Steven Lisberger’s 1982 film Tron largely unfolds inside a dazzling digital realm where programs—rendered as neon-clad figures—compete on the Grid. Programs are annihilated (or “derezzed”) in the Disc Arena and shredded by jetwalls during light-cycle skirmishes. Joseph Kosinski’s follow-up, Tron: Legacy, returns to that computerized battleground for more high-speed confrontations and Grid-based combat.
Joachim Rønning’s sequel, Tron: Ares, leans less on pure video-game spectacle. The film still stages brutal clashes between programs, but many conflicts center on clandestine caches of data, with programs serving as avatars for powerful corporations. Security and infiltration programs spar across ENCOM servers, while in the physical world, exported Recognizers and light cycles behave as they do inside the system.
The centerpiece is Ares (Jared Leto), a warrior program designed as a modular super-soldier that can be reproduced in 3D to fight real-world wars. But if Ares’ human form were pulled into a Grid contest, would Jared Leto have what it takes to survive? At a recent press event, Polygon asked the principal cast and crew which games they’d expect to endure. Below are their answers, followed by our assessments of how they’d actually fare in those virtual arenas.
Greta Lee
Role: Greta Lee portrays Eve Kim, ENCOM’s CEO, who is pulled away from corporate responsibilities while she pursues the so-called “permanence code” allegedly left by Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges).
Game she thinks she could survive: “My kids are really into Minecraft,” Lee told Polygon. She said she’d like to explore one of her children’s custom worlds—particularly one her youngest built that’s teeming with parrots.
Our verdict: 90%. If Lee spent her time among the friendly fauna, she’d likely be fine. The only real hazard would be encountering a Creeper unexpectedly—so long as she avoids those, she should be safe.
Evan Peters
Role: Peters plays Julian Dillinger, the head of Dillinger Systems and the grandson of Ed Dillinger (David Warner) from the original Tron.
Game he thinks he could survive: Peters joked that he’d “definitely lose in the Disc Arena” and instead picked BioShock—praising its atmospheric design alongside post-apocalyptic favorites like Fallout 3 and Fallout 4.
Our verdict: In BioShock: 5%. Rapture’s hazards overwhelm most newcomers. In a Fallout game: 10%, mostly buoyed by charisma rather than combat instincts. Charm might open doors, but it won’t keep him alive long in a hostile wasteland.
Gillian Anderson
Role: Anderson is Elisabeth Dillinger—Julian’s mother and Ed Dillinger’s daughter. A former CEO of Dillinger Systems, she’s comparatively pragmatic and steady.
Game she thinks she could survive: Anderson quipped that she’d do fine in Pong, despite demonstrated familiarity with other classic interactive titles like Myst.
Our verdict: 50%. If the rules of Pong are purely symbolic—no lethal penalties—she’s probably safe. But if failure or being struck by the ball carries fatal consequences, the abstract void of Pong could be unexpectedly perilous.
Joachim Rønning
Role: Rønning directed Tron: Ares. His previous films include Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.
Game he thinks he could survive: Rønning named the original Tomb Raider—the PlayStation classic that first captivated him with its cinematic, physical puzzles.
Our verdict: 20%. The hazards of a Tomb Raider adventure—wildlife, traps, and environmental dangers—would likely pose a steep challenge. His cinematic instincts might help him spot some threats, but survival odds are slim without Lara Croft’s athleticism and combat skills.
Jared Leto
Role: Leto plays Ares, a program engineered by Dillinger Systems that aspires to leave the Grid and exist in the flesh.
Game he thinks he could survive: Leto chose Frogger, citing his experience navigating hectic streets in New York and Los Angeles as preparation for dodging traffic.
Our verdict: 51%. Street-crossing instincts help, but much of Frogger demands precision on moving platforms—logs, turtles, and the threat of alligators. Real-world urban savvy only gets you so far in that environment.
Tron: Ares arrives in theaters on October 10, 2025.
Source: Polygon
