Tron: Ares Sequel Leaves Fans Puzzled

Tron fans have a thrilling reason to mark their calendars for 2025. After a long hiatus, the beloved franchise is set to return to the big screen this October with a new installment, "Tron: Ares." This third Tron movie features Jared Leto in the lead role as Ares, a program who embarks on a high-stakes and mysterious mission from the digital world into reality.

But can we truly label Ares as a sequel? Visually, the film retains the iconic style established in 2010's "Tron: Legacy," as evident from the newly released trailer. The soundtrack also continues its tradition of electronica, with Nine Inch Nails now taking the helm from Daft Punk. However, in narrative terms, Ares appears to lean more towards a soft reboot rather than a direct continuation of Legacy's story.

The absence of key characters from Legacy raises questions. Why aren't Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde, who portrayed Sam Flynn and Quorra respectively, returning for Ares? And why is Jeff Bridges, the only confirmed veteran from the previous films, back in the cast? Let's delve deeper into how Legacy set up its sequel and why Ares seems to diverge from that setup.

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, ventures into The Grid, a digital world, to rescue his father and thwart Kevin's creation, CLU, from invading the real world. During his quest, Sam encounters Quorra, an ISO—a spontaneous digital lifeform within The Grid, symbolizing the resilience of life. The film concludes with Sam defeating CLU and returning to the real world with Quorra, who transitions from digital to physical existence.

The ending of Legacy sets a clear stage for a sequel. Sam is poised to take on his role at Encom, steering it towards a more open-source future, with Quorra by his side as a testament to the digital realm's potential. The home video release even included "Tron: The Next Day," a short film showing Sam's initial steps at Encom.

Despite this setup, neither Hedlund nor Wilde are returning for "Tron: Ares," which is surprising given their central roles in the narrative. Disney's decision might stem from "Legacy's" box office performance, which, despite earning $409.9 million worldwide on a $170 million budget, did not meet expectations. This, alongside other underperforming films like "John Carter" and "The Lone Ranger," might have prompted Disney to take a different, standalone approach with Ares. Nonetheless, the omission of Sam and Quorra leaves a significant gap in the franchise's continuity, and fans hope that Ares will at least acknowledge their legacy, if not bring them back in unexpected cameos.

The absence of Cillian Murphy, who played Edward Dillinger, Jr. in Legacy, is also notable. Introduced as the head of Encom's software development team and a rival to Sam's open-source vision, Dillinger was set up for a larger role in future installments. His brief appearance hinted at a potential storyline involving the return of the Master Control Program (MCP), the antagonist from the original Tron.

The "Tron: Ares" trailer suggests the MCP's involvement, with characters sporting the MCP's signature red glow. This implies a darker mission for Ares, though his role as hero or villain remains unclear. The absence of Dillinger, especially with the MCP's possible return, raises questions about the narrative direction. However, Evan Peters' character, Julian Dillinger, indicates that the Dillinger family remains relevant, and there's still a chance for Murphy's return, given his uncredited role in Legacy.

Bruce Boxleitner’s Tron

Perhaps the most perplexing omission is Bruce Boxleitner, the actor behind both Alan Bradley and the titular hero, Tron. In the original film, Boxleitner portrayed both the Encom executive and the security program. He reprised the role of Alan in Legacy, where it was revealed that Tron had been reprogrammed into Rinzler, CLU's enforcer, before being restored to his original self at the film's end.

Boxleitner's absence in Ares is striking. While Alan's exclusion might be understandable, a Tron movie without Tron himself feels incomplete. Is the plan to recast Tron with a younger actor, perhaps Cameron Monaghan? Regardless, fans hope that Ares will address Tron's ambiguous fate from Legacy and provide the character with the redemption he deserves.

The most surprising announcement about "Tron: Ares" is Jeff Bridges' return, considering both his characters, Kevin Flynn and CLU, met their demise in Legacy. In the film's climax, Kevin sacrifices himself to destroy CLU, enabling Sam and Quorra's escape to the real world.

Bridges' presence in Ares raises intriguing questions. Is he reprising a living Kevin Flynn, or perhaps a version of CLU? Could CLU have survived their mutual destruction, or did Flynn keep a backup of his nemesis? Alternatively, has Flynn transcended mortality within The Grid? These mysteries are likely to be unraveled in Ares, along with whether Ares aligns with Flynn/CLU or serves the MCP's agenda. While fans eagerly await Ares, the decision to bring back Bridges while sidelining other key survivors from Legacy is perplexing.

Nevertheless, the anticipation for "Tron: Ares" is palpable, fueled by the promise of a captivating narrative and the alluring sounds of Nine Inch Nails' score.