Jared Leto’s Latest Movie Fails to Outearn ‘Morbius’ on Its First Day

Disney’s Tron: Ares debuted at the top of the box office but fell short of projections. The sci-fi action film earned $14.3 million on Friday, including early screenings on Wednesday, from around 4,000 locations.

Pre-weekend forecasts had predicted the film could earn more than $45 million, a number now out of reach. The opening is also behind the previous series entry, Tron: Legacy, which launched with $17.5 million on its first day in 2010.

Despite leading the box office, Tron: Ares did not surpass the first-day earnings of Morbius, which made $17.3 million, including Thursday previews, and went on to debut at $39 million, exceeding expectations.

— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) July 17, 2025

Tron: Ares is directed by Joachim Rønning and written by Jesse Wigutow from a story he co-created with David Digilio.

It is the third film in the Tron series and a direct sequel to Tron: Legacy. The ensemble cast features Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, and Gillian Anderson. Jeff Bridges returns as Kevin Flynn.

The project has a long development history. After plans for a sequel began in 2010, Disney shifted toward a soft reboot in 2017, with Leto cast in a new role. Garth Davis was originally set to direct but left the project in early 2023.

Production finally started in January 2024 in Vancouver and wrapped in May, after delays caused by the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, composed the score and served as executive producers, alongside Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski.

Tron: Ares premiered in Los Angeles on October 6 and was released widely in the U.S. on October 10. Critics have given mixed reviews, while audience reactions appear slightly more positive, with CinemaScore reporting a “B+” grade.

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