Disney has had a lot of success with franchises over the years, but one property that's never truly caught on as a blockbuster series is Tron. Despite boasting elements of ideal big-screen spectacle (a distinct visual style, catchy soundtracks that elevate the action), Tron has always been more of a cult favorite, as the films routinely earned mixed reviews and underwhelmed at the box office upon release. That pattern held true for the latest installment, Tron: Ares, which failed to meet its modest box office projections. During its opening weekend, Ares grossed just $33.2 million domestically. That performance, combined with another wave of lackluster Tron reviews, means it could be game over for The Grid.
A report in The Hollywood Reporter detailing the potential fallout from Ares bombing cites sources that say "Tron will likely retire from the big screen" since the franchise continues to not deliver the desired results. The outlet notes that "some at Disney were always concerned only die-hard fans would show up," which proved true. Tron: Ares struggled to bring in a younger demographic and could only muster a B+ CinemaScore.
Spoilers for Tron: Ares follow
Disney seemed to have high hopes that Tron: Ares would be successful enough to warrant further follow-ups. Though the movie tells a largely self-contained story, its ending plants seeds for a sequel. Now part of the real world, Ares is embarking on a personal journey to find others like him (Olivia Wilde's Quorra from Tron: Legacy). Meanwhile, villain Julian Dillinger has uploaded himself to the Dillinger Systems Grid to escape authorities and looks to become a new version of Sark, continuing his grandfather's legacy. Given the latest updates about the Tron franchise, it appears both of these threads will be left unresolved.
It isn't surprising to hear this is the case. With their extravagant visual effects and action set pieces, the modern Tron movies aren't exactly cheap to make. Ares had a production budget of $180 million (before marketing and distribution costs), making it more expensive than Tron Legacy ($170 million). Ares is faring worse at the box office than its predecessor, which was only a modest draw. One of the reasons why a third Tron movie didn't get an immediate green light is because Legacy grossed only $400 million worldwide. Disney went back to the drawing board to find an approach that could click with general audiences and failed. Rather than commission another sizable investment on another Tron movie, it's better to just leave the property alone -- even if Ares gains a cult following a la Legacy in several years.
Disney still has plenty of franchise tentpoles at its disposal. New Star Wars and Marvel movies are on the way, plus films like Toy Story 5 and the live-action Moana remake should be major draws. Additionally, Disney has reportedly taken an interest in producing more original films in an attempt to appeal to younger moviegoers. Tron: Ares struggling should only make that initiative even more of a priority. Original films can be a risk due to the lack of brand recognition, but something that's new and fresh could excite audiences (as opposed to another revival of a 40-year-old franchise that was never massively popular).
Some Tron fans may hold out hope that the franchise could continue somehow; the report specifically says "retire from the big screen," which theoretically could leave the door open for a Disney+ series. Numerous box office disappointments have found a new audience on streaming, so perhaps more people would be inclined to check out Tron on the small screen. However, this is just as unlikely as a new film. A Tron TV show would be a pricey endeavor, and the franchise has shown time and time again it isn't worth the investment. Plus, Disney seems to be scaling back on streaming output. There's only one live-action Star Wars show in the works (Ahsoka Season 2), and Marvel is limiting the amount of films and shows it makes in an effort to get the franchise back on track. Going full steam ahead on a Tron series at this point wouldn't make much sense.
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