Summary
Next year will see the release of the highly anticipated sequelTron: Aresand I really hope it avoids the problems that plagued Jared Leto’sBlade Runner 2049bomb. The third film in theTronfranchise,Areswill focus on a sophisticated AI program named Ares who is catapulted from the digital world into the real world as he has to accomplish a mission. Legendary actor Jeff Bridges is set to reprise his Kevin Flynn role forTron: Ares, the supporting castof which will include Gillian Anderson, Evan Peters, Jared Leto, Cameron Monaghan, Jodie Turner-Smith, Greta Lee, and Hasan Minhaj.
It has been over a decade sinceTron’s second entry,Tron: Legacywas released in theaters. Though it does not have the same originality as the 1982 original, I havefond memories of going to seeTron: Legacyin theaters as a kid. It had a unique aesthetic that was dazzling to my youthful eyes, and hooked me into its world enough to get me interested in watching the first film.Tron: Areshas the opportunity to ignite another generation ofTronfans, but I worry it might fall into the same trap as did another popular sequel film.
This Isn’t The TRON 3 We Wanted
After a long time in development hell, TRON 3 is finally happening, but without any of the things that make the Disney franchise so special.
Tron: Ares Repeating Blade Runner 2049’s Box Office Failure Is Possible
Blade Runner 2049 Lost Money
Tron: Ares, which recently showed footage at D23,risks following a similar pattern asBlade Runner 2049did upon its 2017 release. A follow-up to the 1982 Ridley Scott film,Blade Runner 2049shares a lot in common withTron: Aresin that it is another legacy sequel of a 1982 sci-fi film. Beyond their genre,Tron: AresandBlade Runner 2049have thematic commonalities in that they both deal with issues of AI. AI is a hot-button topic in the media right now, and one that can be fascinating if handled well, such as in the case of personal favoritesM3GANandAfter Yang.
In addition to having a similar genre and theme, bothBlade Runner 2049andTron: Aresfeature Leto in a major role. InBlade Runner 2049, the actor played Niander Wallace, and in theTronsequel, he plays the titular Ares.Leto himself is a controversial figure, with many taking a dislike to his performance and on-set conduct forSuicide Squadbut he is an actor who I would argue can shine in the science-fiction context (see, for example, his dynamic performance in Jaco Van Dormael’s wackyMr. Nobody).
While many of these shared elements could seemingly lead toTron: Ares’ success, it also risks having a similar demise toBlade Runner 2049. Despite the anticipation and everything it had going for it,Blade Runner 2049was a box office flop.The film ended up grossing less than $300 million, likely failing to recoup its $150 million budget once publicity and marketing costs were tacked on. GivenBlade Runner 2049’s fate, I fear thatTron: Arescould fall down a similar 1980s sequel path.
Jeff Bridges' TRON 3 Return Makes A Controversial Franchise Casting Decision Even Worse
Tron: Ares has confirmed the return of franchise actor Jeff Bridges, but that makes a different Tron 3 casting issue more frustrating than before.
Why Blade Runner 2049 Bombed & Why It Deserved Better
Blade Runner 2049 Split Critics
In the seven years sinceBlade Runner 2049’s release,I’m still left pondering why exactly the film bombed.It was not the reviews that did it — the film held an 88% Rotten Tomatoes score among critics and audiences alike. Looking back at the release calendar, I can’t help but lament the fact that the film had seemingly no box office competition. Still,Blade Runner 2049was saddled with complaints about sexism, and issues with the pacing.
While there is merit to some of these claims, I still think thatBlade Runner 2049deserved far betterthan it got during its run. Evidenced by its Oscar wins for Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects,Blade Runner 2049is a visual marvel. The film is engaging, with a great leading performance from Ryan Gosling, and acts as a worthy sci-fi precursor to director Denis Villeneuve’sDunemovies. Still, the sequel film’s box office failure could be a harbinger of doom forTron: Ares.
Blade Runner 2049was also nominated for Oscar for Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Production Design.
Can Tron: Ares Avoid Blade Runner 2049’s Box Office Problems?
Tron: Legacy Could Help Tron: Ares
Despite my fears,none of us should completely discountTron: Ares’ success before it’s been given a chance.UnlikeBlade Runner 2049,Aresbenefits from the fact that there was another sequel between the original’s release and now.Tron: Legacygave the chance for younger generations such as my own to find their own investment in theTronuniverse, potentially boostingAres.Tron: Legacyalso fared better in theaters thanBlade Runner 2049, making just over $400 million globally.
The potential success forTron: Aresmay alsohinge partially on its critical reception. While these elements are not always connected, glowing reviews for theTronsequel could be a great boost to the long-awaited follow-up. While I’m still worried about howTron: Areswill fare after what happened withBlade Runner 2049, there is still a while to go for hype to be built up for the sequel film.
Tron: Ares
Cast
Tron: Ares is the third film in the Tron franchise and is a direct follow-up to Tron and Tron: Legacy. The movie revolves around Ares, an advanced digital Program sent into the real world to complete a perilous task, marking humanity’s first encounter with artificial beings outside of digital space.
