Disney’s Tron: Ares is facing a rocky start at the domestic box office. The high-profile reboot grossed $14.3 million on Friday, including $4.8 million from early previews, for a projected $35–$37 million opening weekend a figure that falls short of initial expectations.
Despite topping the weekend chart, the performance marks a
noticeable dip from forecasts that once suggested a $40–$50 million debut.
The film carries a hefty $180 million production budget, not including
marketing costs, raising concerns about its long-term profitability.
The sci-fi threequel, directed by Joachim Rønning (Pirates
of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), arrives 15 years after Tron:
Legacy opened to $44 million. Jared Leto stars as the titular
program Ares, alongside Greta Lee as ENCOM’s CEO Eve Kim and Evan
Peters as villain Julian Dillinger. While critics have been lukewarm 57%
on Rotten Tomatoes audiences appear more receptive, giving it an 86%
score and a B+ CinemaScore.
‘Roofman’ Opens Soft but Earns Praise
Also opening this weekend is Miramax and Paramount’s
crime-romantic caper Roofman, starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten
Dunst. Directed by Derek Cianfrance, the film pulled in $3.3
million on Friday, including $1 million in previews, for an expected $8
million weekend on the lower end of forecasts.
Made for a modest $19 million, Roofman isn’t
expected to post major losses. Critics have warmly received it (84% on
Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences are similarly positive (88%), though
the studio had hoped to attract more female moviegoers as counter-programming
to the male-driven Tron release.
The film, based on a true story, follows a struggling Army
veteran who becomes a serial McDonald’s roof burglar before hiding out in a
Toys “R” Us until his double life unravels after falling in love.
Faith-Based ‘Soul of Fire’ Sparks in the Heartland
Sony’s Affirm Films released Soul of Fire,
which earned $1.3 million Friday (including $575,000 in previews) and is
on track for a $3 million debut. The inspirational drama scored an A
CinemaScore and is performing best across the South and Midwest.
‘After the Hunt’ Shines in Limited Release
At the specialty box office, Amazon MGM Studios
rolled out Luca Guadagnino’s psychological drama After the Hunt
in 17 theaters, posting the weekend’s best per-theater average likely
above $30,000. Starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew
Garfield, and Chloë Sevigny, the festival favorite explores a sexual
assault scandal that fractures Yale’s philosophy department.
The film features a score by Trent Reznor and Atticus
Ross, who also composed the music for Tron: Ares (credited as Nine
Inch Nails on that project).
Holdovers: ‘One Battle After Another’ and ‘The Smashing
Machine’
Among holdovers, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle
After Another, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, is expected to land in
third with $6.8–$7 million, down roughly 40% from last week.
Despite strong word-of-mouth and an A+ CinemaScore, the awards hopeful
hasn’t maintained the momentum some expected.
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