Tron: Ares, the Disney science fiction sequel, is experiencing a surprising second life. Just two days after arriving on the platform’s catalog, the film became the number one production in terms of audience on Disney+ globally in early January 2026. This sudden streaming success comes just months after what was considered a weak performance in theaters last year, where it grossed about 142 million dollars (approximately R$ 710 million), a figure far from the over 400 million dollars (about R$ 2 billion) of its predecessor, Tron: Legacy.
With this turnaround, it became clear that public interest in the Tron franchise remains alive, even if in a digital form. The production, starring Jared Leto, not only led the streaming charts but also performed well on digital rental platforms in the United States. Thus, what seemed to be the end of the line for the saga on the big screen now gains new momentum, thanks to subscribers’ appetite for high-concept sci-fi content from the comfort of home.
What does the future hold for the digital universe of Tron?
Despite the film’s closed ending, Tron: Ares planted seeds for a future chapter. The mid-credits scene, for example, shows Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters) being transformed by the identity disc of the program Sark, the villain from the original 1982 film. Furthermore, Jared Leto’s character reveals his plan to find Sam Flynn and Quorra, the protagonists of Legacy, who were absent from this new adventure. Director Joachim Rønning himself had previously commented that this scene was a setup for a potential Tron 4.
However, plans for an immediate cinematic sequel were frozen due to the modest box office numbers. Disney, therefore, chose to put a pause on the franchise in movie theaters. Still, considering that Ares arrived 15 years after Legacy, which in turn came 28 years after the original, there is always a chance that the studios will revisit the iconic digital world in a decade. Meanwhile, the streaming success proves that the flame of Tron has not yet gone out for fans.
