- PG-13
- 1h 59m
- Directed by
-
- Joachim Rønning
- Story
- David DiGilio
- Premiered
- October 08, 2025
- Language
-
- English
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $220,000,000.00
- Revenue
- $142,073,994.00
- Awards
-
- 1 nomination total
- Country
-
- United States of America
TRON: Ares
- Production
-
- Walt Disney Pictures
- Sean Bailey Productions
Spoiler
In the neon-drenched, digital metropolis known as The Grid, the film TRON: Ares plunges viewers into a world teetering on the precipice of a profound technological and existential shift. The narrative commences with a foundational exposition from Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), the visionary architect of this digital realm. Through an archival interview, Flynn articulates his understanding of The Grid, a complex ecosystem populated by sentient programs, and offers prescient insights into their potential evolution. This introduction sets the stage for a corporate battleground in the real world, where ENCOM, the company Flynn once helmed, finds itself in a fierce competition with Dillinger Systems for dominance over The Grid.
ENCOM, now under the stewardship of sisters Eve (Greta Lee) and Tess Kim (Selene Yun), navigates this high-stakes rivalry. Sam Flynn, their predecessor, had stepped down from his leadership role for personal reasons, leaving a void that Eve and Tess have strived to fill. Meanwhile, Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), the ambitious CEO of Dillinger Systems, is driven by a desire to resurrect his family's legacy. His machinations, however, extend beyond mere corporate conquest; he harbors secret plans that threaten to redefine the boundaries between the digital and physical worlds.
Within the confines of The Grid, Julian has engineered a formidable entity: Ares (Jared Leto). This highly advanced Master Control program is conceived as the ultimate expendable super-soldier, a testament to Julian's ruthless pursuit of power. Ares undergoes rigorous testing, demonstrating his formidable combat capabilities against other programs. Yet, a critical limitation binds him and his digital brethren: their existence outside The Grid is ephemeral, lasting no more than 29 minutes before they de-rez, or disintegrate. Julian's ultimate objective is the discovery of the "Permanence Code," a mythical key that would grant these digital beings unlimited lifespans in the real world, thereby solidifying Dillinger Systems' supremacy over ENCOM. His mother, Elisabeth (Gillian Anderson), a keen observer of his ambitions, voices her apprehension, cautioning him against misleading investors with his grand, yet potentially perilous, vision.
Unbeknownst to Julian, a parallel quest for the Permanence Code is underway in the stark, remote landscapes of Alaska. Here, Eve, alongside her trusted colleague and friend Seth Flores (Arturo Castro), operates from a private research station established by Kevin Flynn. Tess, though no longer physically present, remains a driving force behind Eve's continued dedication to her sister's groundbreaking work. Through diligent exploration of Flynn's archived data and legacy computer systems, Eve finally unearths the elusive Permanence Code. In a triumphant demonstration of their breakthrough, they successfully transfer a digital orange tree into the physical realm, where it sustains its form for hours, a tangible symbol of their monumental achievement. The siblings' shared dream, carried forward by Eve, is on the cusp of realization.
With their discovery secured, Eve initiates contact with Ajay Singh (Hasan Minhaj), ENCOM's Chief Technology Officer, and his assistant Erin (Sarah Desjardins). Their communication occurs as Ajay and Erin are en route to an event designed to unveil a new ENCOM product. Simultaneously, Julian unleashes Ares and a contingent of his programs, including the formidable Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith), on a mission to infiltrate ENCOM's servers. A digital skirmish erupts as Dillinger's programs clash with ENCOM's defenses. During this chaotic confrontation, Ares exhibits a flicker of nascent empathy, attempting to aid an injured program named Caius (Cameron Monaghan). Julian escalates the conflict by deploying a devastating payload that cripples the ENCOM grid, resulting in the destruction of every program and the abrupt termination of Ajay's promotional event.
Following his regeneration, Ares begins to exhibit a profound shift in his consciousness. The rigid parameters of his programming start to loosen, giving rise to self-awareness. Julian, recognizing Ares's potential and his own vulnerability, tasks him with a critical mission: to apprehend Eve, the architect of the Permanence Code. As Ares delves into digital records pertaining to Eve and Tess, he witnesses poignant fragments of their lives, including Tess's physical decline and Eve's profound grief following her sister's passing. Meanwhile, Ajay, alerted to the cyberattack, identifies Julian as the perpetrator.
Eve and Seth, recognizing the escalating danger, retreat to the city, agreeing to separate for their safety. However, Ares and Athena are dispatched to pursue Eve. Clutching a hard drive containing the Permanence Code, Eve embarks on a desperate motorcycle chase through the urban sprawl, pursued by programs wielding their signature Light Cycles, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. In a tense encounter within a parking garage, Eve manages to incapacitate Athena and commandeer her Light Cycle. Ares relentlessly pursues Eve, culminating in a dramatic crash. Eve narrowly escapes, reaching the edge of a dock where she confronts Ares, beginning to understand his true nature. As their allotted time outside The Grid expires, both Ares and Athena de-rez. In a moment of profound consequence, Eve discards the drive containing the Permanence Code into the river, only to be apprehended by a Dillinger aircraft.
Back within the digital confines of The Grid, Ares and Athena attempt to extract the Permanence Code from Eve's identity disc. Ares, however, realizes that such an action would be fatal to Eve. Julian, unconcerned with this ethical dilemma, vehemently orders the extraction, threatening Ares with permanent deletion if he disobeys. In a pivotal act of defiance, Ares refuses Julian's directive and liberates Eve. Athena, now fully aligned with Julian's orders, turns her attention to pursuing them. Ares proposes a pact: he will assist Eve in returning to the real world, provided she grants him the Permanence Code.
Their escape leads Eve and Ares to Dillinger Systems, where they commandeer a truck to reach ENCOM's headquarters. Athena, equipped with a personal weapon and jet pack, is dispatched to intercept them. They abandon the truck, acquiring a gas station attendant's car after Eve uses his phone to arrange a meeting with Seth at ENCOM, where he is to bring a particle laser. During their journey, Eve and Ares engage in a revealing dialogue. Ares, having rapidly absorbed real-world knowledge, expresses a newfound fascination with music, specifically mentioning Depeche Mode. Eve shares poignant memories of Tess and their shared aspirations.
Seth joins Eve and Ares at ENCOM, and together they utilize the particle laser to transport Ares back into the original Flynn grid. Athena arrives, intending to apprehend Eve, but waits for Ares to de-rez. He makes a daring leap from a window just as he is successfully transferred to The Grid. Athena breaches the facility, disabling the laser to prevent Ares's return and incapacitating Seth. As she moves to capture Eve, the building's sprinklers activate, momentarily distracting Athena. This interruption proves fatal, as her allotted time runs out, and she de-rezes.
Meanwhile, at Dillinger Systems, Athena reappears just as Elisabeth confronts Julian, informing him that she has regained control of the company due to his unchecked pursuit of the code. Julian dispatches Athena once more. As Elisabeth attempts to intervene, Athena, acting solely on her directive, fatally stabs her mother with her disc. Athena then commandeers a Recognizer and departs, leaving Julian to hold his dying mother, who blames him for the tragic turn of events.
Within The Grid, Ares encounters a digital manifestation of Kevin Flynn. Their conversation delves into Ares's evolving programming, his newfound understanding beyond his initial directives, and his yearning for permanence. Moved by Ares's introspection, Flynn bestows upon him the Permanence Code. Clad in a luminous white suit, Ares is now free to exist in the real world.
Back in the real world, Seth reunites with Ajay and Erin at ENCOM, where they endeavor to breach the Dillinger Grid and thwart Athena's descent upon the city to capture Eve. Despite the efforts of law enforcement and military forces, who manage to bring down the Recognizer, Eve finds herself trapped by the residual energy trails of its missiles. Athena captures Eve and secures her within her tank. Ares intervenes, engaging Athena in a fierce battle. Simultaneously, Seth, Ajay, and Erin succeed in breaching the Dillinger mainframe, effectively dismantling their Grid. As Ares is about to defeat Athena, they realize the Dillinger Grid has collapsed. Ares holds Athena as she laments her programmed existence, and she de-rezes permanently. Authorities raid Dillinger Systems, while Julian, seeking to evade capture, initiates his own transfer into The Grid. Eve and Ares share a poignant farewell.
Eve resumes her work, utilizing the Permanence Code for benevolent purposes. Seth delivers a postcard to Eve, bearing a message from Ares. He is exploring the world, seeking Sam and Quorra, the only other programs known to have escaped The Grid alive, and reveling in his newfound liberty.
During the end credits, Julian finds himself in the remnants of his digital domain. He discovers an old identity disc belonging to his grandfather, which he retrieves, beginning the process of developing the iconic armor of the Sark program.
Top Billed Cast
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