Tron: Ares could score the sci-fi franchise’s biggest box office opening ever, thanks to a trend that has boosted several recent movies. The third entry in the Tron franchise, following 1982’s Tron and 2010’s Tron: Legacy, looks to not only build off the success of its predecessors, specifically the latter, but to race by them.
Tron: Ares follows a highly sophisticated program, Ares (Jared Leto), on a dangerous mission into the real world; an inverse of the previous movies, which saw its main characters head into the computer world. Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minahj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Casto, Cameron Monaghan, Gillian Anderson, and Jeff Bridges also star. Tron: Legacy’s Garrett Hedlund is not returning.
According to early tracking shared by Deadline, projections for Tron: Ares estimate the movie opening to $44 million during the weekend of October 10 when it premieres. That would match the opening weekend of Tron: Legacy. However, IMAX could help the movie outpace that projection.
A number of 2025 movies that have had IMAX screenings have opened above initial projections, including Brad Pitt’s F1, Weapons, and The Conjuring: Last Rites. With Tron: Ares heavily promoting the fact it was filmed for IMAX screens, the premium format – which comes with a higher ticket price – could offer a similar boost to the movie’s box office.
What This Means For Tron: Ares Box Office
IMAX might not just help out with Tron: Ares’ opening box office. Tron: Ares appears poised to be the primary movie playing on IMAX screens for at least two weeks starting October 10, giving more opportunities to enjoy the boost the premium format can deliver.
That could put Tron: Ares in a solid position to become the highest-grossing entry in Tron franchise history. Though it is by no means a guarantee.
Tron: Legacy earned just over $400 million at the worldwide box office, with its own premium format, 3-D, helping it. It also came out during the final weeks of the year in 2010, which historically helps box office numbers. However, mixed reviews (51% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a budget of $170 million resulted in the long-awaited sequel being a bit of a disappointment.
Tron: Ares will look to correct that at the box office and in overall perception.
Our Take On Tron: Ares IMAX Impact
IMAX has proven to be a not-so-secret weapon at the box office, with most of this year’s biggest movies playing on the super-sized screens. Outside of specially crafted events like KPop: Demon Hunters sing-alongs, IMAX is one of the biggest draws to get people into movie theaters.
Tron: Ares seems poised to be the next big benefactor. The special effects and action sequences promised by the movie seem tailored made for IMAX, which could result in big things for the movie’s box office.
Release Date
October 10, 2025
Director
Joachim Rønning
Writers
Jack Thorne, Jesse Wigutow, David DiGilio