How to watch Tron: Ares – is it streaming?
The third entry in the cult sci-fi franchise stars Jared Leto as an AI programme who comes into the real world.
When it comes to the world's biggest sci-fi properties, Tron might not be in the same ballpark as the likes of Star Wars or Alien – but the futuristic franchise nonetheless boasts a very loyal legion of fans who will be delighted at the release of a new film.
Tron: Ares is just the third movie to be released in the series (in addition to an animated TV show and numerous video games) and comes 15 years after the last entry Tron: Legacy arrived in cinemas, so there was a degree of pressure on the team behind the new movie – as director Joachim Rønning explained in an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com
"I'm a huge fan of the previous films, and I think that's why it was so daunting going in and making the next chapter of that," he said.
"I think the previous films in many ways are masterpieces on so many levels and [that] put a lot of pressure on myself and everybody working on the film to try to take it to the next level or at least earn this next instalment."
The idea of a new film had been at various stages of development ever since the aforementioned Legacy, before the producers eventually landed on the way to tackle a new film – somewhat flipping the franchise on it's head in the process.
"The idea of exploring another part of the Tron mythology and universe in terms of the Dillinger grid, and then the assets coming into our world was sort of a breakthrough concept for us," explained producer Sean Bailey. "Now the digital world is going to come into our own."
He added: "The idea of seeing a light cycle speeding down downtown streets sort of got everybody pretty galvanised."
Intrigued? Read on for everything you need to know about how to watch Tron: Ares.
How to watch Tron: Ares – is it streaming?
No, Tron: Ares is not currently streaming. In the immediate future there will only be one way to watch it: by taking a trip to the cinemas.
The film begins an exclusive theatrical window on Friday 10th October and will be playing in most major cinemas around the country, including on IMAX screens. So there should be no shortage of options for you to choose from – just check your local cinema for the latest times.
When will Tron: Ares come to Disney+?
If you don't feel that this one is worth a cinema trip, the film will eventually become available to watch on streaming – first for rental and purchase on digital download and then on Disney Plus at a later date.
We don't yet have exact dates for either release, but we can engage in a spot of educated guesswork while we wait for more information. Generally speaking, Disney waits around 2 months after theatrical release before adding films to streaming, so it will likely begin appearing on Premium VoD platforms like Prime Video at some time in mid-December.
As for Disney Plus, there tends to be a gap of 100 days between the cinema release and streaming debut – so we'd be looking at some time in January for that. We'll update this page when we get more concrete details.
Tron: Ares cast – who stars with Jared Leto?
Jared Leto leads the cast of the film as the title character – an AI programme named Ares – and he's joined in the ensemble by a host of other well known faces including Past Lives star Greta Lee and Dahmer's Evan Peters.
Meanwhile, X-Files star Gillian Anderson returns to the sci-fi genre in a key role, while there's also space for a brief appearance from original star Jeff Bridges.
You can find the full cast list below:
- Jared Leto as Ares
- Greta Lee as Eve Kim
- Evan Peters as Julian Dillinger
- Jodie Turner-Smith as Athena
- Hasan Minhaj as Ajay Singh
- Arturo Castro as Seth Flores
- Gillian Anderson as Elisabeth Dillinger
- Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn
- Cameron Monaghan as Caius
- Sarah Desjardins as Erin
- Selene Yun as Tess Kim
Tron: Ares plot – what is it about?
In a twist on the usual formula, the new film doesn't only see humans going into AI world, but AI assets coming into the human world. You can find the official synopsis below:
"A highly sophisticated digital Program, Ares, is sent into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first face-to-face encounter with artificial intelligence. As Ares experiences his surroundings and has his first brush with humanity, his consciousness – and conscience – start to evolve.
"He finds an unexpected ally in the brilliant technologist, computer programmer and current ENCOM CEO Eve Kim, who is on her own journey to discover a critical code written by Kevin Flynn. Betraying orders and relentlessly pursued, the two fight not only for their survival but for a future where technology and humanity can intersect."
Tron: Ares trailer
You can get a good impression of the film – and a little teaser of the excellent Nine Inch Nails soundtrack – by watching the trailer below:
Tron: Ares is in UK cinemas from Friday 10th October.
Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
