Tron: Ares: A Confusing Follow-Up Revealed

Tron fans have plenty to be excited about in 2025. After a long hiatus, the franchise is set to return to the big screen this October with a new installment titled Tron: Ares. This third Tron movie features Jared Leto as the titular character, a program embarking on a high-stakes and enigmatic mission in the real world.

But can we truly call Ares a sequel? Visually, the film is unmistakably linked to 2010's Tron: Legacy, as evidenced by the newly released trailer. The shift from Daft Punk to Nine Inch Nails for the score underscores the continued emphasis on an electronica-heavy soundtrack.

However, Ares appears to be more of a soft reboot than a direct sequel. The absence of key characters from Legacy raises questions. Why aren't stars Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde reprising their roles as Sam Flynn and Quorra? And why is Jeff Bridges, a veteran of the Tron series, the only confirmed returning actor? Let's delve into how Legacy set up its sequel and why Ares seems to be diverging from that path.

TRON: Ares Images

2 ImagesGarrett Hedlund’s Sam Flynn & Olivia Wilde’s Quorra

Tron: Legacy primarily focuses on the intertwined journeys of Garrett Hedlund's Sam Flynn and Olivia Wilde's Quorra. Sam, the son of Jeff Bridges' character Kevin Flynn, the CEO of Encom who vanished in 1989, enters The Grid to rescue his father and thwart Kevin's creation, CLU, from invading the real world with a digital army.

During his quest, Sam reconnects with his father and encounters Quorra, an ISO—a digital lifeform that spontaneously emerged 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 been transformed into a flesh-and-blood being.

Legacy sets the stage for a sequel by showing Sam ready to take on his role as Encom's largest shareholder, aiming to steer the company towards a more open-source future, with Quorra by his side as a testament to the digital world's marvels. The home video release even includes a short film, "Tron: The Next Day," depicting Sam's return to Encom to usher in a new era.

Despite this setup, neither Hedlund nor Wilde are returning for Tron: Ares, which is a notable omission. Disney's decision to pivot to a more standalone narrative for Ares might be influenced by Legacy's box office performance, which, while not a failure, did not meet Disney's expectations, grossing $409.9 million worldwide against a $170 million budget. This performance, alongside other underperforming live-action films from that era, may have prompted Disney to rethink the franchise's direction.

The absence of Sam and Quorra leaves a significant gap in the narrative. Are we to believe Sam abandoned his mission at Encom? Did Quorra tire of the real world and return to The Grid? Ares needs to address these characters' fates, even if through subtle nods or unexpected cameos.

The absence of Cillian Murphy, who played Edward Dillinger, Jr., in Legacy, is equally puzzling. Introduced as the head of Encom's software development and a staunch opponent of Sam's open-source vision, Dillinger was clearly set up for a larger role in a sequel, potentially as the main human antagonist, echoing his father's role in the original Tron.

The Tron: Ares trailer hints at the return of the Master Control Program (MCP), with Ares and other programs marked by the MCP's signature red highlights. This suggests a darker mission for Ares, though his role as hero or villain remains unclear. If the MCP is back, why isn't Edward Dillinger, Jr.? And why is Gillian Anderson's new character now central to the Encom board? Evan Peters' role as Julian Dillinger indicates the Dillinger family's continued involvement, leaving room for Murphy's potential return.

Bruce Boxleitner’s Tron

The most surprising omission from Tron: Ares is Bruce Boxleitner, who portrayed both Alan Bradley and the iconic Tron in the original film. In Legacy, he reprised Alan and revealed that CLU's bodyguard Rinzler was a reprogrammed Tron, who regained his heroic identity by the film's end.

Boxleitner's absence from Ares raises questions about the film's direction. Is it possible that Tron has been recast with a younger actor, perhaps Cameron Monaghan? Regardless, Ares should address Tron's fate from Legacy, as the character deserves a proper resolution and a Tron movie without Tron feels incomplete.

The announcement of Jeff Bridges' return to the Tron franchise is perhaps the most perplexing. Both of his characters, Kevin Flynn and CLU, were killed off in Legacy. Yet, Bridges' voice is heard in the Ares trailer, leaving fans wondering whether he's playing a resurrected Kevin Flynn, a surviving CLU, or something entirely new.

The mystery surrounding Bridges' role adds intrigue to Ares. Is Ares aligned with Flynn or CLU, or is he serving the MCP's agenda? While we eagerly await Tron: Ares, the film's decision to bring back Bridges while sidelining other key survivors from Legacy leaves us both excited and puzzled.

One thing is certain: the new score by Nine Inch Nails promises to be a thrilling addition to the Tron universe.