‘Tron: Ares’ wins North America box office, but disappoints at US$33.5 million

This image released by Disney shows Jodie Turner-Smith, center, in a scene from "Tron: Ares." (Disney via AP)

“Tron: Ares,” the latest installment in the Disney sci-fi franchise, debuted atop the North American box office, industry estimates showed Sunday, but analysts said its US$33.5 million haul was disappointing given its huge budget.

“The movie was tracking well, but interest stalled during the last 10 days and the opening dropped,” said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. “This is a weak opening for the 3rd episode in a science fiction series.”

“Tron: Ares” -- which stars Jared Leto, Greta Lee and Evan Peters -- tells of mankind’s first encounter with artificial intelligence in the real world. Experts and industry press said it cost US$180 million to make.

In second place at US$8 million was another new film, “Roofman,” starring Channing Tatum in the real-life tale of a former soldier-turned-thief who breaks out of prison and finds himself hiding out... in a toy store. Kirsten Dunst co-stars in the Paramount movie.

In third place with US$6.7 million in ticket sales was Paul Thomas Anderson’s action thriller “One Battle After Another,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn, who are generating early Oscars buzz.

DiCaprio stars as a washed-up far-left revolutionary who is dragged back into action to help his daughter, while Penn plays his ruthless military nemesis.

The film, loosely based on Thomas Pynchon’s novel “Vineland,” also stars Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor and Regina Hall.

“Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie,” a live-action/animation hybrid based on a popular Netflix children’s series, stayed put in fourth place, with US$3.4 million in the United States and Canada.

And in fifth place was “Soul on Fire,” based on the true story of a man who survived a childhood accident that left him with severe burns over nearly all of his body and has gone on to be a motivational speaker.

Rounding out the top 10 are:

“The Conjuring: Last Rites” (US$2.9 million)

“Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” (US$2.3 million)

“The Smashing Machine” (US$1.8 million)

“The Strangers: Chapter 2” (US$1.6 million)

“Good Boy” (US$1.4 million)