Did the movie deserve to flop?
By Elliott Musser
Opinion Editor
The Tron universe has been fascinating movie fans ever since the first movie titled “Tron” was released in 1982. The movie engrossed audiences in a world of advanced digital technology at a time where everything shown felt far fetched. Computers at the time were still not found in every household and were often a hassle to use as well as being nearly impossible to transport. When people watched Tron they became invested in the future of technology. Surely a movie with graphic effects so far ahead of its time and a storyline based off of a real life object held some bit of truth about what was ahead.
The futuristic aspect wasn’t only on the screen though. The movie was one of the first big time displays of Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) ever introduced into theatres and showed just how much the future really was arriving. The amazing new technology didn’t result in big money though as the film underperformed on release compared to movies like E.T which was around during a similar time.
The second movie ended similarly when it was released in 2010. Although the graphics has gotten better and the technology was again ahead of its time it underwent a poor box office performance. Despite the poor numbers Tron ended up gaining a cult following amongst those interested in the technology shown in the movie and used in real life. Despite the following, for a moment Tron slipped out of lots of people’s minds.
In October 2010, Tron Ares was announced to be in development. Fans rejoiced, finally the franchise they loved so much was getting another installment. Those who weren’t friends were quickly told by those who were, and soon Tron Ares was one of the most anticipated films ever. Years passed and no more announcements were made. Lots of people began to become worried, especially when it was rumored the the SAG-AFTRA actors strike had delayed the movie even longer.
Finally in 2025 the film was finally released. The film was expected to make lots of money and be number one in theatres at the time. It would not be an understatement to say that they did not meet their expectations. Early reviews of the movie were extremely critical, discouraging lots of people who were not superfans from even giving it a chance. The effects weren’t new anymore, something that had given the first movies their charm. The film is projected to lose $132 million dollars once its box office run is finished. It just goes to show that a generation who feels like the future is here, isn’t interested in a fake future, like older generations may have.
