Greetings, Programs! The road to Tron 3 feels like it’s taken forever, with some huge and exciting steps landing in the recent past. As the upcoming Disney movie is currently in production, details are still somewhat scarce in terms of what to expect. So leave it to Jared Leto to not only break some news about the sequel to one of the best sci-fi movies ever, but also to drop a huge detail that I seriously need to talk about.
It’s fitting that Leto himself would be the one to confirm Tron 3’s title on Instagram, seeing as Leto previously leaked the title by accident. But now it’s confirmed that we can officially call this three-quel Tron: Ares, as well as the fact that director Joachim Rønning’s new installment will be arriving in theaters in 2025!
What's more, Walt Disney Pictures has made this news doubly official, confirming Tron: Ares' title, with the same art released by Leto. I need you all to take a look at this image, or the animation on Jared Leto's Instagram, as we need to talk about the following:
Are you seeing what I'm seeing, Programs? Beyond the fact that we now have Hasan Minhaj and Arturo Castro added to the impressive Tron: Ares’ cast, this new image has a huge difference from the traditional franchise look. More specifically there's the issue that Ares, who is more than likely played by Jared Leto, has a triangular ID disc.
Typically, the Identity Discs you see Programs wearing are of a circular shape. It’s been that way since the beginning of the Tron timeline, as the 1982 original introduced the world to Kevin Flynn’s journey onto The Grid. So with a new disc shape in play for this “highly sophisticated Program,” its journey into our world looks to shake things up from the usual.
That much is true in the statement from Tron: Ares director Joachim Rønning, which was included with Walt Disney Pictures’ big press blast. Here's what Rønning had to say, after weeks of production under his belt:
I’m excited to be part of the TRON franchise and bring this new film to fans around the world. ‘TRON: Ares’ builds upon the legacy of cutting-edge design, technology and storytelling. Now more than ever, it feels like the right time to return to the Grid.
What could Tron: Ares mean for the next step in this franchise's evolution? If Identity Discs can change, then what does that mean for Programs? What does that mean for The Grid and how we interact with it? There are a lot of questions that still need answers, but at least we have two more we can cross off of the list as of today.
Tron: Ares will hit theaters at some point in 2025, so we’ll just have to keep our eyes and ears open for updates in the meantime. And if you want to go back and revisit the world of Tron, the entire franchise is currently available to Disney+ subscription holders. Until next time... End of Line.
