Tron enthusiasts have a thrilling reason to mark their calendars for October 2025. After a prolonged hiatus, the iconic franchise is set to dazzle audiences once again with the release of its latest installment, Tron: Ares. This much-anticipated sequel features Jared Leto in the lead role as Ares, a program embarking on a mysterious and high-stakes mission from the digital world into reality.
Yet, the question lingers: can we truly consider Tron: Ares a sequel? Visually, the film maintains a clear connection to its predecessor, Tron: Legacy (2010). The newly released trailer underscores this continuity, showcasing a style that fans will recognize instantly. Furthermore, with Nine Inch Nails taking over from Daft Punk, the film promises to uphold the franchise's tradition of a pulsating, electronica-heavy soundtrack.
However, Ares appears to diverge from the traditional sequel path, leaning more towards a soft reboot. Noticeably absent are key characters from Legacy, such as Garrett Hedlund's Sam Flynn and Olivia Wilde's Quorra. This raises questions about the narrative direction of Ares. Why aren't these pivotal characters returning? And why is Jeff Bridges, a veteran of the Tron universe, the only confirmed returnee? Let's delve into how Legacy set the stage for a sequel and explore why Ares seems to sidestep this setup.
TRON: Ares Images
2 ImagesGarrett Hedlund’s Sam Flynn & Olivia Wilde’s Quorra
Tron: Legacy primarily follows the journey of Garrett Hedlund's Sam Flynn and Olivia Wilde's Quorra. Sam, son of Jeff Bridges' character Kevin Flynn, ventures into The Grid to rescue his father and thwart CLU, Kevin's rogue creation, from invading the real world. Along the way, Sam encounters Quorra, an ISO—a digital lifeform—and together they return to the real world, with Quorra transformed into a flesh-and-blood entity.
The conclusion of Legacy sets a clear trajectory for a sequel, with Sam poised to lead Encom towards a more transparent and open-source future, supported by Quorra. This storyline was further explored in the short film "Tron: The Next Day," included in the home video release. Despite this setup, neither Hedlund nor Wilde are slated to reprise their roles in Ares, leaving fans puzzled.
Legacy earned $409.9 million worldwide against a $170 million budget, a performance that, while not disastrous, fell short of Disney's expectations. This may have prompted the studio to pivot Ares towards a more standalone narrative, distancing itself from the underperforming legacy of Legacy.
The absence of Sam and Quorra in Ares leaves a significant narrative gap. Have they abandoned their mission at Encom? Has Quorra returned to The Grid? While Ares might not bring these characters back, it's crucial for the film to acknowledge their significance to the Tron universe.
Cillian Murphy’s Edward Dillinger, Jr. ---------------------------------------The absence of Cillian Murphy's Edward Dillinger, Jr., from Ares is equally perplexing. Introduced in Legacy as the head of Encom's software development, his character was poised for a larger role in future sequels. Dillinger's potential as a human antagonist, echoing his father's role in the original Tron, seemed set to unfold further. However, the Ares trailer hints at the return of the Master Control Program (MCP), suggesting a link to the original film's villainy, yet without Dillinger's presence.
Interestingly, Evan Peters is set to play Julian Dillinger, suggesting the Dillinger family still has a role to play. Could Murphy be making a surprise return?
Bruce Boxleitner’s Tron
The most surprising omission from Ares's cast is Bruce Boxleitner, who played both Alan Bradley and the titular program Tron. In Legacy, Tron's fate was left open-ended, with his character potentially restored to his heroic state. The absence of Boxleitner raises questions about the film's narrative direction. Is Tron being recast with a younger actor, possibly Cameron Monaghan? Regardless, the sequel should address Tron's unresolved storyline.
Why Is Jeff Bridges in Tron: Ares? ----------------------------------Jeff Bridges' return to Tron: Ares adds another layer of mystery, especially since both his characters, Kevin Flynn and CLU, were killed off in Legacy. His voice is heard in the trailer, but it's unclear whether he's reprising Flynn, CLU, or a new iteration of these characters. This raises intriguing possibilities: could CLU have survived? Did Flynn leave a backup of CLU? Or has Flynn transcended mortality within The Grid?
While Ares promises to answer these questions, the decision to bring back Bridges while sidelining other surviving characters from Legacy leaves fans with mixed feelings. Despite these uncertainties, the anticipation for Tron: Ares remains high, fueled by excitement for the new direction and the electrifying score by Nine Inch Nails.
In other Tron news, the franchise is set to return to the gaming world with Tron: Catalyst, a thrilling blend of Metroid and Hades gameplay elements.
