these big shoes of the first two films. As a fan of the franchise, I put a lot of pressure on myself, and on everyone around me. I think I lost 20 pounds during those six weeks. But hopefully the audience can feel the hard work.
While the film’s critical response matches its predecessor’s, it still has time to emerge victorious at the box office. Do you think Ares has what it takes to be the better sequel? Let us know in the comments section below!
Tron: Ares is currently playing in theaters. Stream Tron: Legacy on Disney+.
