Disney Will Reportedly Lose Over $100 Million on Latest Sci-fi Flop, But the Franchise May Not Be Dead

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Disney generally avoids releasing unsuccessful films, but they do occasionally happen. While *Lilo & Stitch* earned over a billion dollars worldwide this year, their live-action *Snow White* remake only brought in $205 million globally (and a disappointing $87 million in the US). The studio also saw two out of three Marvel releases underperform, and their recently released sci-fi reboot is now considered a major flop, costing them over $100 million.

The recently released *TRON: Ares* is the third film in the sci-fi series, and unfortunately, it’s continuing a pattern of underperformance. A new report from Deadline indicates that production and marketing costs for the movie are piling up, and it’s not doing well in theaters worldwide. Losses for the *TRON* franchise now appear to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

TRON: Ares Bombing at the Box Office Isn’t the End of the Franchise

Currently, *TRON: Ares* has earned $54 million in the United States and $102 million worldwide. This puts it between *Ballerina* ($58 million) and the new *Naked Gun* movie ($52 million) in terms of domestic box office performance. However, given the film’s reported $220 million production cost, this level of ticket sales isn’t considered a strong result.

The expenses for the *TRON: Ares* sequel go beyond just production. Marketing and advertising alone cost over $100 million. When you add in those costs, plus payments to cast and crew, the film is currently projected to lose $132.7 million. After its first weekend, ticket sales dropped significantly – a 66% decrease – suggesting the film isn’t resonating with audiences in the US and won’t see much improvement in its overall earnings.

Even though the *Tron* movie wasn’t a box office success, Disney isn’t too worried. The popular Tron Lightcycle Power Run rides at both Shanghai Disneyland and Walt Disney World continue to draw huge crowds. Currently, the Florida ride has the longest wait time of any attraction at Walt Disney World – a full 70 minutes, with no fast-pass reservations available. This means Disney can afford to take a risk on a film that loses money, because it ultimately boosts attendance and revenue at their profitable theme parks.

It’s currently uncertain what the future holds for the *TRON* franchise outside of its theme park presence. Given that the three *TRON* movies have all underperformed at the box office, it’s probable that we won’t see any more big-screen installments soon. However, Disney rarely leaves successful franchises untouched for long, particularly if it can boost attendance at their theme park rides.

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2025-10-20 18:11