Key Takeaways
- TRON: Ares may face challenges due to lackluster casting and direction choices.
- Nine Inch Nails composing the soundtrack for TRON: Ares may be the film’s only highlight.
- Director Joachim Rønning aims to deliver a grittier, industrial sound for TRON: Ares.
Disney has yet to deliver a TRON: Ares update that truly excites fans about the upcoming film. For a standalone sequel set to release fifteen years after TRON: Legacy, the hype seems mellow, especially due to a lack of promise in the cast and crew — save for perhaps a few. One name, in particular, stands out as the only aspect worth looking forward to.
The 15-year gap between Legacy and Ares feels insignificant compared to the original TRON, which debuted in 1982. This makes the timeframe between the first two movies similar to the time span between Top Gun or Mad Max films and their reboots. However, a third TRON film, once tentatively titled TR3N, has been in the works since immediately after the 2010 film. Over time, Disney opted for a reboot instead of a direct sequel and made some reshuffling moves that didn’t land as hoped. However, the upcoming film’s music could be a strong point.
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The Tron Sequel Is Already Set Up to Fail
With a toxic lead actor, a bizarre premise, and fifteen years without hype, Tron: Ares might be riding its light cycle uphill.
Nine Inch Nails Will Score TRON: Ares
From all the updates on TRON: Ares so far, only one addition to the crew makes perfect sense and, most importantly, offers a lifeline to fan expectations. The film’s score will be composed by industrial rock pioneers Nine Inch Nails. The iconic music duo of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross were confirmed as the soundtrack creators for TRON: Ares at Disney’s D23 Expo in August 2024. To their credit, the pair have twice won the Academy Award for Best Original Score, for The Social Network in 2010 and Pixar’s Soul (along with Jon Batiste) in 2020. There’s no denying their skill when it comes to creating music for the big screen.
Reznor and Ross have been frequent collaborators on films and TV shows. However, what’s particularly intriguing in this case is that TRON: Ares is the first movie to credit them specifically as Nine Inch Nails. This suggests the band will revisit their industrial rock roots – a sound palette perfect for the futuristic, digital reality of The Grid in TRON. Considering their recent pulsating electronic scores for the Zendaya film Challengers, it’s safe to say they are in top form to deliver a TRON: Ares soundtrack for the ages.
A Grittier Industrial Sound For TRON: Ares
Daft Punk’s legendary score for TRON: Legacy sets a high bar for Nine Inch Nails to match or surpass. In an interview with Empire, TRON: Ares director Joachim Rønning explained how the shift in musical styles between the two groups benefits the film and its broader story:
With Nine Inch Nails making the music, this installment will be a little grittier, a little more industrial. It’s been important for me to contrast The Grid and the real world. In that sense, Nine Inch Nails lends itself perfectly to this new
TRON
world we are creating.
Director And Casting Choices Raise Concerns For TRON: Ares
Unfortunately, it seems the music department has got the only hype-worthy TRON: Ares announcement. Previous credits of director, Joachim Rønning include Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Neither major Disney sequel is regarded as anywhere close to being good movies. The primary cast doesn’t inspire much confidence either, with Jared Leto taking the lead role and serving as one of the producers.
There’s no question about the 52-year-old star’s acting chops or his fit for a sci-fi setting. His Blade Runner 2049 role is enough proof. However, the shadow of Morbius and its colossal failure (and subsequent ridicule) now looms over the TRON franchise. It’s not just Leto himself, but also his titular character and storyline that raise mild concerns. According to the official synopsis, Ares is a sophisticated program sent from the digital world into the real world. This is a reversal of the traditional TRON premise, which primarily takes place in cyberspace. It’s a significant change that doesn’t inspire confidence in longtime fans.
Jeff Bridges Returns, But TRON Fans Remain Skeptical
If there’s anything to look forward to, it’s the return of Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn from the earlier films. Other notable cast members include Evan Peters, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, and Gillian Anderson. The technical crew looks solid, with David Fincher’s frequent collaborator Jeff Cronenweth as cinematographer and The Batman alumnus Tyler Nelson handling editing. So, TRON: Ares does boast some big names, but they don’t seem to boost enough confidence for a great film. At least, not according to fans who have expressed their skepticism on social media.
Both previous TRON films received lukewarm critical and box office reception, but grew into cult classics over time. It’s natural for fans to expect (or even demand) the best names in the business for their franchise, however niche it may be. Disney’s decision to opt for a spinoff-style reboot over a sequel continuing the older storyline isn’t all that appealing either. The fate of TRON: Ares remains to be seen when it hits theaters on October 10, 2025.
TRON: Legacy
- Release Date
- December 17, 2010
- Director
- Joseph Kosinski
- Studio(s)
- Walt Disney Pictures , Sean Bailey Productions