Rumor: Tron: Legacy Might Be a Financial Flop

vansau

Mortician of Love
May 25, 2010
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Rumor: Tron: Legacy Might Be a Financial Flop



After years of teasing, Tron: Legacy is almost here, but estimates are implying that the film might be a box office dud.

When Tron was first released in 1982, it <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tron_(film)#Reaction>wasn't nearly the financial success that Disney was hoping for, but it wasn't exactly a box office bomb, either (it grossed $33 million on a $17 million budget). With the amount that Disney is promoting Tron: Legacy, one would think the movie will probably succeed where its predecessor failed, but early tracking for the $200 million sequel is painting a potentially bleak picture of the movie's expected box office performance.

The Hollywood Reporter is noting that the movie's opening weekend is looking pretty weak - low estimates claim the movie could make as little as $35 million in the U.S. However, the movie apparently needs to make at least $50 million during its opening in order to recover its budget. One of the major problems is that the film doesn't seem terribly appealing to female audiences, so "Disney is scrambling to find ways to garner more female interest in the film."

Of course, this is all just speculation right now, so none of this is definite. I spent Thanksgiving weekend in Los Angeles and, aside from being pummeled with advertising for Tron: Legacy all over the city, I heard a lot of people talking about how they were looking forward to seeing the film when I went to a big movie theater. I'm a huge Tron fan, so I don't have any problem with contributing to the movie's opening weekend revenue (especially if Flagstaff gets a midnight opening I can attend).

Source: <a href=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tron-legacy-tourist-weak-early-54937>The Hollywood Reporter via <a href=http://io9.com/5702993/is-tron-legacy-set-to-be-a-box-office-disappointment>io9

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Delusibeta

Reachin' out...
Mar 7, 2010
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Aiddon said:
ouchie, here's hoping that Disney doesn't test-market the hell outta the thing.
Too late for that. I don't know when the film goes in general release, but the soundtrack (AKA Daft Punk Album 4) is out 6th Dec.
 

sunburst

Media Snob
Mar 19, 2010
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What exactly are they basing these estimates on? Seems like everyone I know is excited about it, even non-nerds who never saw the original.
 
Apr 28, 2008
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I think it'll earn more then 50 million throughout its run. It'll be fine.

I'm going to go see it. One of the few films I'm actually willing to make myself suffer through 3D to see. The only other film was Toy Story 3.

I'm just hoping that its good.
 

Shoggoth2588

New member
Aug 31, 2009
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My girlfriend is actually taking me to see this in IMAX so, maybe their tests aren't very through...or maybe I just have a weird GF. Either way, I don't care. As long as they don't pull the movie from theaters before New Years I'm fine.
 

Imbechile

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Aug 25, 2010
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So what?
People have predicted that Titanic and Avatar would be a financial flop and look how much they made?
 

RatRace123

Elite Member
Dec 1, 2009
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I know I'll be contributing my ticket share.
Besides, it's a god damn Tron sequel. I never thought there'd ever be a Tron sequel!
That fact alone has me excited, the fact that it actually looks really good is just gravy.
 

Hoplon

Jabbering Fool
Mar 31, 2010
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Wait, if it need $50 million to recover it's budget, surely then it was the $50 million sequel to tron not the $200 million sequel?
 

WanderingFool

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Apr 9, 2009
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Hell, I want to see this movie, and the original Tron never really interested me (I rented it once, might have been more favorable if I saw it back in the day, but I was pretty young back than...)
 

Spinwhiz

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Oct 8, 2007
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I'm going opening night for sure. I think I first saw this in 1984 with my Dad and it is even better now (I was 6 at the time).
 

fgdfgdgd

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May 9, 2009
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Kind of says it all for me and this movie, i wasn't a massive fan of the first but the second looks promising.
 

Delusibeta

Reachin' out...
Mar 7, 2010
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Freebird. said:
People who can't listen to more than a minute of Daft Punk songs because they're so repetitive?
While I'd agree with you on that count with Homework, I disagree with you on their other albums. They got far better with the variations after Homework.
 

ViaticalTarsier

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Sep 7, 2010
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The movie doesn't look that appealing to most people. Its going to be a Scott P vs the World type movie. The ads don't really show to much except guy finds machine, guy is now in video game, guy throws disc at some people. I can easily see how its going to be a box office bomb.
 

Covarr

PS Thanks
May 29, 2009
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Freebird. said:
TheGreenManalishi said:
Daft Punk.

Olivia Wilde.

I fail to see why someone wouldn't want to see this film.
People who can't listen to more than a minute of Daft Punk songs because they're so repetitive? People who think Olivia Wilde is a talentless whore who is only famous because of her looks?
It's not Olivia Wilde's fault her character in House is so poorly written and conceived. But Daft Punk's inclusion is a good point; while I enjoy them myself, I know a lot of people who would consider them a dealbreaker for any movie.

P.S. Thanks