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Posted in: Disney, Movies | Tagged: disney, film, tron, Tron: Ares
Jeff Bridges on Returning to the TRON Universe for TRON: Ares
Jeff Bridges opens up about his return in TRON: Ares, and how he didn't initially anticipate that his character would appear again.
Article Summary
- Jeff Bridges returns as Kevin Flynn in TRON: Ares, surprising even himself with his character’s revival.
- Jared Leto leads the new TRON: Ares story, playing a sentient program entering the real world.
- The film continues TRON’s exploration of digital versus human themes and evolving digital mythologies.
- Garrett Hedlund will not return in TRON: Ares, but Bridges’ comeback bridges past and future installments.
With TRON: Ares on the horizon, the legendary TRON universe is gearing up for its first new installment in over a decade. This time around, Jared Leto is set to lead the next chapter of the long-running sci-fi saga as a sentient program crossing into the real world—expanding the franchise's digital mythology in bold new directions. And yes, the one and only Jeff Bridges is also coming back for more. In fact, Bridges, who played Kevin Flynn in the original 1982 TRON and its 2010 sequel TRON: Legacy, recently spoke with Empire about his return to the Grid in some form, teasing that things have changed.
Jeff Bridges Was Surprised by His Character's Return in TRON: Ares
Bridges tells the outlet, "Yeah, I was a bit surprised [about my return]. You know, this is the Grid. The whole digital universe is all up for grabs. It's all possible in that place. It worked out that I still have some sort of consciousness." He later added, "As human beings, we seek perfection. And sometimes we miss the whole point of the thing—the idea of the journey being the destination. Flynn originally explored the digital world in the hopes of achieving some sort of perfection for humanity, but now… the plot thickens, you know? As The Dude might say, new sh*t has come to light."
While Leto's new character, Ares, will be at the center of the story, Bridges' return as Flynn adds continuity—and thematic weight—to the evolving Tron mythos. The series has always blurred the lines between man and machine, physical and digital, creator and code. TRON: Ares appears poised to continue that tradition, pushing the story beyond the confines of the Grid and into the real world. However, as we recently learned, we shouldn't expect to see Garrett Hedlund after previously taking the reins in TRON: Legacy. There's always the next one, though, fellow TRON: Legacy fans!
Directed by Joachim Rønning (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil), TRON: Ares just wrapped filming last month, with a cast that includes Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, and Gillian Anderson. TRON: Ares' is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 10, 2025.
Are you excited about Bridges' return to the TRON franchise?
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