The Tron franchise has been lighting up screens with neon-soaked digital worlds for over forty years now. From Steven Lisberger’s groundbreaking 1982 original that basically invented the concept of living inside computers, to Joseph Kosinski’s stunning 2010 sequel that made us all fall in love with Daft Punk all over again, and now Joachim Rønning’s 2025 entry that brings the Grid into our world: this franchise has always been about pushing boundaries.
With Tron: Ares currently playing in theaters, we thought it’d be the perfect time to rank every theatrical release and that sneaky little short film that bridges everything together. Let’s dive into the digital frontier and see how they stack up!
4. Tron: Ares (2025)
Look, we’re not gonna sugarcoat this one. Joachim Rønning’s Tron: Ares is the latest entry where a sophisticated AI program named Ares (played by Jared Leto) gets sent from the Grid into the real world on a dangerous mission.
It’s basically the reverse of what we’ve seen before. Instead of humans going into the computer, the computer comes to us. Greta Lee plays Eve Kim, ENCOM’s CEO, who’s trying to use AI for good, while Evan Peters hams it up as the villainous Julian Dillinger.
Here’s the thing: this movie is absolutely gorgeous to look at. The Nine Inch Nails soundtrack from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is phenomenal, and watching light cycles race through actual city streets in IMAX? Chef’s kiss. But critics aren’t wrong when they say it feels hollow.
The film currently sits at 57% on Rotten Tomatoes (though audiences are way more forgiving at 87%), and the box office tells the story: a disappointing $33-37 million opening, way below the $44 million that Tron: Legacy pulled in fifteen years ago.
Jeff Bridges returns briefly as Kevin Flynn, but even his laid-back charm can’t save a script that feels rushed and emotionally empty. It’s the kind of movie that looks incredible on an IMAX screen but leaves you checking your watch.
Tron: Ares is in theaters now (and should hit Disney+ in early 2026 based on typical Disney release windows).
3. Tron (1982)
Steven Lisberger’s original Tron is the movie that started it all. Jeff Bridges plays Kevin Flynn, a computer programmer who gets digitized and trapped inside a mainframe where he has to fight for his life in deadly video games. Bruce Boxleitner plays both Alan Bradley and his program Tron, while David Warner chews scenery as the villainous Dillinger and his digital counterpart, Sark. Cindy Morgan rounds out the cast as Lora/Yori.
Roger Ebert called it
A technological sound-and-light show that is sensational and brainy, stylish, and fun.
And honestly? He was spot-on.
This movie was revolutionary. It’s one of cinema’s first films to use extensive CGI, and those glowing costumes with backlit circuitry became instantly iconic. The problem? Critics back in 1982 complained it was all effects and no story, with computer jargon flying over audiences’ heads.
It made about $33 million, which is decent, but not the blockbuster Disney hoped for. Here’s the wildest part: it was disqualified from the Best Visual Effects Oscar because the Academy thought using computer animation was “cheating” (via The Guardian). Yeah, that aged well.
Tron (1982) is a movie you need to experience in motion, for the stills you see online never do it justice. Full of mysticism surrounding the advent of new technology, with religious themes interwoven into a classic Sentient Program storyline, this movie is an incredible… pic.twitter.com/Wkav2G5drn
Despite the confusing plot, Tron became a cult classic that influenced everything from The Matrix to basically every sci-fi film with digital worlds. Wendy Carlos’s synth score is still fire, too.
You can stream Tron now on Disney+.
2. Tron: The Next Day (2011)
Okay, hear us out on this one. Tron: The Next Day is a 10-minute short film directed by Kurt Mattila that was released on the Tron: Legacy Blu-ray in April 2011. It stars Bruce Boxleitner as Alan Bradley and Dan Shor as Roy Kleinberg (Ram’s user from the original film), with Jeff Bridges providing voice work as Kevin Flynn.
This little gem fills in the backstory between the two main films and reveals the full history of the “Flynn Lives” movement. Basically, the in-universe fan club refused to believe Kevin Flynn was gone.
The short reveals that Roy Kleinberg (that’s Ram’s user, for those keeping score at home) was the mysterious “ZackAttack” who founded Flynn Lives, with Alan Bradley secretly bankrolling the whole operation. It’s got that classic Daft Punk music mixed with work from Musikvergnuegen and Walter Werzowa, and it sets up plot threads for future films while showing Sam Flynn arriving at ENCOM for his first board meeting wearing his Flynn Lives shirt.
Look, it’s just 10 minutes, but it actually matters. It gives Bruce Boxleitner and Dan Shor proper roles and adds depth to the franchise mythology. Plus, it’s thought-provoking and fun: everything a Tron story should be. The only reason it’s not higher? Well, it’s 10 minutes long.
Currently, Tron: The Next Day is not available to stream. But it is available as a special feature on Tron: Legacy Blu-ray releases.
1. Tron: Legacy (2010)
This is it, folks. This is the one. Joseph Kosinski’s Tron: Legacy is everything the franchise was meant to be. The story follows Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), Kevin Flynn’s son, who gets pulled into the Grid while searching for his dad, only to discover Kevin (Jeff Bridges) trapped by Clu (his own corrupted digital clone).
Olivia Wilde plays Quorra, the last surviving ISO (those self-generating programs that hint at digital life evolving on its own), and she’s absolutely magnetic. Michael Sheen steals every scene he’s in as the flamboyant Castor/Zuse.
Let’s talk about what makes this special. The visuals are breathtaking: Kosinski created a digital world you actually want to visit. The 3D was some of the best we’d seen at the time. But here’s what really sets it apart: it has heart.
The father-son relationship between Kevin and Sam gives the film emotional weight that the original lacked. And then there’s the Daft Punk soundtrack. Good lord, that soundtrack. It’s not just music; it’s basically another character, elevating every single moment. The film opened to $44 million and made $400 million worldwide on a $170 million budget.
tron: legacy (2010) — dir. joseph kosinski pic.twitter.com/IdCpqDqDUC
Critics were mixed (51% on Rotten Tomatoes), but audiences got it. Yeah, the plot can be predictable, and that de-aging CGI on young Flynn looks rough now, but those are minor quibbles. This is the film that proved blockbuster spectacle and genuine emotion can coexist. It’s philosophical, gorgeous, and unforgettable.
Currently, you can stream Tron: Legacy on Disney+.
So, there you have it, every Tron theatrical release and that crucial short film, ranked from the hollow spectacle of Ares to the neon-drenched perfection of Legacy. While the newest entry might disappoint with its weak story, and the original’s plot might be confusing as hell, Tron: Legacy remains proof that this franchise can deliver something truly special when it balances innovation with heart.
What do you think of our ranking? Is Tron: Legacy really the best, or are you ride-or-die for the original? Did Tron: Ares deserve better, or are the critics right? Drop your thoughts in the comments below, telling us which Tron movie lives rent-free in your head!
