Directed by Joachim Rønning.
Tron: Ares was released in theaters on October 10, 2025.
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Movie Review
Tron: Ares (2025) is a big, flashy return to the Tron universe.
Directed by Joachim Rønning, the movie looks stunning with bright lights, futuristic worlds, and exciting action scenes that are best seen on the big screen.
Jared Leto plays Ares, an AI character who feels mysterious and powerful, while Greta Lee and Jeff Bridges bring balance with more human and emotional roles.
The film asks interesting questions about technology and control but doesn’t always give clear answers.
Some side characters don’t get much development, and the middle part feels a little slow.
Still, the action and visuals keep it fun and engaging.
Tron: Ares might not be perfect, but it’s thrilling, stylish, and a good watch for fans of the series or anyone who loves sci-fi adventures filled with amazing effects.
It’s more about the experience than the story, but it delivers excitement.
Ratings
• IMDb: 6.6/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 53%
• Google Audience Score: 66% liked this movie.
Tron: Ares (2025) Actors
Jared Leto as Ares
DOB: December 26, 1971.
Bio: American actor, musician, and Oscar winner whose career spans indie dramas, blockbuster franchises, and music success with his band Thirty Seconds to Mars.
He broke through with acclaimed performances in Requiem for a Dream (2000) and earned the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Dallas Buyers Club (2013).
Role: Ares, a newly created, highly advanced program developed by Dillinger Systems, a modern variation of the Master Control Program.
Unlike past iterations, Ares has crossed into the real world, forcing humanity to confront the consequences of AI seeking permanence and identity.
What to Expect: A stylized, unsettling performance that blurs the line between human and machine.
Interesting facts: Leto is also a producer on the film, a pattern familiar from several of his recent projects.
He is known for intense preparation and for bringing a rock-star aesthetic to his movie roles.
Notable Works: Requiem for a Dream, Dallas Buyers Club (Oscar), Suicide Squad, Thirty Seconds to Mars (band).
Greta Lee as Eve Kim
DOB: March 7, 1983.
Bio: American actress whose career spans acclaimed indie films and high-profile television.
She gained attention in comedies (Girls, Russian Doll) and earned widespread critical acclaim with her leading role in Past Lives (2023), which established her as one of the most compelling performers of her generation.
Role: Eve Kim is the CEO of ENCOM who leads the effort to find Kevin Flynn’s “permanence code”, the technological key that could let digital beings live longer in the real world.
Eve is pragmatic, brilliant, and emotionally invested in what the code could mean for humanity and for people she cares about.
What to Expect: A grounded, sympathetic lead performance that anchors the film’s human stakes while navigating corporate pressure and ethical dilemmas.
Interesting facts: Lee’s recent high profile (Golden Globe and awards buzz for Past Lives) made her a key casting choice to bring dramatic credibility to the franchise reboot.
Notable Works: Past Lives, The Morning Show, Russian Doll.
Evan Peters as Julian Dillinger
DOB: January 20, 1987.
Bio: American actor best known for his wide-ranging work in television and film.
He first broke out through American Horror Story, where his chameleon-like ability to embody wildly different characters across seasons earned him a devoted following.
Role: Julian Dillinger is the ambitious CEO of Dillinger Systems and the heir to the Dillinger legacy.
He commissions Ares and pushes risky experiments in pursuit of technological dominance, embodying corporate hubris and the franchise’s long rivalry with ENCOM/Flynn.
What to Expect: A high-energy, unpredictable antagonist whose choices spark the film’s central conflict.
Interesting facts: Peters brings an edge of theatricality to roles; casting him leans into the film’s need for a modern, media-savvy villain figure.
Notable Works: American Horror Story, Mare of Easttown, X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Jodie Turner-Smith as Athena
DOB: September 7, 1986.
Bio: British-born actress and model who has steadily risen to prominence in both independent cinema and major productions.
She first drew notice with The Neon Demon (2016) and later earned widespread acclaim for her breakout lead performance in Queen & Slim (2019).
Role: Athena is a program second-in-command to Ares, a lethal, efficient enforcer whose loyalty and eventual moments of doubt complicate the program hierarchy.
Her arc explores how programs experience orders, identity and the limits of obedience.
What to Expect: Physically intense action sequences and a performance that mixes combat precision with moments of surprising interior life.
Interesting facts: Turner-Smith’s casting signaled the filmmakers’ desire for a visually striking warrior figure who can carry both action and emotional beats.
Notable Works: Queen & Slim, After Yang, Anne Boleyn.
Hasan Minhaj as Ajay Singh
DOB: September 23, 1985.
Bio: American comedian, writer, producer, and actor who first broke out as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
He went on to create and host Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj on Netflix, a critically acclaimed political-satire series that blended comedy with cultural commentary.
Role: Ajay Singh, the Chief Technology Officer of ENCOM and Eve Kim’s closest ally inside the company.
Ajay is a pragmatic, highly skilled engineer who understands both the dangers and opportunities within the “permanence code.”
What to Expect: A smart, emotionally grounded supporting turn that provides both comic relief and technical legitimacy to ENCOM’s operation.
Interesting facts: This marks one of Minhaj’s biggest steps into a blockbuster franchise.
His casting represents a deliberate effort to bring a fresh, relatable voice to the sci-fi genre, appealing to both long-time fans and new audiences.
Notable Works: Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, The Daily Show, stand-up specials.
Arturo Castro as Seth Flores
DOB: November 26, 1985.
Bio: Guatemalan-born actor and comedian who has steadily built a diverse career across television and film.
He first gained notice on Broad City as Jaime, Ilana’s endearingly upbeat roommate, and later showcased his dramatic range in Netflix’s Narcos.
Role: Seth Flores, a trusted colleague and confidant of Eve Kim at ENCOM.
Seth is part of the inner circle working on the “permanence code” project, navigating the company’s internal politics while supporting Eve’s leadership.
What to Expect: A likable, humanizing supporting performance that helps the audience connect to the corporate team trying to do the right thing.
Interesting facts: Castro is one of the few Guatemalan-born actors to break into mainstream U.S. television and film, and he often uses his platform to highlight Latinx representation.
Notable Works: Broad City, Narcos, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
Gillian Anderson as Elisabeth Dillinger
DOB: August 9, 1968.
Bio: American-British actor whose career spans more than three decades across television, film, and stage.
She became a global icon in the 1990s with her role as Dana Scully in The X-Files, which earned her both a cult following and major awards recognition.
Role: Elisabeth Dillinger, the mother of Julian Dillinger and a key voice within the Dillinger family legacy.
Elisabeth is wary of the unchecked power of technology and questions the ethical implications of digitizing life for profit and dominance.
What to Expect: A composed performance that brings gravitas and family tension to the corporate conflict.
Interesting facts: Anderson’s casting brings prestige to the ensemble and bridges sci-fi genre roots (The X-Files) with her more recent acclaimed dramatic work.
Notable Works: The X-Files, The Crown, Sex Education.
Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn
DOB: December 4, 1949.
Bio: One of America’s most respected and enduring actors, with a career spanning more than five decades.
He won an Academy Award for Crazy Heart (2009) and has been nominated multiple times throughout his career.
Role: Kevin Flynn, the former ENCOM CEO and the digital pioneer whose innovations and mistakes remain at the center of the story.
Flynn’s legacy, particularly the permanence code he helped set in motion, drives the ethical and technological conflicts of the film.
What to Expect: A quietly authoritative turn and nostalgic continuity for fans of the franchise, Bridges’ Flynn connects the old Grid mythology to the film’s new stakes.
Interesting facts: Bridges is the only actor returning in a canonical, on-screen role from the earlier Tron films.
His return provides a direct throughline from the 1982 original to Ares, honoring the franchise’s legacy while handing the story forward to a new cast.
Notable Works: The Big Lebowski, True Grit, Crazy Heart (Oscar).
Cameron Monaghan as Caius
DOB: August 16, 1993.
Bio: American actor recognized for his versatility across television, film, and video games.
He rose to prominence as Ian Gallagher in Shameless (2011–2021), earning acclaim for his nuanced portrayal of a complex character.
Role: Caius, a combat program and member of Ares’ elite special forces.
The character represents the militarization of materialized programs, exploring what happens when digital beings are weaponized in the real world.
What to Expect: A physically intense, action-oriented role; note that some viewers reported Monaghan’s screen time ended up brief in the final cut.
Interesting facts: Monaghan’s character generated fan curiosity because his casting was highly publicized yet some screenings revealed much shorter appearances than expected.
Notable Works: Shameless, Gotham, voice work in Star Wars Jedi games.
Sarah Desjardins as Erin
DOB: July 15, 1994.
Bio: Canadian actress steadily making her mark in television and streaming projects.
She is best known for her role as Callie Sadecki in Showtime’s Yellowjackets and has appeared in series such as Riverdale, and Impulse.
Role: Erin, an ENCOM employee and trusted assistant to Ajay Singh.
Erin supports the research and fieldwork surrounding the permanence code, helping bridge the film’s technical storylines with its human element.
What to Expect: A grounded, empathetic supporting performance that makes the tech-heavy narrative more relatable and accessible.
Interesting facts: Desjardins’ casting continues her trajectory into prestige streaming projects and genre films, highlighting her growing reputation as a reliable ensemble player with breakout potential.
Notable Works: Yellowjackets, The Night Agent, Riverdale, Impulse.
Selene Yun as Tess Kim
DOB: N/A.
Bio: Selene Yun is a rising actor with emerging credits in television and film.
While her public biographical details remain limited, her casting in Tron: Ares introduces her to a global audience.
Role: Tess Kim is Eve’s deceased sister, her memory and the emotional weight of family history influence Eve’s decisions about the permanence code and what it should be used for.
What to Expect: A brief but narratively significant presence that helps explain Eve’s personal stakes.
Interesting facts: Though her screen time is limited, Tess Kim’s story underscores the film’s central theme of mortality and permanence, tying the personal stakes to the broader sci-fi narrative.
Notable Works: Early television and film appearances; Tron: Ares marks one of her first widely visible roles.
Aaron Paul Stewart as Cyber Security Pete
DOB: N/A.
Bio: Aaron Paul Stewart is a supporting actor with credits in film and television.
While little biographical information is publicly documented, his work in Tron: Ares places him among the ensemble of professionals who round out ENCOM’s corporate and technical world.
Role: Cyber Security Pete, a member of ENCOM’s cyber-defense team.
His character represents the everyday professionals tasked with maintaining digital safety, reinforcing the plausibility of ENCOM’s high-stakes environment.
What to Expect: Brief scenes that add realism to the corporate tech environment and underscore the film’s cyber-threats.
Interesting facts: The credit shows how the film layers a large technical ensemble around its star players to make the world feel lived in.
Notable Works: Character actor and supporting credits.
More Actors
• Roger Cross as Cross, Dillinger Systems executive.
• Roark Critchlow as General McGrath.
• Katharine Isabelle as Marcia Lee Hadlow.
• Gary Vaynerchuk as Stuart Roche.
• Kwesi Ameyaw as Silvio.
• Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (Nine Inch Nails) as cameo as F-35 pilots.
• Shannon Leto as brief pizza-parlor patron cameo.
FAQ – Tron: Ares (2025) Movie
Is Jeff Bridges in Tron: Ares?
Yes. Jeff Bridges returns in the film as Kevin Flynn, linking the new movie to the original Tron mythology.
Is Tron: Ares a sequel to Tron: Legacy?
Yes, it continues the franchise timeline that includes Tron (1982) and Tron: Legacy (2010), while introducing new characters and an updated tech-era story.
What is the plot of Tron 3?
Tron: Ares (2025) follows Ares, a digital program who enters the real world, forcing humans to face the risks and possibilities of AI merging with reality.
Where was Tron: Ares filmed?
Principal photography and production work took place in locations including Vancouver, British Columbia, and various international stages; production notes list multiple visual effects and studio facilities.
Is the movie family friendly?
It is a PG-13 style action sci-fi with violence and tense scenes, best for teens and adults rather than very young children.
Conclusion
Tron: Ares (2025) is a bold continuation of the Tron legacy, mixing cutting-edge visuals with deep questions about the future of AI and humanity.
While the story has a few slow spots, the film makes up for it with breathtaking action, strong performances, and a dazzling digital world that pulls you in.
Fans of the original Tron movies will enjoy the nostalgic touches, while new viewers can jump right into the high-tech adventure.
At its core, Tron: Ares is about connection, control, and what it means to be alive in a digital age.
It may not answer every question, but it leaves audiences entertained and ready for more.