Ryan Gosling Boards the Galaxy: ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ Promises Fresh Heroes, Not Legacy Reboots

The November 2025 release of Disney’s long-awaited sequel, Tron: Ares, fizzled at the box office after a gross that trade observers called a disaster and an “IP-killing event”. The Joachim Rønning directed film made a lackluster domestic debut of $33.2 million to $33.5 million, well below its estimated opening gross by $10 million or more. The opening fell just shy of $60 million worldwide, ranging from $60.2 million to $60.5 million. 

Ares not hitting the $100m mark in its opening weekend against its sizable budget made for an early and likely impossible-to-recover-from financial loss for Disney. With the failure, Report said that it is very likely that Disney will “retire the franchise from the big screen” for the foreseeable future, signaling to investors a continued reluctance to finance risky.

Jared Leto’s Star Power Comes Under Fire Once Again

The box office doom of Tron: Ares, according to MovieWeb, once again raised and intensified doubts about Jared Leto’s bankability as a star who could anchor a major studio tentpole. The seeds for this industry skepticism were planted three years earlier with the collapse of Sony’s Morbius (2022). 

This recurring pattern of financial failure has consolidated a trade consensus that sees Leto as an actor who can’t reliably bring in box office for similar big Intellectual Property (IP) tentpole projects. Industry reports have indicated that “the big paydays Leto received for Ares might well be over,” as studios are increasingly shying away from the actor as a dependable male star draw. 

Controversies During the Tron: Ares Press Cycle

In today’s Hollywood, star viability is inexorably linked to public perception and promotability, more so for those who headline massive franchises for corporations like Disney. Leto also has considerable baggage, including several sexual misconduct allegations (which his representatives deny) that surfaced just prior to the Tron: Ares press cycle. 

The allegations posed significant challenges for Disney’s marketing team, with industry executives wondering how the actor could “shoulder the pressure of selling two theatrical movies while dancing around the damning claims”. The controversies had an immediate effect on possible promotional opportunities, creating uncertainty as to whether prominent media outlets would allow him to participate in the usual press routines to help market a blockbuster, making him a major-risk. 

Industry Frustration Over Leto’s On-Set Behavior

Industry peers is also pointed out his self-serving spectacle and unprofessional distraction after his extreme behavior on set including mailing eccentric gifts to Suicide Squad co-stars or walking around on crutches for Morbius. The perceived expense of working with the actor’s process wasn’t anymore worth the result. This professional reputation of being a “pain in the ass” who wastes time, combined with his inability to open wide films makes him a uniquely risky bet for studios that want to run-efficient production and clean PR. 

According to People, The flop of Tron: Ares is far more than a box office number, it’s the shattering of an actor’s sincere passion against the cold, hard financial calculations of contemporary Hollywood. For years, Jared Leto was spearheading the movie, leveraging his celebrity and producer credit, dating back to 2017, to bring Disney’s long-dormant sci-fi franchise out of development purgatory. His commitment was authentic; he was a fan of the original film and its tech, and playing the digital warrior Ares was a very personal goal for him. 

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A Strategic Rebrand: From Digital Warrior to Skeletor

The broad consensus in the business is that Leto’s way out is would be to turn on a dime and not be the lead vehicle for a big-budget franchise movie. The most obvious sign of that strategic recalibration: his next role is as Skeletor in Amazon MGM’s Masters of the Universe. 

Reports say, This casting is generally regarded as a potential career booster for the actor. Adopting the role of the main villain, Leto once again places the financial weight solely on the IP and the hero, enabling him to focus on crafting a memorable performance. The campy villainous role of Skeletor is a dream role for Leto, and one that lends itself perfectly to his style of transformative acting where he utilises heavy makeup and theatricality (see House of Gucci). How well this transition works will depend on his ability to strike the right balance of “menace and camp,” and keep critics away from dismissing the performance as too silly, a perception that has dogged both his Paolo Gucci and Joker performances. 

Conclusion

Leto and his team’s main professional challenge is to manage the promotional risk. Any future promotions around the film will have to strategically separate the actor from the success of the project, downplaying those risky stunts or conversations about method acting that come from set, and instead just talk about the character and the spectacle of the film. The twin flop of Morbius and Tron: Ares have cemented that Jared Leto is simply no longer considered bankable enough to weather the scrutiny and controversy that comes with carrying a mega-budget franchise. 

Take a bucket of popcorn and be ready to binge watch, the February Netflix lineup is looking so good! Expect romance, action, laughs and a couple of thrillers. Family dramas, big movies and reality shows galore to binge. I’ve selected a few highlights to discuss — let’s look into the list of Netflix February 2026 Releases.

Open Feb 1st Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing, a Duck team Presents doc about ice skaters pursuing dreams. There are shiny costumes, harsh training and big feelings. And then there’s The Way Home Season 3 which returns to that sweet family tale with time travel twists — ideal for cozy nights. 

Love comedy? Feb 3rd has Mo Gilligan: In The Moment, where the comedian discusses life and love. Super relatable laughs! On Feb 4th, Is It Cake? Valentines returns with bakers crafting fake sweets that look real—perfect for Valentine’s vibes.

Series superfans, save the date: The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4 on Feb 5th Lawyer Mickey takes on the bad guys, so expect some surprises. The same day, Cash Queens, from France, follows tough women making money in dirty ways. Cool and stylish! 

Feb 6th: “The Queen’s Gambit” is a doc about a girl rising to the top in the male-dominated world of chess. Motivating stuff – Feb 9th, Matter of Time (Life and Time in your Hands) profound, but OK.

Movie time! On 10th Feb, you can watch How to Train Your Dragon—dragons and adventure for all ages. 11, Feb has Love Is Blind Season 10 (insane love experiments) and Kohrra Season 2 (spooky Indian mystery—love the Punjab feel!).

More on 13, Feb: Museum of Innocence (Turkish romance with secrets) and Tyler Perry’s Joe’s College Road Trip (hilarious dad-daughter road trip). 17, Feb  – Star Search Finale—talent show excitement! 

18, Feb provides a glimpse into Being Gordon Ramsay—the chef’s wild life. Thrill seekers, The Night Agent Season 3 releases 19, Feb — spy action wakes up and never sleeps. 20, Feb comes with The Expendables 1-4 (explosions galore) and Strip Law (silly animated lawyer strippers).

24, Feb laughs his way through Taylor Tomlinson: Prodigal Daughter. Bridgerton Season 4 Part 2 Come 26, Feb —steamy balls and drama! Racing fans get Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 8 on 27, Feb. Concludes with Jurassic World: Rebirth on 28, Feb —dinos on the loose! 

Here’s The Full List of Netflix February 2026 Releases at a Glance

Notable Departures to Watch Before They’re Gone

Dive deeper into the world of entertainment with Fandomfans to get a full list of Netflix’s shows and movies to binge watch.