LOS ANGELES — Disney’s long-awaited Tron: Ares powered up the North American box office this weekend, taking the top spot with an estimated $33.5 million in domestic ticket sales, according to Comscore. But despite the No. 1 debut, the third installment in the iconic sci-fi franchise opened below projections.
The big-budget sequel — reportedly costing around $150 million to produce — stars Jared Leto, Greta Lee, and Jeff Bridges, returning to the digital frontier first introduced in the 1982 original. While Tron: Ares drew generally favorable reviews (including a three-out-of-four-star rating from the Associated Press), its debut trailed behind Tron: Legacy (2010), which opened to $44 million and ultimately grossed over $400 million worldwide.
A Costly Sequel Fifteen Years Later
The new chapter centers on rival tech giants Emcom and Dillinger, each harnessing advanced laser-based 3D printing technology capable of materializing physical objects — creations that disintegrate into ash after just 29 minutes. The film’s mix of action and nostalgia resonated with core fans but wasn’t enough to pull massive audiences to more than 4,000 theaters nationwide.
“It’s been tough for that franchise to gain traction for it to become a big mega franchise,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. He noted that even the original Tron initially struggled before developing a cult following.
Dergarabedian added that Ares’ profitability now depends heavily on its international rollout. “It still topped the box office,” he said. “All eyes are on a big Disney film that’s a huge brand, known and has been around for decades.”
Mixed Weekend for New Releases
Disney wasn’t alone in facing a soft October weekend. The blue-collar dramedy Roofman, starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst, landed in second with $8 million.
In third place, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another earned $6.6 million, while family favorite Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie maintained fourth with $3.3 million. The DreamWorks-Netflix collaboration continues to perform strongly with young audiences into its third weekend.
Faith-based drama Soul on Fire opened in fifth with $3 million, telling the real-life story of motivational speaker and burn survivor John O’Leary, alongside William H. Macy and John Corbett.
Meanwhile, The Conjuring: Last Rites held sixth with $2.9 million, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle followed in seventh with $2.2 million, continuing the anime franchise’s strong global momentum.
The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne Johnson as UFC legend Mark Kerr, brought in $1.7 million to claim eighth place. Rounding out the top ten were The Strangers: Chapter 2 ($1.5 million) and Good Boy ($1.3 million).
Box Office Outlook: A Quiet October Bridge Month
After a run of strong weekends in late summer, analysts say October’s slower turnout reflects its “bridge month” status between blockbuster and holiday release seasons.
“This is a great month for indie, art-house and awards-season films to shine,” Dergarabedian explained. “Moviegoers should embrace the eclectic offerings out there on the big screen.”
Sources:
AP News
