‘Tron: Ares’ trailer: Jeff Bridges is back, NIN drops fresh track from OST

Disney has unveiled the first trailer for Tron: Ares, the long-awaited third entry in the Tron franchise, and it’s clear the digital frontier is breaking into reality. Directed by Joachim Rønning, the sci-fi sequel sees Jared Leto as Ares, a sentient program sent from the digital Grid into the real world — marking the first time in the series that the story unfolds primarily outside the virtual space.

The trailer teases a collision between humanity and artificial intelligence, framed by sleek visuals from ILM and a pounding new score from Nine Inch Nails. Most notably, Jeff Bridges returns as Kevin Flynn, the iconic architect of the Grid, following his mysterious disappearance at the end of Tron: Legacy.

Joining Leto and Bridges is a powerhouse cast including Jodie Turner-Smith, Greta Lee, Gillian Anderson, and Evan Peters. According to the official synopsis, Tron: Ares follows “a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.”

Alongside the trailer drop, Nine Inch Nails released their first new track in five years, As Alive As You Need Me to Be, now available via Interscope Records. Co-produced by Boys Noize, the synth-heavy single leads the Tron: Ares soundtrack, due out Sept. 19.

The tracklist was also revealed, confirming all-new music from the Grammy-winning duo Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who are scoring the film.

Tron: Ares opens in theatres worldwide on October 10, 2025