‘Tron: Ares’ Trailer Jared Leto Leads as AI Collides With the Real World

It’s been 15 years since Tron: Legacy reintroduced audiences to the digital frontier. Now, the franchise returns with Tron: Ares, a sequel that flips the formula: instead of humans entering the Grid, this time the Grid is coming to us.

Directed by Joachim Rønning, Tron: Ares takes a bold step forward in the series’ evolution. In this third entry, Jared Leto stars as Ares, a sentient program sent from the digital world into reality, a collision that could mark the first true encounter between humans and AI. The film’s official synopsis is concise but telling: “Tron: Ares follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.”

The trailer showcases an ambitious visual leap, with Industrial Light & Magic returning to push the boundaries of visual effects, no small task given the original Tron helped define what was possible on screen. Nine Inch Nails, composing the film’s score, describe their sonic approach as “grittier and more industrial.” It’s a shift from Legacy’s pulsing Daft Punk soundtrack, and one that reflects a darker tone for this new chapter.

Perhaps the most surprising moment comes with the return of Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, despite his ambiguous fate at the end of Legacy. Speaking to Empire, Bridges teased, “New shit has come to light,” when asked about his character’s return. His presence suggests deeper ties to the series’ roots, even as the story ventures into new territory.

Alongside Leto and Bridges, the cast includes Jodie Turner-Smith, Greta Lee, Gillian Anderson, and Evan Peters, adding weight to the ensemble. With Ares now unleashed in the physical world, questions abound: how did Flynn survive? What is Ares’ true purpose? And can humanity contain a being designed to evolve?

Tron: Ares opens in cinemas October 10, a return to the digital frontier, but one with its sights set on reality. You can watch the trailer below.

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