Tron: Ares
Movie, 2025, The real world, Set in Programs cross over
Tron: Ares is #4 of 4 in release order and #4 of 4 in chronological order in the Tron.
The story
A highly sophisticated Program called Ares is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind's first encounter with A.I. beings.
Tron: Ares recap
ENCOM and Dillinger Systems are racing to bring digital constructs into the real world, but anything printed by their lasers falls apart after 29 minutes. ENCOM's CEO, Eve Kim, finds Kevin Flynn's permanence code at a remote station in Alaska and uses it to create a lasting orange tree. Julian Dillinger, grandson of Ed Dillinger, presents Ares, a program built as the perfect expendable soldier, and sends him with another program, Athena, to steal Eve's data. Ares begins to show self-awareness and spares an injured program. In a light cycle chase through the city, Eve destroys the drive holding the code, and Julian digitises her onto the Dillinger Grid, where the code can be found through her identity disc. Ares strikes a deal with Eve, her freedom for permanence, and the two escape to the real world while Athena is ordered to destroy him.
Tron: Ares ending explained
Eve and her colleague Seth take Ares to Flynn's old office to send him to Flynn's Grid. Athena attacks and kills Julian's mother, Elisabeth, and on Flynn's Grid Flynn gives Ares the permanence code. Ares, now permanent, stops Athena, who dies in his arms as ENCOM's team shuts down the Dillinger mainframe. Julian digitises himself. Ares leaves to find Sam and Quorra, and ENCOM uses the code for good.
Post-credits scenes
Yes. In a mid-credits scene, Julian, trapped in a damaged digital world, takes a glowing disc from a plinth that once belonged to Sark, and it builds a Sark-style suit and helmet around him, setting up a sequel.
Where to watch Tron: Ares
Tron: Ares is streaming on Disney+ in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 6.1/10, Rotten Tomatoes 52%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Tron: Uprising, the latest.
- Chronological order: after Tron: Legacy, the last.
What to watch before Tron: Ares
In release order, the essentials before Tron: Ares (2025) are Tron (1982) and Tron: Legacy (2010).
Cast
- Jared Leto as Ares
- Greta Lee as Eve Kim
- Evan Peters as Julian Dillinger
- Gillian Anderson as Elisabeth Dillinger
- Jodie Turner-Smith as Athena
- Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn
- Hasan Minhaj as Ajay Singh
- Arturo Castro as Seth Flores
- Cameron Monaghan as Caius
- Sarah Desjardins as Erin
- Aaron Paul Stewart as Cyber Security Pete
- Roger Cross as Cross
Directed by Joachim Rønning.