The Walt Disney Company is typically known for avoiding box office failures, but even the entertainment giant isn’t completely immune to them.
Despite celebrating massive success this year with Lilo & Stitch, which earned over a billion dollars worldwide, Disney also suffered a setback with its troubled live-action remake of Snow White.
The film managed to collect $205 million globally but brought in only a disappointing $87 million domestically.
The hits didn’t stop there, two out of the studio’s three Marvel releases underperformed, and now, Disney has launched a sci-fi reboot that has joined the ranks of Hollywood’s most notorious flops, costing the studio more than $100 million in losses.
This October’s TRON: Ares marked the third entry in the long-running sci-fi franchise, but like its predecessors, it struggled to resonate with audiences and fell short of box office expectations.
The combined production and marketing costs for TRON: Ares are continuing to mount as the movie falters globally. The outlet reports that the franchise’s latest installment has racked up losses reaching into nine figures.
As of now, TRON: Ares has earned $54 million domestically and $102 million worldwide. In the U.S., the film’s performance places it between Ballerina, the John Wick spinoff which grossed $58 million, and Paramount’s revival of The Naked Gun, which earned $52 million.
Considering the Jared Leto-led sequel carried an estimated production budget of $220 million, its modest box office numbers are far from ideal.
The financial burden doesn’t end there. Marketing and promotional costs for TRON: Ares reportedly exceeded $100 million.
When factoring in additional expenses, including production overhead and residuals for those involved, the film is projected to lose approximately $132.7 million, provided those estimates hold true.
In its second weekend, TRON: Ares suffered a 66% drop from its opening, suggesting that domestic interest has already peaked and its total earnings are unlikely to climb much higher.
Despite the steep losses, Disney has one key advantage that softens the blow: the Tron Lightcycle Power Run rides at its theme parks. There are two versions of the attraction, one at Shanghai Disneyland and another at Walt Disney World in Orlando, and both continue to be major draws for visitors.
In fact, the Florida ride currently holds the record for the longest wait time at Walt Disney World, averaging 70 minutes with no remaining early reservation slots. With that in mind, Disney can afford to absorb a financial hit from a TRON film if it drives renewed interest in its theme parks, the company’s true revenue powerhouse.
What remains uncertain is the future of the TRON franchise beyond the theme parks. With all three films in the series ranging from “box office disappointment” to outright “box office failure,” it’s likely that TRON may take a break from the big screen for now.
Still, Disney rarely allows one of its franchises to stay dormant for long, especially when it continues to bolster interest in one of its most popular theme park attractions.