"Tron: Ares" De-Rezzes at the Box Office, Facing a Larger Loss than Expected
The highly anticipated sci-fi sequel is failing to connect with audiences, leading to a massive financial shortfall for Disney.
Disney’s return to the Grid is looking more like a game over, as Deadline reports that the expensive sci-fi sequel, Tron: Ares, is on track for a large financial loss.
What’s Happening:
- Tron: Ares is projected to lose over $132.7 million for Disney after all revenue streams are accounted for.
- The film’s net production cost is rumored to have cost $220 million, significantly higher than the initially reported $170-$180 million. With global marketing and other expenses, the total costs ballooned to $347.5 million.
- The movie is expected to cap its global gross at a mere $160 million. It suffered a severe 67% drop in its second weekend at the domestic box office.
- Moviegoers gave the film a B+ CinemaScore, the same as its 2010 predecessor, indicating a lack of enthusiastic word-of-mouth. PostTrak scores showed an okay 57% "definite recommend."
- The film skewed heavily towards older audiences (70% over 25), failing to capture the crucial 13-17 demographic, which made up only 6% of the audience.
De-Rezzing the Details
- While some may point fingers at casting choices, insiders claim the core issue with Tron: Ares was a faulty screenplay.
- The story reportedly underwent significant rewrites, with screenwriter Billy Ray being brought in for less than a month of reshoots to fix parts of the film.
- The belief is that a great script can overcome historical box office hurdles, as seen with Denis Villeneuve’s successful Dune revival, another pricey sci-fi property that had previously failed on screen.
- Despite the film's theatrical failure, some reportedly close to the project believe it serves a secondary purpose as a tie-in to the popular Tron Lightcycle Run theme park attractions at Walt Disney World and Shanghai Disneyland, which consistently draw some of the longest lines.
More Tron News:
- Exclusive "TRON: Ares" Q&A with Jeff Bridges & Nine Inch Nails After Select IMAX Showings This Weekend
- "TRON: Ares" Races Into Minecraft with New Add-On Pack
- The Grid’s Losing Power: "TRON: Ares" Stumbles With $33.5M Domestic Opening
- Photos / Video: El Capitan Theatre's "TRON" Trilogy Marathon Celebrates Release of "TRON: Ares" In Hollywood
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