Could Tron: Ares' opening box-office weekend be the largest in the franchise? Here are the projected numbers

Tron: Ares, the third film in the Steven Lisberger and Bonnie MacBird-created sci-fi franchise, will be out next month, and its box office predictions are already being dropped. According to the latest projection put forth by Deadline, the film is likely to open with $44 million at the box office.

It is the same opening that Tron: Legacy saw in 2010, and went on to make over $172 million at the domestic box office, just above its budget, which was reportedly $170 million. Thanks to the international ticket sales, the global box office figures for the second film reached $400 million.

The first film, which began the franchise, came out in 1982 and had a budget ten times smaller than this. It was made on a $17 million budget and made $33 million all in all.

Of the first two films, the original one had a better critical reception and currently sits with a 72% score at the review aggregator platform Rotten Tomatoes. The second film was met with a mixed reception and holds a 51% critics' approval rating there.

Some factors that can help become Tron: Ares the biggest opener in the franchise

Jeff Bridges will reprise his role of Kevin Flynn in the film. (Image via Disney)

There's no way we can accurately predict any film's opening, but we can certainly take some factors into consideration that might help us understand if success might follow Tron: Ares at the box office.

One of the factors in play here is certainly the star power it brings with it. The film's ensemble cast includes Jared Leto in the lead alongside Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Gillian Anderson, and more. And of course, the main man, Jeff Bridges, will be there too.

While fans may arrive in theaters to see these faces, this time the story is a bit different. The first two movies brought virtual worlds, which some might call the metaverse, into play. But this time, the creators thought of merging the virtual and the real world.

In the trailer, we see Jared Leto as the sophisticated, super-intelligent program coming to life.

The film's official logline says,

"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."

Moreover, this program has actually developed a will to live, which will make the matter more sophisticated.

A good time to return to the Grid

Tron: Ares is being directed by Joachim Rønning, whose recent film Young Woman and the Sea (2024) was met with critical acclaim. He said in a statement that,

"I’m excited to be part of the Tron franchise and bring this new film to fans around the world. Tron: Ares builds upon the legacy of cutting-edge design, technology and storytelling. Now more than ever, it feels like the right time to return to the Grid."

Steven Lisberger and Joseph Kosinski directed the first and the second film, respectively. Garth Davis was supposed to direct the third but was replaced by Joachim Rønning. We will know following the release if that was a good decision.