Disney has typically been a box office powerhouse, but 2025 has been an uncharacteristically rough year for the studio. Though Lilo & Stitch (over $1 billion worldwide) was a bright spot, multiple Mouse House titles have underwhelmed at the multiplex this year, including Snow White, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and Elio. Looking to salvage the last few months of 2025, Disney was hoping Tron: Ares could emerge as a solid box office hit. Unfortunately, that didn’t come to pass, as the sci-fi sequel failed to reach its modest commercial expectations. In the aftermath, franchise star Jeff Bridges has a perfectly measured take on the situation.
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Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Bridges discussed Tron: Ares‘ poor box office performance. “It’s interesting, though, how movies are received at opening weekend,” he said. “I rememberย Heaven’s Gateย was considered, you know, very disappointing or a flop, but nowadays it’s considered kind of a masterpiece … So it’s interesting how things can grow on you … Even as an individual, often, I have not liked a movie. And then a couple weeks or months later, I’ll see it again. I’ll say, ‘What was I thinking?’”
Can Tron: Ares Become a Cult Favorite on Home Media?
While Bridges was discussing the opening weekend of Tron: Ares, his comments could actually apply to the Tron franchise as a whole. The previous two installments followed a similar trajectory of struggling at the box office before gaining a wider following later on. Ares has followed suit in terms of box office reception, grossing only $33.2 million domestically in its debut. As of this writing, the film has earned just $63.7 million in the United States and $124.1 million worldwide, lagging behind fellow Jared Leto vehicle Morbius.
Disney is set to lose over $100 million on Tron: Ares, so there’s no chance it can turn things around at the box office. The bigger question will be whether or not it finds its audience after it hits home media platforms. In today’s landscape, it’s become commonplace for box office flops to surge to the top of the streaming charts. Disney has already seen films like Snow White and Captain America: Brave New World become massive hits on streaming, so it’s possible Tron: Ares can accomplish this as well. In the post-pandemic era, moviegoing habits have drastically changed, and with shorter theatrical windows, it’s easier for casual audiences to wait until a new release is available at home.
With a distinct visual style and a catchy soundtrack that helps elevate the action, Tron: Ares boasts two of the elements that helped Tron: Legacy garner a cult following. It’ll be interesting to see if that’s enough to make Ares catch on a few months from now. Tron has never been praised for its storytelling prowess, but narrative and characterization was widely considered a weak point with Ares. In an age where Hollywood creatives are constantly pushing back against AI, asking audiences to sympathize with an AI-generated main character could be a tough sell. The word of mouth could discourage some people from checking it out. There are several options on Disney+, meaning it could be easy to pass Tron: Ares over.
Even if Tron: Ares finds an audience on streaming, Disney seems to have learned its lesson after three films. Despite Ares ending with obvious sequel teases, word is the franchise will not continue on the big screen due to the movie’s mixed reception. The best the Mouse House can hope for now is for a strong showing on home media to salvage its investment. It also doesn’t hurt that the Tron Lightcycle Power Run ride at Disney’s theme parks is a popular attraction, so at least the company is making money off the franchise in some way.
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