The official trailer for “Tron: Ares” is here, and it has quite a bit going for it. Like both of its predecessors, “Tron” and “Tron: Legacy,” however, it appears that there are two very important elements driving “Tron: Ares” — its soundtrack and its neon-soaked visuals. Despite being snubbed for an Oscar nomination (because the Academy though using a computer for visual effects was “cheating” back in 1982), “Tron” helped blow the lid off of what can be done in special effects and paved the way for more computer-generated imagery (CGI) in movies and TV. It only makes sense, then, that its sequels would also be visually stunning, and “Legacy” absolutely nailed the assignment back in 2010. So, what about “Ares”?

Based on the film’s trailer (see above), which features all kinds of cool visuals with lots of neon-streaked vehicles and armor, “Ares” is going to take the stellar visuals of the “Tron” franchise to a whole new level. The trailer footage alone is sleek, sharp, and it looks stunning, so the actual movie is probably going to look absolutely incredible in IMAX, taking full advantage of the extra-large screen and high-end projection technology. Not only that, but the soundtrack is also going to really get a chance to shine when pumped through IMAX speakers in surround sound (and based on the song in the trailer, those theaters are going to be bumping). Even if you’re not a huge “Tron” fan, the updated sights and sounds of “Ares” are truly something to behold.

The first “Tron” featured music from the arena rock band Journey and film composer Wendy Carlos, best known for her work on “The Shining” and “A Clockwork Orange,” and the soundtrack is honestly fantastic. Fast forward to 2010 and the sequel, “Tron: Legacy,” features an obscenely good soundtrack from none other than French electronic music duo Daft Punk. (They even made a fun appearance in the film as themselves!) For the darker story in “Ares,” though, the sequel’s creatives decided to go with industrial legends Nine Inch Nails, and based on the first single released, “As Alive As You Need Me to Be,” it’s a match made in sci-fi heaven. Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor has contributed to quite a few scores and soundtracks over the years, frequently collaborating with composer Atticus Ross on movies like “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” and “The Killer,” but an entire soundtrack from Nine Inch Nails feels like something else entirely. 

If you’re going to see “Ares” based purely on the sights and sounds, you’re probably in for a great time. There’s also going to be a bit of nostalgia as well, what with Jeff Bridges returning for “Ares” to reprise his role as Kevin Flynn from the first two “Tron” films, though in a much smaller capacity. The rest of the cast is by and large equally impressive, with the likes of Evan Peters, Gillian Anderson, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Cameron Monaghan all playing roles.

Oh, and also, unfortunately, Jared Leto.

If you’re going to assemble a cast with someone as great as Anderson (i.e. Agent Scully from “The X-Files” herself), then what are you doing sullying things with Jared “Morbius” Leto? Even setting aside Leto’s dubious attempts at method acting where he torments his fellow cast members, he’s also currently the subject of a number of allegations of sexual misconduct (per The Guardian). It’s honestly pretty frustrating to be jamming out to the killer synth sounds of Nine Inch Nails and appreciating the dark twist on “Tron” that “Ares” director Joachim Rønning has put together, only to see Leto’s smug face and be taken out of it all. Why are we still hiring him in 2025? 

The other, more story-based question is why we’re bringing the Tron world (aka The Grid) into our reality instead of going back into that digital realm, seeing as that’s really the fun of the first two “Tron” movies. Still, maybe the film has put together something really compelling that will make its grim future-world a little more entertaining. We’ll have to wait and see when “Tron: Ares” reaches theaters on October 10, 2025, but at the very least, we know it’s going to look and sound awesome.