Box Office Bomb Tron: Ares Dominates Disney+ Charts
The sci-fi sequel that became Disney's biggest theatrical flop of 2025 has surprisingly conquered streaming platforms, reaching #1 on Disney+ worldwide just one week after its digital debut.
The third installment in the Tron franchise has pulled off an unexpected comeback. After decades of anticipation, Tron: Ares crashed hard in theaters but now sits atop Disney+ streaming charts both in America and internationally.
Joachim Rønning directed this return to The Grid, working from a script by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne. Jared Leto stars as Ares, a digital program who breaks free from his pixelated world to complete a mission in reality. The story picks up where 1982's original Tron and 2010's Tron: Legacy left off.
Streaming Success After Theatrical Disaster
Just seven days on Disney+, and Tron: Ares claimed the top position. This surge suggests franchise fans haven't abandoned The Grid entirely, despite the movie's catastrophic theater run.
The numbers tell a brutal story. Tron: Ares earned only $142 mn worldwide against a production budget between $180-220 mn. That performance made it Disney's worst-performing film of 2025.
Critics Split, Audiences Embrace Visual Spectacle
Reviews painted a mixed picture from day one. Critics acknowledged the movie's visual brilliance and hypnotic soundtrack but slammed the storytelling. Rotten Tomatoes shows this divide clearly: 53% from critics, 84% from regular moviegoers.
Both groups agreed on one thing. The neon-soaked visuals and Nine Inch Nails soundtrack delivered exactly what Tron fans expected. Audiences just cared less about narrative problems than professional reviewers did.
Future Prospects Remain Uncertain
Another sequel seemed impossible after such massive losses. But streaming platforms have revived dead franchises before. Disney might reconsider if Tron: Ares maintains its chart dominance.
The cast includes Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Cameron Monaghan, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Gillian Anderson, Sarah Desjardins, and returning franchise veteran Jeff Bridges. The official synopsis reads: "TRON: Ares follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind's first encounter with A.I. beings."