Tron: Ares: A Confusing Sequel Unveiled

Tron fans are buzzing with excitement in 2025, as the franchise is set to make a thrilling return to theaters this October with the new sequel, Tron: Ares. The film stars Jared Leto as the titular character, a program embarking on a high-stakes mission that remains shrouded in mystery as he ventures into the real world.

Is Tron: Ares a direct sequel to 2010's Tron: Legacy? Visually, it's unmistakably connected, as evidenced by the newly released trailer. With Nine Inch Nails taking over from Daft Punk, the electronic score remains a significant element of the franchise's identity.

However, Ares seems to be leaning more towards a soft reboot rather than a straightforward sequel. The absence of key characters from Legacy raises questions. Why aren't Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde, who played Sam Flynn and Quorra respectively, returning for Ares? And why is Jeff Bridges, a veteran of the Tron series, the only familiar face confirmed for the new film? Let's delve deeper into how Legacy set up its sequel and why Ares appears to be straying from that path.

TRON: Ares Images

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

Tron: Legacy centers on the journey 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 to find his father and stop CLU, Kevin's creation, from invading the real world with a digital army.

During his quest, Sam reconnects with his father and meets Quorra, an ISO, a digital lifeform that spontaneously appeared within The Grid. Quorra symbolizes the potential of digital life. By the film's conclusion, Sam defeats CLU, and he and Quorra escape to the real world, with Quorra transformed into a flesh-and-blood being.

Legacy sets a clear narrative trajectory for a sequel, with Sam ready to take the helm at Encom, promoting an open-source future, and Quorra as a testament to the marvels of the digital realm. The home video release even features a short film, Tron: The Next Day, showing Sam's return to Encom.

Despite these setups, neither Hedlund nor Wilde appear to be reprising their roles in Tron: Ares. Their absence is notable, especially considering Legacy earned $409.9 million worldwide against a $170 million budget. Although not a flop, it didn't meet Disney's expectations, perhaps prompting a shift to a more standalone narrative for Ares. Yet, ignoring Sam and Quorra, who are pivotal to the Tron saga, leaves a significant gap. We hope Ares will at least acknowledge their legacy, if not through direct appearances.

Another puzzling absence from the Ares cast is Cillian Murphy, who played Edward Dillinger, Jr. in Legacy. Introduced as the head of Encom's software development team and a staunch opponent of Sam's open-source vision, Dillinger was clearly set up for a larger role in a sequel, potentially as a human antagonist linked to the return of the Master Control Program (MCP), the original film's digital villain.

The Tron: Ares trailer hints at the MCP's involvement, with characters sporting glowing red highlights, reminiscent of the MCP's signature. This suggests a dark mission for Ares, though his role as hero or villain remains unclear. The absence of Dillinger is surprising, especially with Evan Peters playing Julian Dillinger, indicating the Dillinger family's continued involvement. Could Murphy still be making a secret return?

Bruce Boxleitner’s Tron

Perhaps the most glaring omission is Bruce Boxleitner, who portrayed both Alan Bradley and the program Tron. In Legacy, Tron was revealed to be CLU's reprogrammed bodyguard, Rinzler, who regained his true identity by the film's end. The lack of Boxleitner in Ares raises questions about the film's direction. Is there a plan to recast Tron with a younger actor, possibly Cameron Monaghan? Regardless, the new film should address Tron's fate and include him in some form to honor the character's legacy.

The most surprising news about Tron: Ares is Jeff Bridges' return, given that both his characters, Kevin Flynn and CLU, were killed off in Legacy. In the trailer, we hear Bridges' voice, but it's unclear whether he's reprising Flynn, CLU, or a new role. Could CLU have survived their mutual destruction? Did Flynn create a backup of CLU? Or has Flynn transcended into The Grid as an immortal entity?

These mysteries will likely be unraveled in Ares, along with Ares' allegiance—whether to Flynn/CLU or the MCP. The film's choice to bring back Bridges while sidelining other crucial survivors from Legacy is perplexing, yet the anticipation for Tron: Ares remains high, buoyed by the promising new score from Nine Inch Nails.