New footage from Tron: Ares has been revealed at CinemaCon, showcasing the upcoming sequel starring Jared Leto and Jeff Bridges in the sci-fi sequel. The story of Tron: Ares focuses on a program named Ares (Leto) who travels beyond the digital world into the real one on an important mission. This involves humanity learning more about A.I. beings like him as he traverses on his dangerous quest. In addition to newcomers like Leto, Evan Peters, and Greta Lee, the film will also mark the return of Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, reprising his role from the previous two movies.

ScreenRant was in attendance at CinemaCon, where Disney showcased the first footage of Tron: Ares. The footage teases red light cycles in the real world getting chased by a police cruiser, while a ship Clu had in Tron: Legacy flies over a city, also donned with red light. Bridges’ Flynn also shows up, saying “there’s no going back.” Check out the full description of the footage below:

Teaser begins with an overhead sH๏τ of a city, with police in pursuit of two red light cycles on the freeway. They open the light and it cuts right through a police cruiser.

“I’m looking for something, something I do not understand.” One of the ships Clu had in the previous film is flying over the city (also all in red). A jet tries to take it down, but the light planes intercept and take them down.

“Ready? Because there’s no going back,” says Flynn.

What Tron: Ares’ Footage Says About The Movie

A Change Of Pace For The Sci-Fi Franchise

The Tron movies have previously showcased scenes in the real world prior to rest of their stories taking place in the digital realm. The typical settings for the films include Tron City, Argon City, and the Grid, with the leap back into the real world something the films haven’t explored thoroughly. However, this new footage confirms the series will be moving outside its digital cities into more familiar, three-dimensional territory. The blue light has also been replaced by an imposing red, signaling something significant has changed in the Grid.

The footage also seems to emphasize Bridges’ return, making it the final hook of the upcoming third installment. The real-world elements make this even more interesting, since it seemed like he died at the end of Tron: Legacy, sacrificing himself to stop Clu. However, his son, Sam (Garrettt Hedlund), survived, bringing Quorra (Olivia Wilde) from the digital world with him to reality. While it’s unclear if these storylines will continue in Tron: Ares, an important explanation will be necessary to explain how Kevin was able to return.

Our Take On Tron: Ares’ New Footage

A New Step Forward That Could Pay Off

With Bridges returning as Kevin and a potential new threat in the form of the red light, it seems like Tron: Ares is taking a bold step forward for the franchise. Since the interactions between reality and the digital world are becoming increasingly close, the true extent of the upcoming threat Ares faces has only just been glimpsed. The full extent, it seems, won’t happen until the movie gets more exposure, with the story becoming more complex as the two worlds weave together.

Tron: Ares arrives in theaters on October 10, 2025.

Source: Disney