Does Anybody Expect Tron: Ares to Be a Box Office Hit? Be Honest.
Tron: Ares box office tracking predicts a modest debut, but with tepid promotion, a divisive lead in Jared Leto, and a franchise that’s never quite cracked mainstream success, can Disney’s sci-fi sequel light up the Grid? Slated for release on October 10, 2025, the third Tron film arrives 15 years after Tron: Legacy and 43 years after the original Tron.
Starring Leto as the AI program Ares, the movie boasts a stellar cast and a fresh story, but doubts linger. From a muted marketing campaign to a shelved Legacy sequel that left fans hanging, here’s why Tron: Ares is struggling to generate buzz—and whether it can still surprise at the box office.
Here’s the TLDR...
Box Office Tracking: Tron: Ares is projected to open domestically at $42–46 million, solid but not spectacular for a $150–200 million budget.
Lack of Buzz: A visually striking trailer hasn’t overcome fan skepticism about Jared Leto and the 15-year gap since Tron: Legacy.
Jared Leto’s Draw: Leto’s flops like Morbius and Suicide Squad make him a risky lead, despite his passion for the franchise.
Franchise Struggles: Tron (1982) earned $33 million domestically; Legacy (2010) hit $400 million worldwide but fell short of blockbuster status.
Lost Sequel Hopes: Tron: Ascension, a planned Legacy follow-up with Cillian Murphy’s Dillinger Jr., was scrapped, leaving unresolved plot threads.
Disney’s Tactics: Tying the film to Tron park rides and enlisting MrBeast for promotion suggest a desperate push for relevance.
A Modest Box Office Outlook
Projections for Tron: Ares estimate a $42–46 million domestic opening, per Reddit’s r/boxoffice community. For a film with a reported $150–200 million budget (excluding marketing), that’s a lukewarm start.
Tron: Legacy opened at $44 million in 2010, closing with $400 million worldwide on a $200 million budget—decent but not a runaway hit. The original Tron (1982) grossed $33 million domestically on a $17 million budget, beloved as a cult classic but never a box office titan.
Facing a crowded fall slate, Ares needs a spark to stand out.
Promotion Falling Flat?
Disney’s marketing for Tron: Ares feels oddly restrained. A teaser debuted at CinemaCon in April 2025, followed by a July trailer with Nine Inch Nails’ electric score, teasing: “We gave them the power to destroy us or protect us.”
Yet, the campaign lacks Disney’s blockbuster energy. Fans on X aren’t shy about their frustration. One user posted: “Man they’re really doing everything they can to make me not want to see a movie I’ve been waiting 15 years for.” Without a louder push, Disney risks letting Ares fade into the digital void.
Jared Leto’s Polarizing Presence
Jared Leto’s role as Ares—an AI infiltrating the real world—is a major sticking point. Despite his Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club, Leto’s genre films like Suicide Squad ($746 million worldwide but critically slammed) and Morbius ($167 million, a meme-worthy flop) have faltered.
Fans on Reddit’s r/tron vented: “How is he getting these roles for projects that are projected to make millions of dollars when the higher ups have to know people will specifically not see it because he’s in it?”
Leto, a producer and self-professed Tron fan, even stayed in character as a “big rockstar” on set, according to Jeff Bridges. But his baggage may dim the film’s glow.
A Franchise in Limbo—and a Lost Sequel
The Tron series has always been a niche player. The 1982 original was a visual trailblazer but a box office underdog. Tron: Legacy dazzled with Daft Punk’s score and sleek visuals, yet its $400 million global haul didn’t scream “franchise gold.”
A planned sequel, Tron: Ascension, set to continue Sam and Quorra’s story, was greenlit in 2010 but canceled in 2015 after Tomorrowland’s flop. That project would have featured Cillian Murphy reprising Edward Dillinger Jr., the scheming Encom exec teased in Legacy’s post-credits scene. Director Joseph Kosinski revealed the script was about the real and digital worlds colliding, but it never made it past development.
Fans hoped Dillinger Jr.’s arc would tie into Ares, but producer Justin Springer confirmed in 2025: “This is a new story, not a sequel to Legacy.”
Evan Peters now plays Julian Dillinger, a new exec villain, leaving Murphy’s role unresolved. Some speculate Ares may nod to Ascension’s ideas, but its reboot approach risks alienating fans who wanted closure.
Disney’s Park Play and MrBeast Move
Tron: Ares’ release coincides with Tron-themed attractions, like the Tron Lightcycle Power Run at Walt Disney World and Shanghai Disney, set for an Ares-inspired overlay in September 2025. This synergy suggests the film is as much a park tie-in as a cinematic gamble—a tactic that worked for Pirates but flopped with Haunted Mansion.
Disney has also enlisted MrBeast to promote the movie, a move fans called “straight cancer” on X. While it may grab Gen Z eyeballs, the stunt reeks of desperation.
Can Ares Reboot the Grid?
Despite hurdles, Tron: Ares has strengths: Evan Peters as Julian Dillinger, Greta Lee as Encom CEO Eve Kim, and Jeff Bridges returning as Kevin Flynn. Director Joachim Rønning (Young Woman and the Sea) brings a grounded touch, and Nine Inch Nails’ score could rival Legacy’s Daft Punk soundtrack.
The AI-driven plot, with Peters’ villain declaring, “Military AI is the future!” per the trailer, feels timely. Fandango’s 2025 survey even ranked Ares the fall’s most anticipated release, hinting at sleeper potential.
Still, without stronger marketing and wider appeal, it risks becoming another Blade Runner 2049—gorgeous but underseen. Will Tron: Ares pay off Legacy’s setup or forge a new path? The Grid awaits on October 10.
Hat Tips
PRIMETIMER: Disney enlists MrBeast to promote Tron: Ares ahead of ticket sales launch
Reddit r/boxoffice: 5-Week Box Office Tracking & Forecasts for Tron: Ares
ScreenRant: Why Tron: Ares is a new story instead of a direct Legacy sequel
Deadline: Tron: Ares CinemaCon teaser debut
Reddit r/tron: Jared Leto’s method acting on Tron: Ares set
The Numbers: Tron franchise box office history
Ars Technica: Tron: Ares trailer analysis
Collider: Joseph Kosinski on Tron: Ascension’s canceled script and Cillian Murphy’s role
Compiled and Edited by Ivy Adams for Pirates & Princesses.