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Are you ready to hop on your lightcycle and race through the digital world?

Tron is a science-fiction fantasy film that explores life inside of a digital realm. The 1982 Disney film follows a video game developer named Kevin Flynn who enters a computer program. Flynn soon finds himself facing strange digital beings and participating in computerized gladiatorial games. The film was ahead of its time, quickly becoming a cult classic. Now it’s become a franchise, thanks to a sequel film, a television series, tie-in material, and upcoming projects.

If you’ve ever wanted to get into Tron, but weren’t sure where to start, Popverse has you covered! This guide will tell you everything you need to know about watching Tron and reading the spin-off material.  

How to watch Tron in release order

It’s time to step inside the Grid. Watching Tron in release order is fairly simple. There are currently 2 films with another on the way, a short film acting as an epilogue, and a television series. It all started with Tron, the original 1982 film.

 In 2010 Disney continued the franchise with Tron: Legacy. Tron: The Next Day is a short film that acts as an epilogue to the movie. The story was expanded with Tron: Uprising, an animated series that bridges the gap between the two films. A third film, Tron: Ares, is set to be released in October 2025.

To keep things straight, just refer to this watch order…

• Tron (1982 theatrical film)
• Tron: Legacy (2010 theatrical film)
• Tron: The Next Day (2011 short film)
• Tron: Uprising (19-episode animated series, 2012-2013)
• Tron: Ares (2025 theatrical film)
  
  

How to watch Tron in chronological order

Watching Tron in chronological order isn’t that different from watching it in release order. The only change is Tron: Uprising acting as a bridge between the 1982 film and Tron: Legacy. As of this writing Tron: Ares hasn’t been released. As such, we can’t determine its place in the timeline, or if it’s even in the same continuity as other Tron projects. To make things simple for you, we’ve created the following timeline.

• 1992: Tron (1982 theatrical film)
• 1989: Tron: Legacy (2010 theatrical film) (opening scene)
• 1990: Tron: Uprising (19-episode animated series, 2012-2013)
• 2010: Tron: Legacy (2010 theatrical film) (main story) and Tron: The Next Day (2011 short film)
  
  

Is the Tron 2.0 video game canon?

Tron 2.0 was a 2003 computer game produced by Monolith Productions. The game follows Alan Bradley’s son Jet, who enters the digital world and battles a virus. At the time of the game’s release, Disney had no plans to continue the Tron franchise on film, and Tron 2.0 was billed as an official continuation of the 1982 movie.

The storyline from the video game was continued with the Game Boy Advance game Tron 2.0: Killer App and the comic book Tron: Ghost in the Machine.

Then Tron: Legacy happened.

Once Disney decided to do another Tron movie, Tron 2.0 and its sequels were removed from continuity. Star Wars fans can relate.

Tron: Legacy was released in 2010, and it ignored the events of Tron 2.0. In case there was any ambiguity, Tron creator Steven Lisberger and Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski have stated that Tron 2.0 is not canon. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun playing it. The game is available on Steam if you want to give it a try.

Is Tron 3 being made?

Yes, a third Tron film is being made. Tron: Ares, directed by Joachim Ronning, is the next chapter of the saga. The film stars Jared Leto as an AI being named Ares, who leaves the Grid for a mission in the real world. There has been confusing language about whether the film will be a continuity reboot, or simply a new story set in the world. Either way, the film will hit theaters on October 10, 2025.

Is Tron 1982 connected to Tron: Legacy?

Yes, Tron: Legacy is a sequel to the 1982 Tron film. It’s set in the same continuity, taking place 20 years after the events of the original film. While there was a significant gap of time between the two films, Tron: Legacy is not a reboot or a remake. It just goes to show you, it’s never too late to make a sequel.

Did Daft Punk appear in Tron: Legacy?

Yes, Daft Punk made a cameo appearance in Tron: Legacy. The electronic music duo make a cameo appearance as DJs inside a nightclub. If you’ve seen the way Daft Punk dress, then you would know that their look fits right in with the aesthetic of Tron. In addition to appearing in the film, the duo also composed the film’s soundtrack. Unfortunately, Daft Punk will not return for Tron: Ares, as the musical duo split up in 2021.

Are the Tron comics canon?

If you want to take a deeper dive into the Tron mythology, here’s a brief rundown of the tie-in comics.

• Tron newspaper comic strip (1982) – A Sunday newspaper comic strip.
• Tron: The Ghost in the Machine (2006) – A sequel to the Tron 2.0 video game. Since the video game was exiled from continuity, this comic is not considered canon.
• Tron: Betrayal (2010) – A comic set between Tron and Tron: Legacy, specifically spanning 1983-1989. It’s considered canon.
• Tron: Original Movie Adaptation (2011) – As the title says, an adaptation of the 1982 film.
• Tron: Legacy (2011) – A comic adaptation of the 2010 film.
  
  

Where can I watch Tron?

If you’re ready to enter the Grid, you’re going to need a Disney+ subscription. The streaming service is the current home to Tron, Tron: Legacy, and Tron: Uprising. As of this writing Tron: The Next Day is not available on any streaming services. The short film can be watched as a special feature on home media releases of Tron: Legacy. While nothing official has been announced, it’s safe to assume that Tron: Ares will end up on Disney+ once its theatrical run has concluded.

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