4K/Blu-Ray Review: TRON: Ares Arrives Home with Stunning HDR and Immersive Atmos Audio

15 years after TRON’s unlikely sequel, Walt Disney Pictures returned users to the game grid with TRON: Ares, now available on 4K Ultra-HD and Blu-Ray. From director Joachim Rønning (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil), the third installment briefly brings Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) back to the screen as the lone returning character. The film is more about returning to the world than any specific character, and this time, the digital world comes to us.

Determined to secure his company’s dominance, Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters) creates Ares (Jared Leto), a warlike program that obeys his every command, and develops technology capable of temporarily bringing digital creations into the real world. When ENCOM CEO Eve Kim (Greta Lee) uncovers Kevin Flynn’s elusive “Permanence Code," Julian sees it as the key to making his breakthrough permanent and sends Ares and his lieutenant Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith) after her.

Par for the course for the franchise, TRON: Ares’ greatest strength is its visual effects. The home video release includes some worthwhile bonus features that explore how the film was made, including constructing real lightcycles for the city chase sequence. While the film is unlikely to be any fan’s favorite installment in the franchise, collectors may feel a duty to complete the trilogy, especially in the wake of Disney’s 4K releases of the first two films last fall.

Video

On both formats, Tron: Ares is a striking visual showcase, but the 4K UHD disc is clearly the preferred way to experience the film. The 4K presentation brings an immediate boost in clarity and depth, with HDR and Dolby Vision giving the film’s neon-heavy palette an extra surge of intensity—especially in the blues, reds, and glowing highlights that define the Grid. Fine detail in practical sets, costumes, and faces also sees a noticeable uptick, helping ground the digital spectacle in something tactile and real. The intentionally retro design of the Grid keeps the visuals from feeling ultra-sleek in a modern sci-fi sense, but line work is crisp and deliberate, reinforcing the film’s stylized aesthetic. The Blu-ray still looks excellent in its own right, delivering bold color and strong detail, but without the added punch and dimensionality that makes the 4K presentation feel truly eye-catching.

Audio

Disney delivers strong audio presentations on both discs, with the Blu-ray’s DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix offering immersive, well-balanced surround sound and the 4K UHD’s Dolby Atmos track adding a subtle but welcome sense of height and spaciousness. Environmental effects—whether in the real world or within the Grid—fill the soundstage convincingly, and action sequences like the light cycle chases benefit from clean panning and directional movement. While the Atmos mix doesn’t radically reinvent the experience compared to the already-solid 7.1 track, it does enhance the sense of scale during larger set pieces. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ score is presented with plenty of sonic space, even if its restrained, heavy approach may not resonate with everyone, and dialogue remains consistently clear and intelligible throughout. Additional audio options include a stereo descriptive audio mix, plus French and Spanish (7.1 on 4K, 5.1 on Blu-Ray) and Japanese (4K disc only).

Bonus Features

• The Journey To Tron: Ares (11:41) -  Go on a personal journey with Jared Leto, director Joachim Rønning and other cast and crew members for an in-depth making-of look showcasing the stunning visuals, incredible stunts, cool (but heavy) costumes, and next-level sets of Tron: Ares.
• Lightcycles On The Loose (6:57) - Join director Joachim Rønning as he peels back the layers of one of the most action-packed sequences in the film. Discover what ILM and the artists who grew up loving the franchise contributed, and what other iconic film the sequence pays homage to.
• The Artistry Of Tron: Ares (6:17) - Director Joachim Rønning and actor-producer Jared Leto sit down to discuss their journey creating Tron: Ares. The pair unpack key moments and the striking visual, sonic and artistic philosophies that drive the storytelling both in and out of the Grid.
• Cast Conversations (4:55) - Join the cast in candid conversations as they reflect on stepping into character, memorable on-set experiences, funny anecdotes and personal insights. Get a glimpse of the off-screen camaraderie that shines in their electric on-screen synergy. 
• The Legacy Of Tron (5:12) - Decades after Tron first took the world by storm, and with Tron: Legacy in between, there’s loads of nostalgia to mine for Tron: Ares. Catch some clever easter eggs and noteworthy cameos as this enduring franchise continues to leave its mark.
• Deleted Scenes (2:17)
  • Seth’s Date (0:49)
  • Burning Man (0:49)
  • Lisberger Cameo (0:46)

Packaging & Design

We received the standard packaging 4K/Blu-Ray/Digital release of TRON: Ares, which is housed in a standard black Blu-Ray case with disc holders on both sides of the interior. Both discs contain artwork, and the only insert is a digital copy code, redeemable through Movies Anywhere. The initial pressing includes a foil embossed slipcover. Both discs feature the same main menu, featuring kinetic action shots from the game grid set to Nine Inch Nails score from the film.

Final Thoughts

TRON: Ares may not redefine the franchise in the way the original film once did, but it remains a visually ambitious and thematically interesting entry that feels very much in line with Disney’s modern approach to legacy sci-fi properties. As a home video release, the film truly shines on 4K Ultra HD, where its bold color design, stylized Grid aesthetics, and immersive soundscape are given room to breathe and impress. While the story itself may not fully resonate with all fans, the strong technical presentation and a solid slate of bonus features make this release an easy recommendation for TRON completists and home theater enthusiasts alike—especially those who’ve already added the recent 4K upgrades of TRON and TRON: Legacy to their collections.

Purchase Options:

• 4K/Blu-Ray/Digital SteelBook
• 4K/Blu-Ray/Digital Standard Packaging
• Blu-Ray/Digital
• DVD
• DVD 3-Movie Collection

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