Ares Turns Into a Costly Misfire, Projected to Lose $132 Million for Disney

The world of Tron might be filled with lights, but its future is not looking bright. The latest film in the franchise, titled Tron: Ares, didn’t live up to the expectations and had an underwhelming start at the box office. However, a new report suggests that the film is about to lose a huge amount of money for Disney as it continues to underperforms.

According to Deadline, the sci-fi sequel Tron: Ares is turning out to be a major financial setback for the studio. The report indicates that the production giant may lose around $132.7 million, a figure that might seem small, but it definitely isn’t. Moreover, it has been revealed that the film’s budget climbed up to $220 million after accounting for net expenses. Earlier, it was estimated that the film’s production cost was around $170 million. 

These figures actually come from the projections that the movie is likely to end its theatrical run by grossing around $160 million at the global box office, far below what’s needed to break even. These projections come almost a week after Tron: Ares opened in theatres and earned mixed reviews from the critics as well as audiences.

The critics panned the film for its lackluster storytelling and weak character development. However, it’s the public reception that has made the movie a bigger flop. In its opening weekend, the film earned over $33.2 million domestically, which is almost $11 million lower than the 2010 film, Tron: Legacy.

Ares being a disappointment is not shocking because Disney hasn’t been able to tackle the series properly. The first two films were not major disappointments, but they never attained the status of a blockbuster. Nowadays, both films are considered to be cult classics and have a good amount of following. As for Tron: Ares, it is yet to be seen whether it can capture that same magic or fade into obscurity like many modern reboots.

Related: Disney’s Tron: Ares Underwhelms, New Sequel Might Not Be Coming Soon