It all began in 1982 withTron, when the idea of being stuck in a digital grid and interacting with programs seemed revolutionary. The original film, led byJeff Bridges,became a cult classic for its futuristic vision and was followed byTron: Legacyin 2010, which reached the greater heights of success with an Oscar nomination and the same cult status (even if it didn’t wow at the box office). Now Disney is breathing new life into the sci-fi franchise with a standalone sequel,Tron: Ares,starringJared Leto, that will be a mix of futuristic vision, action-heavy set pieces, and an emotional story at its heart.
The rating ofTron: Areshas been revealed, and it’s breaking the franchise tradition with itsPG-13 rating for violence and action. This is a first for the franchise as the 1982Tronand follow-upTron: Legacywere both rated PG, so the new rating indicates thatthe Grid will be more vicious and very dangerous this time around. Further, it emphasizes that Disney isn’t shying away from slightly more mature content when it comes to its new offerings that give the makers more room to experiment.
What’s Tron: Ares About?
In a story apt for the times,Tron: Aresfollows a highly sophisticated program,Ares (Leto), who is sent from the digital world into the real worldon a dangerous mission marking humankind’s first encounter with sentient A.I. beings. While the sci-fi premise sounds exciting, directorJoachim Rønningpreviously divulged thatthe story will go in a more emotional direction.
“Emotions will always be something that I strive for, and this film will be more emotional, something I don’t think the franchise has had as much in previous Tron movies,” he said. “Both of them are, in many ways, masterpieces, but what I’m trying to do is create an emotional experience so that’s always going to be front and center. I think that that’s something that I managed to do with this film.”
So, fans can expect the franchise’s favorite tropes in an emotional story that explores humans’ encounters with AI beings. The movie cast a slew of talents, including Leto as Ares,Greta Leeas Eve Kim,Evan Petersas Julian Dillinger,Jodie Turner-Smithas Athena, andGillian Andersonas Elisabeth Dillinger, along withJeff Bridgesreprising original franchise hero Kevin Flynn. Further rounding off the cast areArturo Castro,Hasan Minhaj,Cameron Monaghan, andSarah Desjardinsin undisclosed roles, among others.
Tron: Areswill debut in theaters on October 10. Stay tuned to Collider for more such updates.
Tron: Ares
