Hollywood Insider Says ‘Tron: Ares Flop’ Was Inevitable and No One Asked for It: “Even Ryan Gosling Can’t Save It”

Tron: Ares, the follow-up to Tron: Legacy, has opened to mixed reviews and underwhelming box office results.

Directed by Joachim Rønning, the film features Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, and Gillian Anderson. Jeff Bridges also returns as Kevin Flynn from the earlier films.

Critics have given the movie lukewarm feedback. On Rotten Tomatoes, 55% of 198 reviews were positive, with the site noting: “A sensory feast of vivid neon hues and a hypnotic soundtrack, Tron: Ares is gorgeous to behold but too narratively programmatic to achieve an authentically human dimension.”

Metacritic gave the movie a score of 48 out of 100 based on 44 critics, signaling “mixed or average” reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave it a B+, the same as the previous Tron films.

The film’s opening weekend fell short of expectations. Advanced screenings and Thursday previews brought in $4.8 million, and its domestic opening day reached $14.3 million. The weekend projection was lowered to $35 million, and Tron: Ares debuted to $33.5 million in the U.S. and Canada. Globally, it has made around $60 million, underperforming compared to Legacy’s $44 million debut.

This October, worlds will collide. #TronAres. Only in theaters 10.10.25 pic.twitter.com/9Q1RAUBHBU

Some industry insiders are pointing fingers at Jared Leto for the flop. According to a top talent manager, Leto’s ability to carry a film has been questioned ever since Morbius struggled at the box office.

“In a world where Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor and Benedict Cumberbatch are having a hard time getting lead roles, why would you even go to a person who can’t open a movie and who has question marks around him as a person?” the agent said.

The same insider also argued that Leto’s star power isn’t the main issue. “You could have had Ryan Gosling, it wasn’t going to work,” they added. “No one asked for this reboot. If you say, ‘Tron: Ares is good, we just needed a different actor,’ you’re deluding yourself.”

While Leto is receiving criticism, experts agree that the film’s performance reflects broader issues, including audience interest and the timing of the reboot. Even big stars and flashy visuals couldn’t guarantee a hit this time around.

Tron: Ares seems to have been a tough sell from the start. While it looks visually impressive and has a strong cast, the story and the audience’s appetite for another Tron film may not have aligned.

Blaming any single actor seems unfair, as the project likely faced challenges beyond casting. Do you think the film could have worked with a different lead, or was it doomed regardless? Share your thoughts in the comments.