A new image has been released fromTron: Ares, showing Jared Leto’s character standing before a very new take on the franchise’s iconic lightcycle. Directed by Joachim Rønning, the upcoming third installment in theTronfranchise takes place afterTron: Legacy(2010), which was itself a sequel to the 1982 original.Tron: Ares' storyfeatures Ares (Leto), a program, leaving the Grid and embarking on a dangerous mission in the real world, with Jeff Bridges confirmed to be reprising his role as Kevin Flynn.
Empirenow releases a new image fromTron: Ares, showing Leto’s Ares standing in front of an evolved take on the lightcycle. This lightcycle doesn’t look like a motorcycle and instead looks like it could actually be a four-wheeled vehicle. The background suggests Ares' vehicle is parked in some kind of factory-like setting. Check out the new image below:
Rønning also offers up a few teases regarding the story to come, teasing the impact of the Nine Inch Nails soundtrack on what he hypes as a “grittier” take on the world ofTronthat’s different from what has come before:
“With Nine Inch Nails making the music, this instalment will be a little grittier, a little bit more industrial. It’s been important for me to contrast The Grid and the real world. In that sense, Nine Inch Nails lends itself perfectly into this newTronworld that we are creating.”
In addition to a grittier setting, Rønning also teases thatTron: Aresalso doubles down on emotional storytelling and the exploration of some powerful themes. Check out his comment below:
“What I always look for in any story is a strong emotional core. This film will probably be more emotional than people are expecting. It’s about the cost of being human.”
In addition to Leto, theTron: Arescast features Gillian Anderson, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Greta Lee, and Sarah Desjardins.
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Tron: Legacy’s early scenes take place in the real world, but the majority of the film’s runtime is spent inTron City and the Grid. Using modern VFX and CGI, the film is able to present and recreate many of the same locations and scenarios from the originalTronin a more visually-stunning way.Tron: Ares, however, looks to not be retreading too much familiar ground, and will instead be melding the sleek sci-fi look of previousTronmovies with a grungier real world.
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This approach is in keeping with somebehind-the-scenesTron: Aresimagesthat Rønning shared in May. The images, shared below, featured the specifics of the lightcycle design blurred out, butLeto’s Ares programis shown riding the vehicle as it ascends a parking garage ramp and as it sits parked on a Vancouver city street.The Grid and its unique sci-fi look is undoubtedly part of the franchise’s lasting appeal, butTron: Legacywas met with mixed reviews upon its release, suggesting Rønning’s new approach could be a breath of fresh air.
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How Nine Inch Nails Will Support Rønning’s New Vision
This evolution of theTronaesthetic is a risk, as it could alienate the franchise’s core fanbase, but it also feels necessary given the lukewarm response to the previous film. A new take on the franchise could be what helpsTron: Aresstandout, potentially setting the stage for future installments.
Nine Inch Nails providing the soundtrack forTron: Aresis a great choice to support this new direction. Daft Punk handled the soundtrack forTron: Legacy, offering a soundscape in line with their musical sensibilities, but Nine Inch Nails' musical style is certainly more industrial, and it could ensure that, if nothing else, the movie has an impressive soundtrack. With the release of this new image, a full-lengthTron: Arestrailer may not be too many months away.
Tron: Ares
Cast
Tron: Ares is the third film in the Tron franchise and is a direct follow-up to Tron and Tron: Legacy. The movie revolves around Ares, an advanced digital Program sent into the real world to complete a perilous task, marking humanity’s first encounter with artificial beings outside of digital space.
