Disney Doomed TRON: Ares by Forgetting About Tron

by

The TRON series hasn’t been a major success for Disney, struggling to attract a large following. However, the original 1982 film was groundbreaking for its special effects, showcasing some of the first computer-generated imagery in a feature film. Despite the franchise continuing to face challenges almost 50 years later, Disney complicated things further by…

With all the potential to be a great follow-up to the already strong TRON: Legacy, TRON: Ares unfortunately stumbled. The biggest issue? The absence of TRON himself. While he wasn’t the central figure after the first movie, he still played a significant part in Legacy. Now, with TRON: Ares underperforming in theaters, it’s obvious that including the character the series is named after might have made a real difference.

TRON: Ares Forgot About the Franchise’s Most Important Character

I was so excited for TRON: Ares! The previous TRON films took us inside Kevin Flynn’s world at ENCOM, but this one flipped the script and focused on his competition. From the very beginning, with those striking red servers, it was obvious we were seeing things from the bad guy’s perspective. Honestly, leaving Tron himself out didn’t seem that crazy given the story they were telling. But just because it made sense doesn’t mean I necessarily wanted it to happen, you know?

Tron is designed to protect users, much like Ares protects Dillinger Systems’ servers. So, when Julian Dillinger launched a hacking attempt on ENCOM using Ares and his team, it felt like a fitting conclusion to Tron’s story for fans.

Tron was manipulated by CLU and turned into a controllable program called Rinzler. He didn’t regain control until the very end of the movie, when he helped Sam, Kevin, and Quorra escape, sacrificing himself by falling into the digital Sea of Simulation. What happened to Tron after that remains a mystery, but the program Ares missed a chance to provide an answer.

A fight between Ares and Tron would be a fantastic way to connect characters from different eras and see how a strong program like Tron would handle a battle against Ares. Plus, bringing Tron back would have avoided introducing entirely new characters with no real connection to the story or existing characters, beyond just a few mentions. If Sam Flynn and Quorra weren’t available, Tron would have been a perfect solution.

Tron Deserved a Big Return in TRON: Ares

It feels like a major oversight to leave the main character, Tron, out of a TRON movie. Especially since the story practically demands that Tron and Ares be rivals who eventually team up. The plot is so clear and would have been a fantastic way to attract new fans to the franchise.

Dedicated fans who have followed the TRON series for years deserve to see a classic character like Tron get the heroic comeback he’s earned, especially as a figure who was so iconic in the 80s and paved the way for future installments. However, this might also be the biggest challenge facing TRON: Ares.

Subscribe to our newsletter for TRON franchise insights

Subscribe to our newsletter for TRON franchise insights

When you sign up, you’ll receive emails about our newsletter and special offers. By continuing, you agree to Valnet’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You can stop receiving these emails at any time.

While not a bad film, Ares tries to explore interesting concepts about technology, like artificial intelligence and the blurring lines between the real and digital worlds – themes we see a lot today. However, Tron always managed to balance those ideas with a sense of fun and kept the story relatable. It feels odd to have a TRON movie that doesn’t really focus on the main character, and that’s ultimately what held TRON: Ares back.

Given the enduring popularity of science fiction, the TRON series really shouldn’t be facing challenges. However, the new film, TRON: Ares, doesn’t fully utilize the established story and characters, which hurts the experience. While it’s not the worst movie of the year, TRON: Ares represents a significant missed opportunity for Disney in 2025 – a potentially great story falls short.

Read More

2025-12-28 07:08