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Disney generally boasts a solid performance at the box office, frequently adding billion-dollar hits to its lineup. Yet, it’s not immune to setbacks, as evidenced by the 2025 release “Tron: Ares,” which stumbled significantly in theaters. This much-anticipated third chapter in the iconic sci-fi saga, now available for streaming on Disney+, starred and was produced by Jared Leto. The film’s financial failure reportedly cost Disney more than $130 million, factoring in both production and marketing expenses.
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According to Looper’s critique, “Tron: Ares” was “all style, no substance,” a sentiment that has often been associated with the “Tron” series. Historically, the franchise hasn’t dominated the box office, explaining the lengthy gaps of over two decades between films. However, Disney’s continued investment in the series highlights its enduring appeal, particularly among those who cherish the original’s legacy.
In light of “Ares” underperforming, it’s improbable that Disney will revisit the “Tron” universe in theaters with such a high budget again. This experience might also deter future major investments in projects centered around Jared Leto.
Several factors contributed to the film’s disappointing performance, with many attributing the flop to Leto himself. He played a prominent role in the film’s marketing, a strategy Disney seemed to support, hoping it would boost the film’s prospects. Unfortunately, this approach might have backfired, considering Leto’s recent track record since his minor role in the 2016 hit “Suicide Squad.”
Compounding matters, a series of misconduct allegations against Leto emerged during the promotional phase of “Tron: Ares,” negatively impacting the film’s reception. Leto’s public image hadn’t been pristine even before these allegations, with reports of challenging behavior surfacing from the production of “Morbius,” another high-profile flop.
Leto’s high-profile flops are beginning to add up
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The culmination of these issues suggests that studios may start to distance themselves from Leto, or at the very least, refrain from investing significant sums in the hope that he can draw massive audiences.
Not only that, but a spate of misconduct allegations from a number of women surfaced right in the middle of the “Tron: Ares” hype cycle, which didn’t do the movie — or Leto’s prominence in its marketing — any favors. Not that Leto had an especially sterling reputation as a person in recent years anyway. According to insiders, Leto’s on-set behavior had an impact on “Morbius,” his other recent high-profile, big-budget flop. And it’s not the first movie of his to come with similar behind-the-scenes stories.
It has all culminated in a sense that studios are going to start distancing themselves from the star. Or at the very least, not spend tons of millions of dollars on him in the hopes that he can bring in billion-dollar crowds.
