Disney’s Tron: Ares stumbled in its box office launch, grossing just $33.5 million domestically from over 4,000 theaters a disappointing start for a film that was once expected to reignite the decades-old sci-fi franchise. Unless word of mouth delivers a major boost, the weak debut could signal the end of Disney’s efforts to revive Tron, which began more than 40 years ago with the 1982 cult classic.
Internationally, Ares faced similar challenges,
bringing in $27 million for a global total of $60.5 million. The
movie rolled out in most territories except China, where it opens next
weekend.
Heading into release, Tron: Ares had been projected
to open between $40 million and $45 million, with some forecasts
climbing as high as $50 million. The threequel carries a hefty $180
million production budget, excluding marketing costs. Directed by Joachim
Rønning, the film stars Jared Leto as Ares, Greta Lee as
ENCOM CEO Eve Kim, and Evan Peters as villain Julian Dillinger. The
project was long shepherded by former Disney executive Sean Bailey
during his tenure overseeing live-action films.
While critics have been lukewarm Ares holds a 57%
score on Rotten Tomatoes audiences are proving more enthusiastic, awarding
it an 87% audience score and four out of five stars on PostTrak.
Meanwhile, Miramax and Paramount’s romantic crime
comedy Roofman starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst debuted
to $8 million, meeting the low end of expectations. Directed by Derek
Cianfrance, the modestly budgeted $19 million film had aimed to
attract female audiences as counter-programming to Tron, though initial
turnout has skewed male. Despite that, reviews have been strong, with an
85% critics’ rating and 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Both Tron and Roofman earned a B+ CinemaScore from
moviegoers.
Based on a true story, Roofman follows an Army
veteran who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting through their
roofs earning his nickname before hiding out in a Toys “R” Us and falling in
love.
Elsewhere, Sony’s faith-based drama Soul of Fire
opened in sixth place with $3 million, but its low $3 million
production cost and glowing A CinemaScore make it a low-risk
venture. The film performed best in the American South and Midwest.
At the specialty box office, Amazon MGM’s After the
Hunt a psychological thriller from Luca Guadagnino starring Julia
Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, and Andrew Garfield had a strong
limited debut, earning a $25,745 per-theater average across 17
locations. The film, about a sexual assault scandal shaking Yale’s philosophy
department, features a score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who also
composed for Tron: Ares under their Nine Inch Nails banner.
Among holdovers, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle
After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is projected to finish
third with $6.8–$7 million, down 40% from last weekend. Despite its A+
CinemaScore, the awards hopeful has yet to gain major box office traction.
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