Jared Leto, a once-prominent figure in Hollywood, has recently been labeled as “box office poison” by industry analysts following the disappointing performance of his latest Disney film.
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, insiders reveal that the 53-year-old actor’s reputation in the entertainment world has taken a hit due to the underwhelming opening weekend of “Tron: Ares,” which earned just $33.5 million.
A talent manager, speaking to the publication, questioned the decision to cast Leto in leading roles, stating, “In an industry where even talents like Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, and Benedict Cumberbatch are struggling to secure lead roles, why would anyone choose an actor who can’t draw a crowd and has personal controversies?”
They further commented, “Even if Ryan Gosling had taken the role, it wouldn’t have succeeded. This reboot was uncalled for.”
Critics argue that blaming the film’s failure solely on casting is misguided, suggesting that “if you believe ‘Tron: Ares’ would have succeeded with a different actor, you’re fooling yourself.”
Despite the film’s poor reception, Leto reportedly earned a substantial paycheck in the high seven figures, alongside an additional producing fee in the same range.
But such lavish paydays are now firmly in the rearview mirror for the tarnished actor, experts warned.
The ‘question marks’ around Leto’s character refer to allegations that he was sexually inappropriate towards nine women, including teenage girls.
Jared Leto is destined for the Hollywood junkyard after the embarrassing failure of his new movie Tron: Ares, insiders say
Leto was accused of being a pervert by DJ Allie Teilz who said Leto ‘forcing himself on you’ was a rite of passage for young women in LA.
She said her own alleged encounter with the star happened when she was just 17. Leto has denied all allegations of impropriety.
Tron: Ares, a futuristic tale about an AI warrior who rides a motorbike, cost $180 million to make and tens of millions more to market.
It was a passion project for Leto, who pushed for it to be put into production – with disastrous results.
The flop movie pulled another $27 million in takings outside the US in its first weekend, for a total of $60.5 million. Second weekend takings usually plummet, meaning Tron: Ares faces an uphill battle to recoup its costs.
Earlier this week, Puck reported that the Tron franchise – which comprises the original 1981 movie and 2010 reboot Tron: Legacy – is now dead in the water.
The decision to cast a middle aged star known for indie projects and a controversial personal life has been blamed for hastening the Tron movies’ demise.
But Puck also highlighted that the original Tron movie was a box office oddity that became a cult classic because of its then-futuristic special effects – and that there was never much demand for multiple sequels in the first place.
Leto is seen here in the latest installment of the film franchise, which has so far not lived up to financial expectations
According to screenwriter Jesse Wigutow, who worked on the film, Leto was largely responsible for the movie getting the greenlight in the first place.
Leto shot to fame in cult TV show My So Called Life in 1994.
He quickly became a heart throb and transitioned successfully to movies, straddling roles in blockbusters including Fight Club and American Psycho with meatier parts in indie movies including Requiem for a Dream.
In 2014, Leto won a best supporting actor for playing a transgender prostitute in AIDS drama The Dallas Buyers Club, but his career peaked soon afterwards.
Leto suffered an equally-embarrassing failure with Morbius, a 2022 Marvel superhero movie which saw him take on the titular role.
It cost $83 million to make and made around double that, but did not make a sufficient profit to have been deemed a success.
