This franchise has faced challenges over the past forty-four years. While only three movies have been released in theaters, they initially didn’t perform well, but later gained a following as “cult classics.” The newest film appears to be following the same pattern, based on current trends, and may eventually be considered a cult classic as well.
Despite being a major box office failure in 2025, TRON: Ares might not be the end of the Tron story after all. The film, starring Jared Leto, was intended to revive the sci-fi series for a new audience, but it was the third Tron movie in a row to underperform in theaters. Surprisingly, recent streaming numbers show the film is gaining popularity, similar to previous Tron installments, and could potentially lead to another sequel.
TRON: Ares Is a Streaming Hit
Despite a disappointing run in theaters, the latest installment in the sci-fi franchise has become a surprising success on Disney+. It premiered on the streaming service January 7th, just under three months after its initial release, and has been popular with viewers ever since.
Data from FlixPatrol, which tracks streaming numbers across different platforms, shows that TRON: Ares is currently the second most-watched movie on Disney+. It’s been near the top of the chart for nearly a month, suggesting a surprisingly large audience for the Tron franchise. And the good news doesn’t end there!
Despite performing poorly in theaters, TRON: Ares is currently the second most-streamed movie on Disney+ in 2026. While it’s likely other films will become more popular as the year goes on, the movie’s continued success on streaming is a major positive development, especially given its box office results.
It’s still unclear if TRON: Ares can turn things around with its streaming numbers. The film didn’t do well in theaters, and would need to become a massive streaming success to make up for that. However, the new streaming data might show that viewers actually like the movie more than critics and box office results suggest.
Why Did TRON: Ares Bomb at the Box Office?
The new Tron film faced challenges from the start, as the previous two movies weren’t very successful when they first came out. While the original 1982 Tron eventually gained a dedicated following due to its groundbreaking visuals and unique world, the 2010 sequel, Tron: Legacy, also underperformed initially, though it’s now considered a good follow-up to the first film.
Considering the past performance of Tron movies, it’s not a huge shock that TRON: Ares didn’t do well in theaters. The film cost around $180 million to make – over ten times more than the original Tron from 1982 – but only earned $142 million. This means it didn’t come close to making back its costs. Generally, a movie needs to earn twice its production budget to be considered profitable, and TRON: Ares fell far short of that goal.
Despite a history of disappointing box office results for the Tron series, the failure of TRON: Ares is the biggest setback yet. Critics weren’t impressed with the film, giving it a score of only 53% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, audiences seem to have enjoyed it much more, with an 84% approval rating on the same site.
The main actor in TRON may have contributed to the film’s disappointing performance in theaters, both through his actions and public perception. Before the movie came out, there was a lot of discussion about his casting, and many fans expressed their dislike of his previous work.
The actor has been in a number of high-profile films that didn’t do well at the box office over the past decade, including some from popular franchises. For example, his portrayal of the Joker in the 2016 film Suicide Squad was widely criticized, and the 2022 film Morbius was a rare double flop, failing to succeed in theaters on two separate releases.
A key reason Tron: Ares didn’t perform well in theaters is that it didn’t deliver what Tron fans were hoping for. While Tron: Legacy also initially failed at the box office in 2010, it has since become a beloved film among fans. For over a decade, many Tron enthusiasts have…
Rather than a fresh start, Disney delivered another familiar retelling with TRON: Ares. The film’s poor performance in theaters might be because Disney didn’t give fans what they were hoping for.
Could the Tron Franchise Continue?
Even though TRON: Ares didn’t succeed financially in theaters, it’s doing surprisingly well on Disney+. This is encouraging for fans of the franchise. It proves there’s still a dedicated audience for Tron, even if they aren’t going to movie theaters. Traditionally, poor box office numbers would spell the end for a franchise, but the entertainment landscape has changed. Now, even if a series struggles in theaters, it can still survive if it has a following. After over forty years, the future of Tron may lie with streaming rather than movie theaters.
The Tron movies haven’t been successful in theaters, consistently losing money despite gaining a dedicated fanbase over time. With the recent film’s poor performance, another theatrical release seems very unlikely, despite hints at a potential fourth movie. However, there’s still potential for the Tron story to continue and grow through streaming platforms.
The world of Tron has ventured into television before with the animated series Tron: Uprising, which ran for one season in 2012-2013 and filled in the story between the first Tron film and Tron: Legacy. This could be the path forward for the franchise. If future Tron movies don’t succeed in theaters, streaming services could offer a promising future. However, Tron also faces challenges in finding success on streaming platforms.
It’s really disappointing to see Tron stumble with its TV shows too. Tron: Uprising had so much potential, but sadly it was cancelled after just one season – not enough people tuned in, it seems. And it’s frustrating that other ideas, like a live-action series John Ridley was going to work on, never even got off the ground. It feels like someone is actively trying to sabotage Tron’s chances on television, which is just heartbreaking as a fan.
Disney+ could be a good platform to bring the franchise back, possibly as an animated or live-action series. A streaming-only show hasn’t been tried yet, and it might actually outperform the original series that aired on TV.
After over four decades since the first film, the Tron franchise is struggling. With its third unsuccessful movie in a row, it might be nearing its end. The future of Tron now depends on whether the new film, TRON: Ares, gains enough traction on streaming platforms to revive the series.
TRON: Ares is available to stream on Disney+.
Found an error? Send it so it can be corrected.
Read More
- eFootball 2026 Epic Italian League Guardians (Thuram, Pirlo, Ferri) pack review
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Cardano Founder Ditches Toys for a Punk Rock Comeback
- The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Lead Designer Doesn’t Think a Morrowind Remaster Would Hold Up Today
- Mystic Realms introduces portal-shifting card battles with legendary myth-inspired cards, now available on mobile
- TOWIE’s Elma Pazar stuns in a white beach co-ord as she films with Dani Imbert and Ella Rae Wise at beach bar in Vietnam
- Josh Gad and the ‘Wonder Man’ team on ‘Doorman,’ cautionary tales and his wild cameo
- Elon Musk Slams Christopher Nolan Amid The Odyssey Casting Rumors
- Demon1 leaves Cloud9, signs with ENVY as Inspire moves to bench
- Bianca Censori finally breaks her silence on Kanye West’s antisemitic remarks, sexual harassment lawsuit and fears he’s controlling her as she details the toll on her mental health during their marriage
2026-02-08 06:40