This year, theTronfranchise is coming back to theaters after a lengthy absence.The first film came out in 1982and told the story of a computer hacker who struggles to escape after he is transported into a digital world. It was directed by Steven Lisberger andstarred Jeff Bridges.
Bridges returned for the movie’s legacy sequel,Tron: Legacy, 28 years later. Though Bridges reprised his role, that film focused primarily on his son, Kevin, who gets trapped in the world his father created.
Now, the franchise is back withTron: Ares. Set for release in October,the new film flips the script on the previous moviesby focusing on a program named Ares, who is sent from the digital world to the real world in order to complete a mission. Bridges will once again return, with other cast membersincluding Jared Leto, Gillian Anderson, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Greta Lee.
All threeTronmovies have been made in different decades. With these decades come distinct developments and trends in film tradition, and differing audience expectations.Tron: Aresalso now has a lot of pressure to live up to the movies that came before it, but a recent reveal shows how it can meet these high standards.
The Last Two Tron Movies Used Cutting-Edge Technology
Ares Has To Compete With What Came Before, Plus Other Advanced Blockbusters
TheTronmovies are about the digital world, and, as such, heavily rely on CGI. Even if its effects look pretty outdated now,the original 1982Tronmovie was one of the earliest feature films to rely on computer-generated imagery.And while some other films are credited (e.g. 1973’sWestworld) with having used such imagery beforehand,Tronreally created the first CGI world.
Not only was this completely groundbreaking for the time period, but it would then impact ideas of how CGI could be used in filmmaking. It is now one of the most relied-upon tools in modern cinema.
Worlds are so often created with CGI in 2025, butTronmanaged to do so with far less technology access than what is available today. Without the influence of movies likeTron,the tool may not have been taken up quite as fervently as it has.
Tron: Legacywas released when CGI was becoming far more ubiquitous, but it still made sure to experiment with new tech. It used de-aging technology to age down Bridges, and relied on distinctive light suits that would define the movie’s visuals.
Even with greater technology access now in 2025,Tron: Areswill face a lot of pressure to be innovative. Both of its predecessors pushed technological limits and influenced films after them, soAreshas to think big to meet this standard.
Tron: Ares Sounds Like It’ll Have Its Own Kind Of Technical Innovation
The Director Says The Movie Will Take Things “To The Next Level”
A recentEmpireinterview withTron: Aresdirector Joachim Rønning instills some confidence thatAresmay be up to par. He asserted that the film will be taking audiences to “the next level.”
The director went on to outline what that specifically means inAres. Rønning explained thatthemovie will involve motion-controlled camera movementsin order to create its version of The Grid, which wasintroduced inLegacy.
The idea of this technology is that it isdesigned to seem like the camera lens is operated by a machine rather than by a person.As Rønning puts it, “it’s shot by a robot” in order to capture the idea “that a program is filming a program.” This technique is used to create what the director calls “the Holy Grail of computer graphics.”
It seemsTron: Aresis trying its best to live up to the high standard of innovationset by its predecessors. Whether it matches it remains to be seen, but Rønning and his team are at least making an effort.
Will This Be Enough To Help Tron: Ares Stand Out?
If Rønning Is Right, Tron: Ares Can Become A Must-See
There is a smaller gapbetweenLegacyandAresthan there was between the former andTron, but a lot has happened to film in those 15 years of time. While some claim CGI is overused nowadays,there have been plenty of eye-catching and impressive filmsthat make good use of this skill.
Tron: Aresreleases during a particularly tough year to stand out. Just over two months afterAres' release comesAvatar: Fire and Ash.James Cameron’s moviesare well known for their visual and technological innovation, with their effects often standing as the most acclaimed in any year.Avatar 3will likely be heavily promoted already by the timeAresreleases.
For this reason,the tech behindAresreally needs to be fantastic for it to generate conversation.Avatar 3, even without having been released yet, could dominate the CGI on-screen conversation unlessAresreally delivers.
If Rønning is correct in his characterization, however,Arescould live up to some high expectations. Regardless of the updated story’s quality, ifAresreally is “the Holy Grail of computer graphics,” the movie will be something that audiences are highly compelled to see on the big screen.
This Is A Promising Sign For Tron: Ares
It Shows Rønning Knows What Makes The Franchise Special
While the actual quality of their efforts remains to be seen, the fact that theTron: Aresteam is trying something technologically new is saying something. This franchise’s movies have always wanted to work in new technology, and are often ahead of the curve.
This is something thatLisberger, who directedTron, asserts is central to the fabric of the franchise. In that same interview withEmpire, Lisberger noted that sometimes things like his film come out that are “too avant-garde” at the time of their release, but later, “the real world catches up to it.”
Lisberger seesAresas"a metaphor for the fact that this technology is moving through every part of our reality." He clearly outlines what has made the franchise what it is, and where the next installment could be taking things.
Even if it were to flop, Rønning’s efforts forTron: Aresshow that this filmis not just another lazy sequel. Rather, it is a legacy sequel that aligns with the original director’s intentions and will put its best effort forward to make something innovative and new.
