Considered a Science Fiction classic, 1982’s Tron stars Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, a hacker abducted into a digital world and forced to compete in deadly gladiatorial games. To escape, Flynn must team up with heroic programs that resemble his real-world allies. Bruce Boxleitner stars as both Alan Bradley and the security program Tron, while Cindy Morgan plays Lora and her digital counterpart, Yori. In this saga, they face off against the villainous Ed Dillinger and his program likeness, Sark, both played by David Warner. The cast is rounded out by Barnard Hughes as the creator Dumont, Dan Shor as Ram, and Peter Jurasik as Crom, all of whom inhabit the vibrant, geometric landscape of the Grid.
Now, another 15 years later, Tron: Ares emerged on October 10, 2025, in theaters through Disney. A film fans have been highly anticipating, the digital release followed on December 2, 2025, before the 4K and Blu-ray releases arrive on January 6, 2026, a day before the Disney+ streaming debut on January 7th. Directed by Joachim Rønning (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, 2017, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, 2019) for Disney, starring Jared Leto (Requiem for a Dream, 2000, Blade Runner 2049, 2017) as Ares, a highly advanced program sent into the real world.
Joining Leto, there is Greta Lee (Russian Doll series, The Morning Show series), as Eve Kim, a researcher connected to ENCOM, Arturo Castro (Broad City series, Narcos 2017) as Seth Flores, Eve’s co-worker helping her crack the Code, and Evan Peters (American Horror Story series, X-Men: Days of Future Past 2014) as Julian Dillinger, grandson of Ed Dillinger; head of Dillinger Systems.
There is also Gillian Anderson (The X-Files series, Sex Education series), as Elisabeth Dillinger, part of the Dillinger family power structure, Jodie Turner‑Smith (Queen & Slim 2019, After Yang 2021), as Athena, a significant figure in the Grid‑to‑reality conflict, Hasan Minhaj (The Daily Show series, Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj series), as Ajay Singh, a human ally within the ENCOM/Dillinger rivalry, while Jeff Bridges returning as Kevin Flynn with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails stepping in for the defunct Daft Punk for the soundtrack.
This time, a highly sophisticated program, Ares, is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission. Like 2025’s Jurassic World: Rebirth, which brought dinosaurs into society’s daily life, Tron: Ares brings the Grid into the real world. How is the physical existence of digital beings going to affect society? Will they truly be able to assimilate, or will they and/or society crumble under the ramifications? Supposedly, there is a code to remedy these questions. Of course, we learn, as in life, not everything is cut and dry. Unlike Ares, who wants to remain autonomous past the 29-minute limit before he decays, some want to continue following their programming and will do whatever it takes to rein in the dissidents.
Furthermore, when corporations start losing their hold on their programs, what will they do to regain said control? They digitally militarize…enter Athena. Cannot help but see this scenario mirror the real world with our regime militarizing for everything it deems against its stronghold. On the same note, since the Permanence Code’s a thing, Julian Dillinger wants to manipulate it to make combat constructs for real-world military use. Again, they are mirroring the real-world issue of how far we are going to let AI go.
Jeff Bridges’s Flynn’s presence and the return to the original ENCOM Grid are the connective tissue tying the franchise’s mythology. Has Flynn been perfect? No, and he has to be accountable for his failings. Still, because Ares meets the digitized Flynn, the Flynn that has been in a memory bank that’s probably corrupted over time, he has become the computerized version of cynical.
The part about Flynn’s conscious being in an old memory bank leads us to the final theme of mortality and Impermanence…not quite in the sense that we think of mortality, but in the digital sense, with constructs degrading in the real world without the Permanence Code, eventually, the programs cease to exist. Think of trying to boot an otherwise fine old computer, and you get a DOS screen where an OS used to be. As far as we know, our computers do not have a consciousness to know they are dying. In Ares’ world, they are fully aware of their existence; therefore, dying is a fearful possibility.
On the human side, Eve’s working to continue her sister’s work, who was killed while investigating Dillinger Systems, so here, we have our main human working through tragedy and trying to fulfill her sister’s legacy. However, this brings her into conflict with Ares, who is tasked with ending her as he or one of his ilk did Eve’s sister.
Made for an estimated $180,000,000, Tron: Ares is largely considered a box-office failure, grossing just under $143,000,000. Hopefully, the loss is offset by the difference between digital and physical format sales. Despite the long gestation between sequels, the Tron franchise’s 44 years speak for themselves in audience reception.
If Tron: Ares is the last for the foreseeable future, we have been left with a hell of a trilogy and a lot to ponder in the age we live in. That is why Cryptic Rock gives Tron: Ares 4 out of 5 stars.
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