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In comparison, Disney's Tron Aries might struggle even to recoup its marketing costs, with estimates suggesting it may not make back even half of its initial expenditure. Analysts estimate that the franchise might need around $600 million at the box office to break even, a target that now appears increasingly out of reach.
Critical Reception and Franchise Death Knell
The film's critical reception was horrendous from the start. Early reviews hammered Tron Aries, and the negative word of mouth has undoubtedly impacted audience turnout. Historically, such early critical backlash can severely damage a film's box office trajectory. Unlike How to Train Your Dragon, which successfully capitalized on a related theme park expansion, Tron failed to generate interest or goodwill.