Box Office "Tron: Ares" Underperforms While "Roofman" Scores Quiet the Win

“Roofman” Sneaks In for Modest Wins

While Tron plays in the digital realm, a more grounded crime caper is making quiet noise. Roofman — a quirky, romantic true-crime comedy from Miramax and Paramount — earned $3.3 million on Friday (with $1 million from previews) and is aiming for an $8 million weekend, at the low end of projections.

Directed by Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine), the film stars Channing Tatum as a struggling veteran-turned-serial McDonald’s robber who cuts through restaurant roofs to pull off his heists. After a daring prison break, he hides out in a Toys “R” Us for six months while juggling fatherhood and romance — until his secret life catches up with him. Kirsten Dunst, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, and Peter Dinklage co-star.

Despite its modest $19 million budget, Roofman is being praised as a clever counterprogramming option to Tron’s male-heavy audience. It’s also earning rave reviews — 84% from critics and 88% from audiences — though early data suggests more men than women are showing up to see it. Both Roofman and Tron: Ares scored a B+ CinemaScore, signaling generally positive audience response.

Faith-Based Entry “Soul of Fire” Burns Bright in the Heartland

Sony’s Affirm label released Soul of Fire, which earned $1.3 million on Friday (including $575K in previews) and is expected to pull in around $3 million by weekend’s end. The film, which cost just $3 million to produce, received an A CinemaScore and is performing best in southern and midwestern states.

“After the Hunt” Strikes Festival Gold

Meanwhile, Amazon MGM’s After the Hunt is taking a slower, prestige-driven route — opening in 17 theaters and scoring the best per-theater average of the weekend, with $30,000+ expected per location.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Julia Roberts, the psychological thriller follows the chaos unleashed at Yale’s philosophy department after a sexual assault accusation. The ensemble includes Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Chloë Sevigny, and Michael Stuhlbarg. The haunting score comes courtesy of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who also composed the music for Tron: Ares — credited this time under their band name, Nine Inch Nails.

Holdovers Battle for Attention

In its third weekend, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another continues to march forward, adding around $6.8–$7 million for a third-place finish — a 40% dip from last week. Despite glowing reviews and an A+ CinemaScore, box office analysts remain puzzled by its modest staying power.

Things look bleaker for Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine. The A24 drama is crashing hard in its sophomore frame, tumbling nearly 70% to just $1.8 million, for a 10-day total of $9.8 million. Despite strong reviews and awards buzz from its Venice Film Festival premiere, the pricey $50 million indie seems to be losing its grip fast — even with Johnson’s dramatic turn earning critical praise.

Bottom line:
Disney’s neon-lit Tron: Ares may dominate the weekend numbers, but it’s Roofman and After the Hunt that are stealing hearts — proving that box office glory sometimes belongs not to the biggest grid, but to the smartest play.