Tron 3 gets a new look as director teases a “grittier, more industrial” sequel

A new look at Tron: Ares, the third installment in the sci-fi franchise, has been released – and director Joachim Rønning says we’re in for something a little bit different this time.

“With Nine Inch Nails making the music, this installment will be a little grittier, a little bit more industrial,” Rønning told Empire. “It’s been important for me to contrast The Grid and the real world. In that sense, Nine Inch Nails lends itself perfectly into this new Tron world that we are creating.” Check out the image below.

Per the official synopsis, Tron: Ares follows a highly sophisticated program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, which marks humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings. Rønning directs from a screenplay penned by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne (Enola Holmes). 

The cast includes Jared Leto as Ares, Evan Peters as Julian Dillinger, Greta Lee as Eve Kim, Jodie Turner-Smith, Cameron Monaghan, Sarah Desjardins, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, Gillian Anderson, and, of course, Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn.

The first trailer aired behind closed doors at D23: Brazil earlier this month, with positive initial reactions calling the clip a “spectacle” and describing Leto’s character as “scary.” Bridges makes an appearance in the final seconds of the trailer, where he addresses Leto’s Ares directly.

Tron: Ares is slated for an October 10, 2025 release. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2024 and beyond, or, skip right to our list of movie release dates.