Summary

• TRON: Ares is the third installment in the franchise, potentially building off previous films.
• The film features Jared Leto's character, sparking hype for the movie.
• Confusion surrounds sequel status, as classic TRON characters have not been confirmed to return.

A first look at TRON: Ares has just been revealed, causing many to wonder if the film is a sequel to TRON: Legacy. TRON: Ares is the franchise's first film since 2010's TRON: Legacy, with the massive time gap causing some confusion regarding the placement TRON: Ares. The film is the third film in the TRON franchise, meaning that TRON: Ares has the potential to build off of the two films that have come before.

1982's TRON is a cult sci-fi film that follows a computer programmer as he is transported into the world of a video game, with him having to play a role in a massive digital war. Despite the initial TRON's success and its groundbreaking visual effects, a sequel didn't come until decades later in the form of TRON: Legacy. A sequel is just now in development, with TRON: Ares being the exciting follow-up to the 2010 critical and commercial disappointment.

TRON: Ares' Status As A Direct Sequel Or Reboot Isn't Entirely Clear

TRON: Ares has just revealed a first look at Jared Leto's character, with this being the start of the hype cycle surrounding the film. It still has not been announced if TRON: Ares is a sequel to TRON: Legacy, meaning that the film's status is not entirely clear just yet.

After the failure of TRON: Legacy, the franchise went on a bit of a hiatus, with it only coming back now 14 years later. TRON: Legacy received mixed critical reviews and wasn't as commercially successful as Disney had hoped, explaining why it took so long for a sequel to be made. Due to the time gap and reputation of the previous film, it is possible that Disney might want to treat TRON: Ares as a fresh start, although nothing has been announced regarding the canon status of the film just yet.

TRON: Ares Doesn't Feature Any Returning Franchise Characters (So Far)

One of the reasons that TRON: Ares' sequel status is a bit confusing is that the film doesn't feature any returning TRON characters so far. Jared Leto will be playing an original character named Ares, and actors like Evan Peters and Greta Lee have also been cast in the film in undisclosed roles. This cast is exciting, but it does make TRON: Ares seem a bit muddled.

None of the classic TRON actors have been confirmed to return in TRON: Ares, which may come as a disappointment for some. Actors like original TRON star Jeff Bridges as well as TRON: Legacy stars Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde are still missing from the cast of TRON: Ares, although it is possible that they could be announced to be reprising their roles in the future.