Words Chris Wasey

Spanning five decades, Tron is one of sci-fi cinema’s most enduring and influential franchises. The legendary, Jeff Bridges-led 1982 original was a visual effects pioneer, offering a story that reflected society’s distrust in the rise of computers. Tron: Legacy reimagined the Grid as a synth-driven cyberpunk dystopia – enormous in scope, it established a cinematic scale that wouldn’t be matched until the peak of the MCU.

Now, as the franchise returns, those themes are as relevant as ever in an era where tech anxiety pervades. Tron: Ares imagines a future where AI doesn’t just create what we can imagine – it threatens to destroy everything we know.

Oscar-winner Jared Leto leads as the enigmatic Ares, a dangerous Program with a mission to infiltrate our world. In his wake, the Grid begins its invasion, bringing the franchise’s futuristic powers crashing into our world. Signature Light Cycle battles erupt on our streets as laser-like energy emissions scythe through cars with ease, hulking Recognizers and acrobatic Light Jets patrol the skies, and Identity Discs tear the very fabric of reality.

Stunning, high-stakes action, the iconic neon-drenched aesthetic, and a thumping Nine Inch Nails’ soundtrack – Tron is back! A dark digital frontier awaits.

Enter The Grid

Multiple decades between instalments is very much the norm for Tron. Here’s the story so far, for those who need to download an update.

Tron

Computer programmer Kevin Flynn is pulled into a digital world called the Grid – a reality where Programs appear as human avatars, but deletion is a very real execution. Trapped inside, he teams up with security Program Tron to battle the oppressive Master Control Programme.

Tron: Legacy

Decades later, Flynn’s son Sam discovers the portal to the Grid and is drawn in, finding his long-lost father, who’s been trapped inside for years. With the digital world now under the control of Clu, a ruthless AI mirror image of Kevin’s brilliance, they must stop an invasion of the real world.