With ‘TRON: Ares’ Tanking Can ‘Avatar 3’ Save Disney’s Very Bad Year?

The box office disater of TRON: Ares proves that Disney is in trouble. The company that once ruled Hollywood like its own kingdom is now scrambling to keep its footing. Once upon a time, Disney was the go-to studio for movies that almost always made a killing at the box office. Now? That shine is wearing off fast, and the lineup of flops this year proves it.

Marvel films like Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four: First Steps were all supposed to be big hits, but instead, they barely made a dent. Snow White was a box office bomb, and with TRON: Ares stumbling out of the gate, 2025 is looking very bad for the studio. Besides Lilo & Stitch, Avatar: Fire and Ash is the only big bet Disney has left for 2025, and it’s another sequel riding on nostalgia. If TRON: Ares has taught us anything, it’s that nostalgia alone can’t guarantee a hit anymore. Audiences have grown tired of recycled ideas and faded franchises.

And besides, who really is clamoring for another Avatar sequel? Think about it. Do you know anyone who can name a single character from that franchise? The hype is more about the name than anything fresh or exciting. Does anyone care where that story is going? It looks like Disney is counting on that original 2009 magic to bring people back to theaters, but it feels more like wishful thinking.

Avatar 3 is Disney’s last shot for 2025. If it shows any signs of weakness, the company faces a full-blown crisis. Disney’s aura of guaranteed success is cracking. The studio no longer has the safe bet blockbuster formula working for it. Audiences are changing, competition is heating up, and Disney’s recent slate has been a mixed bag at best.

Disney’s reign as Hollywood’s king is far from guaranteed anymore. The days of easy hits and packed theaters are slipping away. This year’s failures aren’t just hiccups. They’re warning signs. Disney has to rethink everything—from the stories it tells to how it sells them to the public—or risk watching its empire fall apart before our eyes. The magic is fading, and the clock is ticking

Changing tastes, fierce competition, and a string of lukewarm offerings have many wondering if Disney is still the king of Hollywood, or just a relic hoping for a second act that might never come?​

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