Our modern box office landscape can get quite competitive, even more so when you take into account the 2025 fall movies vying for premium formats like IMAX and 4DX. If local listings are anything to go by, then this week will see the IMAX format given to the upcoming biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere – which means that Tron: Ares is about to lose a pretty big box office booster. As such, it’s uncertain whether Disney’s legacy-quel will be holding onto its 4DX screens this weekend, and as someone who’s seen the picture in that format, I feel the need to convince you all to take this ride for yourself.
If you’ve read my Tron: Ares review, you know that I quite enjoyed the picture. However, 4DX kicks the entire enterprise up a notch, thanks to its inclusion of 3D and other atmospheric effects. So if you want to truly feel the adventure, you should get your tickets while you can. However, if you still need some convincing, then allow me to sell you on why Tron: Ares is a must-see in the 4DX format!
Tron: Ares’ 4DX Version Is Another Immersive Triumph
Mixing sensory and visual stimuli to pack a punch, a 4DX variant can really dial up the thrills in a major motion picture. As I’ve covered the medium extensively in the past, I can spot a waste of a premium ticket when I see one. I should also note that when I first saw Tron: Ares I was blown away by its IMAX 2D presentation, as it was filmed with that large format in mind.
That being said, Ares absolutely pops in 4DX; and I had a feeling it would just by looking at it! Of course you’re not just watching a movie in this premium format – you literally are feeling it. Before we get too far into why that is, I must warn you that you will be thrown around in this battle for digital dominance.
In the interest of safety, make sure to check out 4DX’s safety regulations when considering this premium offering. Trust me, the motion effects in this spectacle come close to (if not rival) those of Twisters; so you’ve been warned.
The Film’s Battle Setpieces Redefine The Term “Moving Picture”
If we’re nailing down the basic pillars of what makes 4DX worth the ticket price, then the motion and sensory effects are what we need to start off discussing. Moving your seat to the action is something that’s deceptively simple, as it can surprisingly be an entirely boring (and distracting) experience. The team that calibrated Tron: Ares to the action on screen knew what they were doing though – resulting in a wild ride that could be a quick fix for those who love the Tron Lightcycle Run ride.
4DX’s seat vibration and fan system make you feel like you’re in the action; giving a boost to everything from flying scenes to hacking battles. Seeing as this is a movie in the world of Tron, that’s a huge part of why encountering this format is a huge win for anyone even remotely interested. I will warn you though, it does get a bit rough at times – especially in the huge battle that leads up to Tron: Ares’ ending.
Light Trails Are Only Part Of The Eye Popping Thrills
With every Tron: Ares trailer I would watch, the 3D potential continued to excite me. Some may not remember how Tron: Legacy helped pioneer usage of the format after Avatar blew open the doors, but its truly mind-blowing third-dimensional enhancements are still being talked about today. Sam Flynn’s 3D transition into The Grid in particular felt like The Wizard of Oz kicking into color, allowing the still fresh effect to really take off in the previous installment.
Even with Tron: Ares arriving at a point where 3D seems to be on the decline, the Jared Leto-led adventure stands as one of the best cases for this medium’s existence. Putting aside the obvious light trails being a true standout, ID discs still fly out at the audience in impressive fashion. Also, the depth of the picture is quite limitless; which makes moments like Ares and Eve Kim (Greta Lee) falling towards a sea of simulation in the Dillinger Grid even more striking – especially in a movie that takes place in mostly dark, nighttime settings.
You Can Finally Feel What It’s Like To Be Derezzed
The 3D visuals for Tron: Ares are only part of the equation here – because this is 4DX. There’s one more D(X) to discuss, which brings us back to the physical effects added by moving seats, fan systems in the seats and ceiling, and the water based accents present to round it all off. If there’s anything that highlights the entire gamut of those various pieces, it’s the moments where programs from the Dillinger Grid are derezzed in the middle of battle.
That’s a key difference to keep in mind, as Ares doesn’t break out those effects for every Program’s demise. Since assets from Dillinger Systems derez when their 29 minute lifespan in the real world runs out, they simply turn to dust. But when someone is killed in their prime, you feel a spray of water hit you that almost feels like whatever the digital equivalent of blood may be. Apologies to anyone who feels particularly wary whenever they delete an app off of their phone after viewing.
Even Nine Inch Nails’ Score Takes Advantage Of The Seat Vibration
Ok, so let’s say your huge reason for seeing this particular picture is Tron: Ares’ pitch perfect score from Nine Inch Nails. There’s a lot of promotion surrounding that factor, including a pull quote review for the film hyping Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ involvement. Much like Sinners and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning before it, my press screening in IMAX made me truly feel the music present through a well-cranked sound system.
Tron: Ares takes that concept, and runs with it through the 4DX format – making another moment of on-screen action into a prominent example of what truly shines in this format. Fans of the track “Inflitrator” could tell you that the tune used during a sequence where Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters) hacks into the ENCOM servers already turns that scene into a sterling music video style action set-piece.
However, 4DX employs the vibration effects in its seats to amp up the beats of Nine Inch Nails’ music into the fourth dimension. You feel the pulsing beat of “Infiltrator,” which only adds to the battle between Grids as it progresses. If you somehow don’t feel that Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross had earned their executive producer credits, Tron: Ares in 4DX is the final, and most effective argument to the contrary.
Strong Premium Format Grosses Are The Best Hope For A Tron 4
While it looks like Tron: Ares’ latest box office update has the picture holding fast in the top 10, the removal of premium format screens could dial down the heat significantly. While the long run has always shown this property to be valued more by its fans than the accountants, the one concern that would be greatly impacted by this project’s financial standings is, of course, a Tron 4.
Seeing as this story sets up a future entry perfectly, that’s one more thing people should keep in mind when deciding whether or not to head out to the movies. All of you fans who are looking to support the movie, or anyone who’s mildly curious about director Joachim Rønning’s entry into the Tron canon owes it to themselves to enjoy this thrilling version of the film at least once.
Having a second week in 4DX is a lucky feat for any picture. So if you thought you’d missed Tron: Ares in this specific format, you’ve still got time. However, I fear that if it doesn’t derez out of format this weekend, it will surely lose screens to both Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride and The Nightmare Before Christmas – both of which are on deck. So keep that in mind when booking tickets, as you’ve got a couple days left to get all these thrills into your calendar. Also, don’t forget to keep up with all things Ares, courtesy of our THS’ Tron: Ares archive. -End of Line-
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