Does Disney’s Sci-Fi Box Office Bomb Mean The End Of An Iconic 44-Year Franchise?

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The Tron film series is unlike most others, but it risks fading away. What makes Tron so special is the long gap between movies. The original Tron came out in 1982 and was a pioneering sci-fi film that gained a following over the years.

Following the successful 2010 film Tron: Legacy, which gained a dedicated fanbase, Disney anticipated strong results from the 2025 release, Tron: Ares. Unfortunately, the new movie didn’t meet expectations, and this could potentially signal the end of the Tron series.

Tron: Ares Bombed At The Box Office But Found New Life On Streaming

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

The original Tron film was popular, which gave Disney the confidence to make Tron: Legacy almost twenty years later. While Legacy earned over $400 million and was reasonably successful, its continued growth in popularity didn’t translate to Tron: Ares. Unfortunately, Ares performed poorly in theaters.

Despite costing around $350 million to make and market, Tron: Ares only earned $142.2 million at the box office. This makes it a significant financial loss for Disney, and it’s unlikely the film will receive a sequel given its poor performance.

Several factors likely contributed to the disappointing performance of Tron: Ares. While the earlier Tron movies did well, the franchise doesn’t have a huge, dedicated fanbase, and it’s been a long time since a new film was released. Casting Jared Leto as the main actor probably didn’t help either, as he’s a controversial figure and his recent films haven’t been successful.

Reviews for Tron: Ares were just okay, which usually means people aren’t rushing to see it. In 2025, Sinners and Weapons both became unexpected successes because people enjoyed them and told their friends. Tron: Ares didn’t generate that kind of positive buzz.

Despite its initial theatrical performance, there’s good news for Tron: Ares now that it’s streaming on Disney+. While many didn’t see it in theaters, viewers are enjoying it at home, which could lead to increased interest and potential for future installments.

Will Disney Make Another Tron Movie After Ares?

It’s unlikely we’ll see another Tron movie anytime soon, especially considering the financial losses from Tron: Ares. Even if Ares becomes popular on Disney+ and stays in the top 10 for a while, it would be hard to justify the large cost of making another film for theaters.

The core idea of Tron – a futuristic world inside a computer – demands stunning visuals. Creating that spectacle is expensive, and because Tron: Ares faced difficulties, Disney is hesitant to invest heavily in another Tron movie anytime soon.

One possibility for a new Tron film is to make it animated. Animation offers complete creative freedom visually, and it’s significantly cheaper to produce than a live-action movie heavily reliant on special effects.

The new animated film, Predator: Killer of Killers, is a strong addition to the long-running Predator series, successfully telling a complex, multi-era story on a reasonable budget. The Tron franchise could benefit from a similar approach.

Tron Might Have A Brighter Future On Streaming

A streaming-exclusive release offers the most promising path forward for the Tron franchise. Rather than investing heavily in a theatrical film that requires massive box office numbers to succeed, a more modest budget could be used to create content for Disney+. An animated project, as has been discussed, would be a particularly reliable option.

Sometimes, a limited series or animated show can expand on a fictional world in exciting ways, offering more depth than a big-budget movie without the same level of financial risk. Whether it’s live-action or animated, a smaller, more focused approach is often the best way to go.

While Tron: Ares didn’t attract big crowds to movie theaters, it’s proving popular on Disney+. This suggests people prefer to watch this series from the comfort of their homes, using a streaming service.

It seems like making Tron exclusive to streaming is the best way to keep the series going and allow for future installments.

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2026-01-16 23:14