The Grid is back—and this time, it’s bleeding into the real world. Disney has just unveiled the pulsating first trailer and poster for “Tron: Ares,” the third chapter in the iconic TRON franchise, officially hitting theaters on October 10. And if that weren’t enough to light up your circuitry, the trailer features brand-new music from Nine Inch Nails, marking the band’s dramatic return to the spotlight after a five-year hiatus.
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The industrial rock titans dropped their new single “As Alive As You Need Me To Be,” the first taste of the Tron: Ares (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), and their first official release as Nine Inch Nails since 2019. The track pulses through the just-released trailer, weaving the band’s signature sonic tension into the film’s futuristic narrative. A visualizer for the song is now available to stream, giving fans a stylized glimpse of what’s to come (see below)
While NIN bandmates Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are no strangers to film scoring—they’ve earned two Oscars, three Golden Globes, a GRAMMY and an Emmy for their work on projects like “The Social Network” and “Soul”—“TRON: Ares” marks the first time Nine Inch Nails has scored an entire film under the band name. The full soundtrack arrives September 19 via Interscope Records.
Directed by Joachim Rønning (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”), “TRON: Ares” stars Jared Leto in the title role as a powerful and highly advanced Program named Ares. The story follows Ares as he’s sent from the digital realm into the real world on a perilous mission—one that could spark humanity’s first direct contact with artificial intelligence beings.
The star-studded cast includes Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, Gillian Anderson, and franchise legend Jeff Bridges. Behind the scenes, the film is shepherded by producers Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver, Justin Springer, Jared Leto, Emma Ludbrook, and Steven Lisberger—who directed the original “TRON” in 1982—alongside executive producer Russell Allen.
With mind-bending visuals, a legacy of digital-world storytelling, and a thundering Nine Inch Nails score to match, “Tron: Ares” is shaping up to be one of the most exciting sci-fi films of the year.
“TRON: Ares” opens in theaters on October 10. The full soundtrack drops September 19. Listen to “As Alive As You Need Me To Be” now and watch the full movie trailer below.
Rodrigo Perez is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Playlist, which he launched in 2008. He has worked in entertainment journalism since 2000, including at MTV, and has written for SPIN, IndieWire, Pitchfork, Complex, Magnet, and various music, film, and entertainment publications over the past two decades.
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