How Jeff Bridges Feels About Tron: Ares Flopping At The Box Office

When "Tron: Ares" flopped at the box office, it was hardly a shock. Hollywood's approach to this movie appeared to be nothing more than, "Here's something based on an existing IP, but if you haven't heard of it, maybe we can tempt you with Jared Leto?" It gets more stupefying the more you think about it. But we needn't do anything of the sort, because "Ares" has come and gone like so many productions in the modern age. That hasn't stopped star Jeff Bridges from engaging in some brief reflection, however, and evidently he feels the movie may one day be regarded as a misunderstood triumph.

The third installment in the "Tron" franchise and a sequel to 2010's "Tron: Legacy," "Ares" was directed by Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Rønning, who sadly couldn't revitalize the saga. The movie made just $124.1 million on a $180 million budget, which is just yet another example of studios green-lighting irresponsible budgets that end up kneecapping them in the end. It also failed to impress critics, garnering a 53% Rotten Tomatoes score and earning a shameful green splat in the process.

Still, Bridges remains hopeful for a future reappraisal. The actor plays Kevin Flynn, the former CEO of tech company ENCOM, who appears in digital form within the original grid. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Bridges seemed especially sanguine about the film's legacy, saying, "It's interesting how movies are received at opening weekend. I remember 'Heaven's Gate' was considered very disappointing or a flop, but nowadays it's considered kind of a masterpiece." That 1980 Western featured Bridges as 19th-century entrepreneur John L. Bridges. It, too, maintains a mid-50s RT score, but according to the "Tron: Ares" star, it has seen its reputation improve over the years. Will "Ares" really experience a similar trajectory?

As /Film's Witney Seibold wrote in his "Tron: Ares" review, the movie is a thoughtless sequel with an uncharismatic lead (the soundtrack's good, though). Making matters worse is Jared Leto, who, if he wasn't already known as box office poison, pretty much confirmed as much with "Ares." There's also the fact that he was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women earlier this year, and though he denies the claims, it's not as if any of that helped him or the movie. As such, it's sort of hard to imagine people flocking to "Tron: Ares" screenings years from now, but that's the future envisaged by Jeff Bridges.

In his EW interview, the actor expanded on his "Heaven's Gate" comparison, pointing to the fact that his wife had taken pictures during shooting of the 1980 movie, which are now on display at a Santa Barbara gallery. He added, "Next month there's gonna be a screening of 'Heaven's Gate' that everyone's invited to. It's interesting how things can grow on you." Indeed, many a flop has enjoyed a reappraisal years after its debut. Heck, even "Blade Runner" was a box office bomb, and it's hard to imagine the modern movie landscape without its influence. The list of box office bombs that are truly worth a watch goes on. The question is whether "Ares" will ever be added to it.

Bridges stopped short of saying his sci-fi action flop would, indeed, become appreciated as a misunderstood classic. But he did suggest as much, adding, "Even as an individual, often, I have not liked a movie. And then a couple of weeks or months later, I'll see it again. I'll say, 'What was I thinking?' As the Dude would say, 'That's just like your opinion, man.'"