Tron fans have plenty to look forward to in 2025. After a significant hiatus, the iconic franchise is making a thrilling return to the big screen this October with a new installment titled Tron: Ares. This third entry in the Tron series features Jared Leto as the titular character, a program embarking on a mysterious and high-stakes mission into the real world.
Is Tron: Ares a true sequel? Visually, it's unmistakably connected to 2010's Tron: Legacy, as evidenced by the newly released trailer. The switch from Daft Punk to Nine Inch Nails underscores the franchise's continued commitment to its signature electronica-heavy soundtrack. However, in terms of narrative, Ares appears to be more of a soft reboot than a direct continuation.
Notably absent from Tron: Ares are key characters from Tron: Legacy. Where are Garrett Hedlund's Sam Flynn and Olivia Wilde's Quorra? Why isn't Jeff Bridges, the only confirmed returning actor from Legacy, joined by his former co-stars? To understand this shift, let's delve into how Tron: Legacy set the stage for a sequel and why Tron: Ares seems to be charting a new course.
TRON: Ares Images
2 ImagesGarrett Hedlund’s Sam Flynn & Olivia Wilde’s Quorra
Tron: Legacy centers on the intertwined journeys of Garrett Hedlund's Sam Flynn and Olivia Wilde's Quorra. Sam, the son of Kevin Flynn (played by Jeff Bridges), the CEO of Encom who vanished in 1989, enters The Grid in search of his father and to stop Kevin's rogue creation, CLU, from invading the real world.
Upon reuniting with his father, Sam encounters Quorra, an ISO—a digital lifeform that emerged spontaneously in The Grid. Quorra symbolizes the potential for life within a digital realm. By the film's end, Sam defeats CLU and returns to the real world with Quorra, who has transitioned into a living being.
Tron: Legacy's conclusion teases a clear path for a sequel. Sam steps into his role as Encom's leading shareholder, ready to guide the company towards a more transparent and open-source future, with Quorra as his companion, a testament to the digital world's marvels.
Despite this setup, neither Hedlund nor Wilde are slated to return for Tron: Ares, leaving fans puzzled. Disney's decision to steer the franchise in a different direction might be influenced by Tron: Legacy's global box office of $409.9 million against its $170 million budget, which, while not a failure, didn't meet Disney's expectations. This period saw other Disney projects like John Carter and The Lone Ranger also underperforming, prompting a shift away from direct sequels.
The absence of Sam and Quorra raises questions about their fates. Did Sam abandon his mission at Encom? Did Quorra choose to return to The Grid? Tron: Ares must address these characters' significance to maintain continuity within the franchise, even if they don't make a physical comeback.
Cillian Murphy’s Edward Dillinger, Jr. ---------------------------------------The absence of other key figures from Tron: Legacy, like Cillian Murphy's Edward Dillinger, Jr., adds to the mystery. Introduced briefly in Legacy as the head of Encom's software development and a rival to Sam's open-source vision, Dillinger was poised for a larger role in a sequel, potentially as the human antagonist akin to his father in the original Tron.
The Tron: Ares trailer hints at the return of the Master Control Program (MCP), with Ares and other programs sporting the MCP's signature red glow. This suggests a darker narrative, yet the absence of Dillinger, Jr., and the introduction of Gillian Anderson's new character at Encom, leaves fans wondering about the storyline's direction. However, Evan Peters' role as Julian Dillinger indicates the Dillinger family's continued involvement, and there's a possibility that Murphy might return in a surprise role.
Bruce Boxleitner’s Tron
Perhaps the most surprising omission from Tron: Ares is Bruce Boxleitner, the actor behind both Alan Bradley and the iconic program Tron. In Legacy, Tron, reprogrammed as Rinzler, regains his heroic identity after falling into the Sea of Simulation. The absence of Boxleitner raises questions about the film's approach to its titular character. Is Tron being recast, perhaps with Cameron Monaghan in the role? Regardless, Tron: Ares must address Tron's unresolved fate from Legacy to honor the character's legacy.
Why Is Jeff Bridges in Tron: Ares? ----------------------------------The most intriguing aspect of Tron: Ares is Jeff Bridges' return, despite both his characters, Kevin Flynn and CLU, being killed off in Tron: Legacy. The trailer features Bridges' voice, but it's unclear whether he's reprising Flynn, CLU, or a new role. Could CLU have survived their shared demise? Did Flynn create a backup of CLU? Or has Flynn transcended mortality within The Grid?
These questions will be answered in Tron: Ares, which will also clarify Ares' allegiance—whether he's aligned with Flynn/CLU or serving the MCP's agenda. While the film's approach to resurrecting Bridges' characters while sidelining other survivors from Legacy is perplexing, the anticipation for Tron: Ares remains high, buoyed by the promise of a captivating NIN score.
In other Tron news, fans can look forward to the franchise's return to gaming with Tron: Catalyst, a unique blend of Metroid and Hades gameplay elements.
