‘Tron: Ares‘ Posts $4.8M in Previews as Box Office Eyes Stability
LOS ANGELES – Disney’s Tron: Ares generated $4.8 million in previews from limited Wednesday early shows and screenings beginning at 2 PM yesterday, signaling potential for a strong opening weekend. The film is tracking to exceed $40 million domestically, a benchmark the industry is keenly watching as the fall box office, while up 2% from last year at $674M+, remains uneven following underperformances from recent star-driven adult films.
The performance of Tron: Ares is crucial for Disney,which invested $180 million in production,plus marketing costs.A prosperous launch would provide a much-needed boost to the fall season, which has seen titles like The Smashing Machine and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey fail to resonate with audiences. The film faces competition from MLB playoffs and NFL games this weekend, but early indicators suggest a receptive fanbase.
Tron: Ares‘ preview numbers surpass the $3.6 million earned by 2010’s Tron: Legacy, though that film benefited from midnight preview screenings. The current total positions ares in line with recent fanboy reboots like Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ($6.6M previews) and Alien: Romulus ($6.5M previews), and slightly below The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes ($5.8M). Advance ticket sales reached $7 million, mirroring Alien: Romulus, which opened to $42 million, and Songbirds & Snakes, which debuted with $45 million.
Elsewhere, Miramax and Paramount’s Roofman, starring channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst, collected $1 million from 2,800 locations yesterday with showtimes beginning at 7 PM. The R-rated romance caper, costing $19M to produce, expands to 3,362 sites today. Early audience reactions on PostTrak awarded the film 4 out of 5 stars, and it currently holds an 82% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
