Sounds Of The Grid Pt III: Nine Inch Nails And The Music Of 'Tron: Ares'
Image Source: Deadline
Greetings, programs! Here we are, at the end.
Despite the mixed critical reception and commercial underperformance of Tron: Legacy, Disney thought there was still enough gas in the tank to make a third movie. With Legacy director Joseph Kosinski and writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz set to return, plans for a third movie were underway. David DiGilio and, eventually, Jesse Wigutow were brought in to rewrite the script, but this wouldn’t move the needle. After announcing that a third movie with Joseph Kosinski was officially signed on, with Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde in tow, Disney reversed its decision only 2 months later. The then recent commercial failure of Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland was widely assumed to be the reason. Disney’s recent success with live action remakes of their classic animated films, such as Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent, the continued success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the pending release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens were all described as reasons for why Disney let the sequel, later revealed to be titled Tron: Ascension, fall by the wayside. In 2017, it was reported that a soft reboot was in development, intended to serve as a vehicle for Academy Award-winning actor and musician Jared Leto. While some fans bemoaned the idea of a reboot of any kind, many begrudgingly accepted it cause it meant the franchise wouldn’t die forever. Garth Davies, the director of the Oscar-nominated 2016 film Lion, was hired to direct, but left in 2020 and was replaced by Joachim Rønning, who co-directed the Oscar-nominated 2012 film Kon Tiki with former directing partner Espen Sandberg, as well as Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Rønning ventured solo with Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.
After years of development hell, the sequel, now titled Tron: Ares, will be released on October 10th, 2025. Like the first two films,s it received mixed reviews from critics. While Ares received praise for its visual effects, sound design, Rønning’s direction, and the performances of Jared Leto (no, seriously) and Greta Lee, the film (like the first two films) received criticism for its screenplay. The film failed to make an impact at the box office, which is attributed to numerous factors, including (but not limited to) overall declining box office, the Tron franchise's lack of mainstream popularity, Jared Leto's involvement, and the film’s lackluster marketing campaign. But it’s not all bad, as the film will likely achieve the same cult status with fans as the first two films did. Of course, just like Legacy, the most praised aspect of the film, far and away, was the musical score.
RELATED:
Image Source: The Hollywood Reporter
In 1988, Trent Reznor formed Nine Inch Nails after working as a studio janitor. His previous stints with synth-pop bands and tours with Guns N' Roses, Ministry, and Skinny Puppy paved the way for the success of his debut studio album, Pretty Hate Machine, in 1989. Tensions with his label, TVT, led Reznor to release his next album, Broken, in 1992, free from TVT's control. The Grammy-winning lead single Wish caught the attention of Interscope Records, which established the vanity label Nothing Records to grant Reznor complete creative freedom over his sophomore record, The Downward Spiral. The album was a massive critical and financial hit and became one of the most influential albums of the 1990s. After years of commercial and personal life issues and conflicts with record labels, Nine Inch Nails essentially ended in 2009. And then the next 15 years happened.
Starting in 2010, Trent Reznor began the second chapter of his career. Alongside Nine Inch Nails sound engineer and Tapeworms collaborator Atticus Ross, the duo scored David Fincher’s The Social Network. Receiving critical acclaim and earning multiple accolades (including an Academy Award), Reznor and Ross would go on to score every Fincher film since: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl, Mank, and The Killer. Reznor and Ross are also frequent collaborators for director Luca Guadagnino, providing the scores for his last four films: Bones and All, Challengers, Queer, and After the Hunt. Other prominent scores in their careers include Trey Edward Shultz’s Waves, Pete Docter’s Soul (which they scored with Grammy-winner Jon Batiste), Sam Mendes’ Empire of the Sun, and Jeff Rowe’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Reznor, Ross, and Batiste swept awards season for their score for Soul. The award-winning duo also scored the HBO Watchmen TV series and won an Emmy for their troubles. But of course, their biggest score in terms of scope came in 2025.
Image Source: Blunt Magazine
When Ares was still Ascenison, the general assumption was that no matter what, Daft Punk would do the score. Even when Joseph Kosinski departed the project, the assumption stood. It wasn’t until the duo broke up in 2021 that the question of who would score the third movie was on everybody’s mind. Due to Joachim Rønning’s collaborations with former Hans Zimmer protege, Geoff Zanelli, many believed he’d be the man for the job. Some even said Hans Zimmer would be a good candidate. Then, D23 2024, Nine Inch Nails was confirmed to provide the score. Granted, it’sTrent Reznor and Atticus Ross using the Nine Inch Nails name, but it’s still Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. After finishing their work on Soul, Walt Disney Music president Tom MacDougall asked them to score Tron: Ares. At Disney’s request, Reznor and Ross used the Nine Inch Nails name. When Ares released, the score was seen as the film’s highlight. The soundtrack album debuted at #5 on the Billboard Hot 200. Recently, both the score and the song As Alive As You Need Me To Be were shortlisted for potential Oscar nominations. Should they get nominated, it will be Reznor and Ross’s 5th and 6th overall nominations.
Like Wendy Carlos and Daft Punk before them, Nine Inch Nails put their own spin on the material. Citing Carlos as the primary influence, Ares goes back to the heavier electronic music from Tron 1. In a scene where Ares meets the man himself, Kevin Flynn, Reznor and Ross reprise Carlos’s original Tron theme outright, something Daft Punk didn’t even do in the score for Legacy. Some have expressed disappointment with Reznor and Ross’s decision to do away with orchestral music altogether. And to be perfectly honest, it does hinder the score a bit. The decision to have the score be wall-to-wall electronic also affects the use of themes and leitmotifs. Ares has a motif that also serves as the basis for Shadow Over Me. There aren’t any that stand out as much as Carlos’s Tron Scherzo or the main love theme or Daft Punk’s memorable themes for the Flynn family and Rinzer, but the score is still an atmospheric treat. Tracks such as Init, Nemesis, Infiltator, and New Directive are where Reznor and Ross get to go crazy. The score for Ares wouldn’t be out of place in the club if you know which tracks to include in the mix. The more emotional tracks such as Still Remains and Out in the World may not get you to start dancing, but they will make you feel like you’re in the world of Tron. Reznor and Ross consistently lean into the more aggressive sound and tone of Ares (which matches the movie’s red motif). There is very little room for the more jaunty music of Wendy Carlos or the larger-than-life fairy tale music of Daft Punk. Instead, Reznor and Ross’s score is almost horror-esque. Some tracks are reminiscent of Daniel Pemberton’s score for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse for scenes featuring The Collider. If you go into the score expecting wall-to-wall themes and leitmotifs, you’ll be disappointed. If you go into the soundtrack for the vibes, you’ll be insanely happy. Or you could play As Alive As You Need Me To Be on a loop like I did while writing this editorial.
Image Source: Billboard
As Tron is likely to enter another extended hiatus, we can at least take pride that we got an entire trilogy out of this universe. The fact that Steven Lishberger’s little sci-fi movie that could managed to spawn a media franchise despite failing to meet initial expectations is a win within itself. Wendy Carlos, Daft Punk, and Nine Inch Nails are all small parts of a massive legacy, and their work shouldn’t be taken for granted. Whenever we feel like the world is getting too much, we can also use their music to help transport us to another world. A world where innovation is king and adventure is just around the corner. Who knows when or even if we’ll find our way back into the Grid one day? But if we do, whoever decides to pick up the musical mantle will be given the keys to one of the most musically unique movie franchises of all time. I’m confident that someone somewhere will find a way back into the world of Tron. And when they do, we’ll be ready.
As Trent Reznor sings, everything for a reason.
CultureSlate: Made by humans, for humans
READ NEXT:
Latest News
Featured
