Disney’s “Tron: Ares” will debut at the top of the box office, but its entry into sci-fi is darker than expected. Meanwhile, Channing Tatum’s caper “Roofman” appears to be aiming for second place.
The “Tron” trilogy grossed $14.3 million on Friday and in screenings at 4,000 venues (including early access screenings on Wednesday ahead of the traditional Thursday wide release). Pre-weekend tracking had predicted a debut of over $45 million, but that range is likely now well out of reach. It is also on pace to lag behind its predecessor, Tron: Legacy, which grossed $17.5 million on its first day in 2010 and $44 million on its first frame. “Ares” received mediocre reviews, but was slightly positive from viewers. Research firm CinemaScore gave it a “B+” rating among movie fans.
It’s a late start for Disney, which spent a whopping $180 million to revive the PG-13 series. Positioned as one of the few big-budget IP plays to be released between summer and Thanksgiving, “Ares” is counting on audiences around the world to boost its theatrical bottom line. Tron has always been something between a retro cult object and a commercial force. The original was the 22nd biggest hit of North American release in 1982, while “Legacy” was a $400 million worldwide hit on a $170 million budget.
Franchise newcomers Jared Leto, Greta Lee and Evan Peters star in “Tron: Ares,” while the series’ original star Jeff Bridges returns as Kevin Flynn. After serving as Disney’s stalwart on the final Pirates of the Caribbean film, Joachim Rönning directed the Maleficent sequel and the Daisy Ridley drama Young Woman. Following Daft Punk’s praise for their work on Tron: Legacy, Disney’s marketing is also highlighting Nine Inch Nails’ original score.
Paramount’s “The Roofman” is also at the bottom of the tracking list after earning $3.25 million in screenings on Friday and in 3,362 locations. The headline-grabbing comedy-thriller hopes to meet pre-weekend expectations of at least an $8 million debut.
Miramax developed, produced and financed the R-rated “Roofman” on a budget of just $19 million, and Paramount promoted it, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. The film was well received by critics and received a “B+” rating on CinemaScore. The studio hopes this will lead to solid word of mouth after a modest debut.
Director Derek Cianfrance, who directed “Blue Valentine” and “The Place Beyond the Pines,” aimed for a more upbeat film with “Roofman,” in which Tatum plays a friendly criminal who robs dozens of McDonald’s stores and then escapes from prison to live at Toys R Us. The ensemble is thick, with Kirsten Dunst, Peter Dinklage, Lakeith Stanfield, Ben Mendelsohn, and Uzo Aduba.
Also this weekend, Sony will release Affirm Films’ “Soul on Fire” in 1,720 locations. The drama, a faith-based return to true stories from “Soul Surfer” director Sean McNamara, earned $1.3 million in Friday screenings and is vying for fifth place. The film is expected to gross $3 million in its opening weekend. The target audience loved the film, earning it an “A” rating on CinemaScore.
Meanwhile, “Kiss of the Spider Woman” barely registered, grossing just $343,000 during previews on Friday and a semi-wide release in 1,330 locations. It will be difficult to break into the top 10. The R-rated film version of Kander & Ebb’s Tony Award-winning musical debuted respectfully at the Sundance Film Festival in January, but it wasn’t until March that it was acquired by Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate. More than $30 million of independent funding went into its production. With an opening like this, a theatrical release would not be profitable for the film’s backers. Starring Jennifer Lopez, Gabriel Luna, and Tonatiu, the film is directed by Bill Condon.
On the third Friday of the month, Warner Brothers. Awards season pony “One Battle After Another” earned $2 million, down 41% from its single-day total a week ago. This very modern blockbuster starring favorite author Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio lost the premium large-format auditorium it still had to Tron: Ares. It’s looking to do well again, but with $49.8 million at the domestic box office in 15 days, the path to theatrical box office success looks even narrower for the expensive R-rated original. Maybe you’ll get the last laugh at the Oscars.
Universal’s “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” remained in fourth place with $920,000 as of Friday, and is expected to gross $3.7 million in its third weekend, down just 30% from its previous release. The domestic total is expected to reach just $26.7 million by Sunday for the $32 million DreamWorks Animation production.
The Conjuring: The Last Rites, which remains in contention for the top five, earned another $900,000 on Friday, down just 27% from last week’s single-day total. Warner Bros. and New Line’s horror sequel has been released for more than a month and has now grossed $170.4 million at the domestic box office.
What is noteworthy is that “The Smashing Machine,” which opened last weekend with $5.9 million and failed to rank in third place, has fallen from the bottom. The Dwayne Johnson drama, directed by Benny Safdie and positioned as an awards contender, grossed about $530,000 on Friday, a 72% plunge from its single-day total a week ago. With a budget of $50 million, it is A24’s most expensive production ever, but it is rapidly disappearing from theaters.
