Though it initially struggled at the box office, 2010's Tron: Legacy, starring Garrett Hedlund as Sam Flynn and Olivia Wilde as Quorra, has since earned its stripes as a criminally underrated sci-fi gem and a burgeoning cult classic on home video. Its stunning visuals and evocative soundtrack even inspired a thrilling new ride at Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Orlando.
Now, the Tron universe is expanding with the highly anticipated Tron: Ares.
While the new film shifts focus from Legacy's leads, it seems to build directly on an intriguing concept introduced in that film's closing moments: the emergence of an "isomorphic algorithm," Quorra, from the digital Grid into the tangible real world.
Tron: Ares is set to explore this groundbreaking idea on a much larger scale, with Jared Leto stepping into the role of the titular Ares. The plot appears to revolve around an unprecedented phenomenon: more and more advanced algorithms are making the leap from the Grid and entering physical reality.
This raises a monumental question: How will humanity react to the arrival of sentient AI beings in their world? It's a premise that promises to delve deep into the collision of digital and physical existence, pushing the boundaries of what it means to be alive.
In a new interview, Garret Hedlund was asked about a potential appearance in Ares and he gave an evasive answer. stating, "You know, let's just let that ambiguity rest right up there in the ether."
However, he did go on to state that he's excited to see how audiences react to the film. " I'm very excited to see what they've done with Ares. They worked so tremendously hard to get this one made. They dealt with the obstacles of COVID, the strike, and still got to the other side. I'm excited. I'm excited, and it spreads the love and the reach for The Grid. It's astounding how much time has gone on since Legacy. But I'm excited that audiences get another injection of Tron, and the programs, and the disc, and The Grid, and a little spice of Bridges."
In an interview with Empire, director Joachim Rønning stated, “Not to be too clichéd, but I always thought about him a bit like Pinocchio. Ares wants to be a real boy.”
He went on to add that Ares is like an infant and that he wanted the film to be told from his viewpoint, focusing on, “The little things that we take for granted, or don’t see anymore. That was important. And then a bigger theme for the film is what it takes — what it means — to be human. Especially in this case, because he’s a computer program.”
Tron: Ares is set to hit U.S. theaters on October 10, 2025, with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures handling its release.
In addition to Leto as Ares, the film also stars Greta Lee as Eve Kim, Evan Peters as Julian Dillinger. Appearing in undisclosed roles are Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, Gillian Anderson, Hasan Minhaj, and Sarah Desjardins.
Jeff Bridges is also reprising his role as Kevin Flynn.
Joachim Rønning directs from a script penned by Jesse Wigutow.