Has there ever been a series that was as irregular as Tron? Think about it – the first one came out in 1982, and it took twenty-eight years for us to finally get a sequel with Tron: Legacy in 2010. And then, it took another fifteen years for Tron: Ares to come out. Early box office numbers suggest it might have been too long a wait, with the film seemingly heading towards a disappointing opening. But, then again, none of the Tron movies have been blockbusters. That’s why they are so irregular, as they tend to take years to break even and start earning some revenue, although they are solid enough catalogue titles that Disney can’t help but dip back into the franchise now and again. Even if Ares doesn’t make a ton of money, when worldwide box office and ancillary revenue are worked in, this one will probably turn a profit at some point.
But, which Tron movie is the best? It’s a tough question, as it can’t be denied that none of the movies are perfect. While people rave about the original for how cutting-edge it was for the era, at the time, it wasn’t exactly beloved by movie geeks. How Did This Get Made host Paul Scheer who, unlike many of us, was actually a kid when the original came out (I was only a few months old myself) recently wrote a piece on his Substack calling the entire trilogy’s legacy into question, saying that anyone who says the original was an unassailable eighties classic is wrong – although he admitted he still wants to “get” Tron even if he doesn’t yet.
So with that in mind, what is the best Tron movie? I ranked all three of them yesterday, but now it’s time for our readers to have their say. Choose the best Tron, or – if you want – feel free tell us you agree with Scheer and don’t “get” the series.
