Box Office Update
Disney’s "Tron: Ares" is set to top the box office in its debut, despite the sci-fi entry being weaker than expected. The film grossed $14.3 million on Friday and was in previews in 4,000 venues. Tracking before the weekend had predicted a debut of over $45 million, a range now likely well out of reach. This also puts it behind its predecessor, "Tron: Legacy," which grossed $17.5 million on its opening day in 2010 and was on its way to a first frame of $44 million.
Tron: Ares Performance
Reviews for "Ares" were mediocre, while audiences were slightly more positive. The survey company Cinema Score gave it a “B+” grade among moviegoers. It’s a slow start for Disney, which has spent a whopping $180 million reviving the PG-13 series. Considered one of the few big-budget IP pieces to hit theaters between the summer and Thanksgiving, "Ares" is banking on an international audience to turn a profit in theaters.
Cast and Crew
Franchise newcomers Jared Leto, Greta Lee, and Evan Peters lead Tron: Ares, while the series’ original star Jeff Bridges returns as Kevin Flynn. Joachim Rønning directs after serving as a steady hand for Disney on the last Pirates of the Caribbean installment, a Maleficent sequel, and the Daisy Ridley drama The Young Woman and the Sea. Disney marketing has also highlighted Nine Inch Nails’ original music after Daft Punk was celebrated for its work on Tron: Legacy.
Other Box Office Releases
Paramount’s "Roofman" also lands on the lower side of the tracking list after grossing $3.25 million Friday and opening in previews at 3,362 locations. The ripped-from-the-headlines comedic thriller hopes to meet its pre-weekend forecast for a debut of at least $8 million. Miramax developed, produced, and financed the R-rated film "Roofman" on a shoestring budget of $19 million, and Paramount provided some publicity with a premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Roofman Performance
The film was critically acclaimed, with Cinema Score giving it a B+ grade. The studio is hoping this will translate into solid word of mouth after a modest debut. "Blue Valentine" and "The Place Beyond the Pines" director Derek Cianfrance opted for something sunnier with "Roofman," which stars Channing Tatum as a friendly criminal who robs dozens of McDonald’s locations before escaping prison and living in a Toys "R" Us.
Other Notable Releases
Also launching this weekend, Sony is releasing Affirm Films’ "Soul on Fire" to 1,720 locations. The drama, a return to faith-based true stories from "Soul Surfer" director Sean McNamara, is battling for fifth place after grossing $1.3 million on Friday and in previews. Predictions are for a $3 million opening weekend. The target group is enthusiastic and gives it a grade of “A” on Cinema Score.
Underperforming Films
Meanwhile, "Kiss of the Spider Woman" is barely registering after grossing just $343,000 on Friday and playing in a semi-wide release in 1,330 locations. It will be difficult to get into the top 10. The R-rated adaptation of the Tony-winning musical "Kander and Ebb" debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January to respectful reviews, but was acquired by Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate in March.
Holdovers
On its third Friday, Warner Bros. presents awards pony “One Battle After Another” earned $2 million, down 41% from its daily total a week ago. The very contemporary epic by author favorite Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Leonardo DiCaprio lost its remaining first-class large format rooms to “Tron: Ares”. It’s on track for another solid hit, but with a 15-day domestic total of $49.8 million, the path to theatrical profitability appears to be getting narrower for the pricey R-rated original.
Weekend Forecast
Universal’s "Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie" remains in fourth place with $920,000 Friday and is forecast to gross $3.7 million for its third weekend, down just 30% from its last release. The $32 million DreamWorks Animation production’s domestic total is expected to reach just $26.7 million through Sunday. “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” still fighting for the top five, earned another $900,000 on Friday, just 27% less than last week’s daily total. Over a month after its release, the horror sequel from Warner Bros. and New Line has now grossed a total of $170.4 million domestically.
Disappointing Films
Notably, the bottom has come with "The Smashing Machine," which failed last weekend with a third-place opening of $5.9 million. The Benny Safdie-directed Dwayne Johnson drama, which is considered an awards contender, earned around $530,000 on Friday, down a significant 72% from its daily grosses a week ago. With a budget of $50 million, it is A24’s most expensive production to date, but it is quickly disappearing from theaters.
