Since his Oscar-winning performance in 2013’s “Dallas Buyers Club,” Jared Leto’s acting career has experienced a series of challenges. In October 2025, Leto aimed for a cinematic comeback with “Tron: Ares,” the third installment in the popular cyber-tech action series. He not only starred as the lead character, Ares, but also took on the role of producer. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Leto had been involved with the project since 2017. Unfortunately for both Leto and Disney, the film did not resonate with audiences and floundered at the box office, despite its hefty $180 million budget. Insiders suggested to THR that Leto’s marketability as a leading actor might have diminished.
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In the wake of “Tron: Ares” underperformance, questions arose about Leto’s influence in Hollywood. Fans took to Reddit, debating whether the “Suicide Squad” star was to blame for the film’s failure. “He doesn’t really attract the general audience,” one user noted, while another theorized, “A movie like this needs good word of mouth, and many critics dislike Leto.”
Amidst the film’s struggles, Leto was cast as Skeletor in a live-action adaptation of “Masters of the Universe,” prompting further skepticism about his box office appeal. A Reddit user speculated that studios were attempting to “recapture” Leto’s past success, while another candidly labeled him “box office poison.” Reports from Puck indicated that Leto himself was dissatisfied with the final cut of the “Tron” film, reflecting a broader discontent with his recent work.
Leto’s reputation has been marred by reports of his method acting techniques, which have reportedly caused friction on set. For instance, during the filming of “Morbius,” director Daniel Espinosa confirmed to UPROXX that Leto insisted on using crutches even off-camera to faithfully portray his character, Dr. Michael Morbius. This commitment reportedly led to prolonged bathroom breaks, adding to production delays.
When Leto’s on-set methods became public, fans criticized him for what they saw as excessive dedication to method acting. One user on X quipped, “Jared Leto went all method for Morbius only to get 17% on Rotten Tomatoes?” Another added, “I’ve never seen more of a lack of self-awareness in an actor before.” Like several of his recent projects, “Morbius” also struggled to capture audiences at the box office.
Jared Leto’s method acting bothered a lot of people
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The public’s growing aversion to Jared Leto partially stems from his reputation for rubbing his co-workers the wrong way with his method acting. Leto’s on-set acting process was confirmed by the director of “Morbius” in April 2022. To promote the film’s release, director Daniel Espinosa spoke to UPROXX about rumors that Leto used actual crutches when not filming, so as to better mimic his physically afflicted character, Dr. Michael Morbius. “Because I think that what Jared thinks, what Jared believes, is that somehow the pain of those movements … [were] needed, because he’s been having this pain his whole life,” the director told the outlet. Reports circulated that due to Leto’s insistence on using crutches, his bathroom breaks wound up taking much longer than necessary.
When word of Leto’s on-set behavior reached X, fans bashed the actor for his bizarre adherence to method acting. “Jared Leto went all method for Morbius only to get 17% on rotten tomatoes?” one wrote. “Never seen more of a lack of self awareness in an actor before,” another added. Similar to other Leto-starring vehicles, the film bombed at the box office.
Prior to that role, Leto rubbed some co-stars the wrong way when he employed method-acting tactics while portraying the Joker in 2016’s “Suicide Squad.” Following the film’s release, Leto admitted he was unclear about his future portraying the Batman villain. “I’m a little confused too, but yeah, there are a couple of things happening in the DC world,” he told Official Pop Drop in September 2017. By 2019, the “Joker” movie was being released by DC Comics, and Joaquin Phoenix was tapped to play the Clown Prince in place of Leto. Unfortunately, some stars just don’t understand that nobody likes them anymore.