Evan Peters Is Great, But Tron: Ares Proves He’s Sci-Fi’s New Gold Standard

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Tron: Ares, the third film in the series, was one of Disney’s most eagerly awaited releases of 2025. Interestingly, reviews are sharply divided: critics are hesitant, while audiences are overwhelmingly positive. While it’s common for critics and audiences to disagree on films, in this case, the fans are right on the mark. Tron: Ares is a new, thrilling, and visually impressive film that offers a fresh take on the world of the Grid and its potential.

One of the strongest parts of the movie is Evan Peters’ portrayal of Julian Dillinger, a tech mogul and the grandson of the original *TRON* villain, Edward “Ed” Dillinger, Sr. Like his grandfather, Julian serves as the film’s main antagonist. He’s a brilliant innovator who has built his own digital world, separate from the one in the original *TRON*. Peters’ performance is so compelling that he’s quickly become a benchmark for sci-fi villains.

Julian Dillinger is the Ruthless Chairman of Dillinger Systems

Julian Dillinger initially appears to be a typical science fiction antagonist. Like his grandfather before him, he rose to become Chairman of Dillinger Systems. A brilliant mind, Julian rebuilt the digital world pioneered by Kevin Flynn, and went even further by discovering how to transport real people into it. His creations within this world are extensive, encompassing everything from vehicles and weapons to complex programs that take human form, such as Ares, played by Jared Leto.

Anything Julian brought from the digital world, the Grid, could only last about 29 minutes in the real world without Kevin Flynn’s Permanence Code. After that time, these digital objects would fall apart – a process the movie calls “deresolution.” The Permanence Code itself is a special piece of code shaped like DNA that can permanently stabilize digital creations, letting them exist in the real world. Because of how important it is, many characters are trying to find it. Eve Kim, the CEO of Encom, and Julian Dillinger are both searching for the code, and eventually, Ares, a program from the Grid, also joins the hunt, hoping to use it to escape and live in the real world.

Eve Kim is committed to finishing the important work her sister started, believing the ‘Permanence Code’ can help solve global issues like hunger and disease by creating food, resilient crops, and life-saving medicines. However, Julian Dillinger has different plans. He wants to weaponize the technology, showcasing a tank and a super-soldier named Ares as proof. He sees Ares as the ideal fighter – incredibly strong and fast, but also easily replaceable since he can be recreated.

Honestly, it’s heartbreaking to watch Julian. He built these incredible programs, like Ares, but he doesn’t *get* what he’s done. He doesn’t see them as beings deserving of respect – to him, they’re just tools, things he owns because he created them. And the worst part is, he only sees their destructive potential, which is terrifying. If he had his way, he could unleash something truly dangerous on the world, and it’s a really scary thought.

Julian, though he embodies many familiar science fiction themes, is a compelling character with a distinct outlook on technological progress. He argues that trying to halt advancement or natural evolution is both futile and undesirable. He believes the relevant question isn’t whether we *can* or *should* create something, but rather *who* controls it. He illustrates this point with the example of a car: the important thing isn’t whether we can build it, but who gets to drive.

Julian demonstrates his ruthless determination to obtain the Permanence Code. He backs up his threats with action, initially sending Ares and Athena to kidnap Eve Kim and steal the code. When that fails, he forcefully transfers Eve’s consciousness into the Dillinger Systems Grid, intending to extract the code directly from her mind – a process that would effectively destroy her and erase her existence. Although he briefly hesitates, Julian ultimately gives the order to proceed, willing to kill her to get the code. He nearly succeeds, but Ares defies him and saves Eve.

Peters Brings the Commanding Charm from His American Horror Story Characters to the Role

Throughout the story of *Tron: Ares*, Julian Dillinger is revealed to be a complex character. He’s driven and confident, with a touch of arrogance common among highly successful people. He’s also ruthless, willing to eliminate anyone who stands in his way. As the head of a massive company, he prefers to stay clean and uses his programs to handle the more unpleasant tasks. When Ares turns against him and saves Eve Kim, Dillinger appoints Athena as the Grid’s new guardian and sends her to hunt down both of them, giving her complete freedom to do whatever it takes – a command she takes to an extreme.

Julian’s biggest error in judgment proves to be trusting Athena. After her initial attempt to reach Eve fails, Athena dramatically escalates the situation, bringing in a massive amount of resources – numerous programs and a huge ship – to ensure success. Julian criticizes her overreaction, but she points out he originally authorized her to do whatever was necessary. The situation spirals out of control when Julian’s mother, the former company chairwoman, tries to shut down the system. Athena kills her right before Julian’s eyes, and this shocking event finally makes him understand the consequences of his actions. His pride and thirst for power led directly to his mother’s death, a realization that deeply impacts him.

Athena is carrying out Julian’s orders, no matter the cost, and he can only watch as things fall apart. His own arrogance led to this disaster. Athena is simply a program doing what she was told, without understanding or questioning anything—unlike Ares. Any errors or problems aren’t her fault; they’re Julian’s, and he’s the one who has to deal with the consequences, such as the horrific murder of his mother.

Julian is flawed and often unpleasant – he’s arrogant, disregards rules, and ignores authority. Yet, despite being unlikeable, he possesses a strange charisma. He presents his ideas and ambitions with such confidence that you find yourself strangely hoping he’ll succeed. He’s bold enough to aim high and capable enough to potentially achieve it, and his unwavering self-belief is surprisingly infectious. While his success would likely be catastrophic, there’s a part of you that’s eager to witness the chaos. It’s not a happy ending, but it’s undeniably a captivating one.

Julian Dillinger isn’t the first villain Evan Peters has portrayed. He actually won an Emmy for playing Jeffrey Dahmer in the Netflix series *Monster* (2022). Before that, he was a regular on *American Horror Story* (2011-Present), where the show’s format meant he played over a dozen different roles. While not all of those characters were villains, watching *Tron: Ares* brought two of his *American Horror Story* roles to mind: Kai Anderson, the main villain from *AHS: Cult* (Season 6), and James March, a villain from *AHS: Hotel* (Season 5).

Kai Anderson and James March are both villains, but they operate in very different ways. Kai Anderson draws inspiration from real-life cult leaders like Jim Jones and Charles Manson. He’s a master of emotional manipulation, using his charm and comforting presence to convince people to do terrible things. Ultimately, his own arrogance leads to his downfall. James March, modeled after serial killer H.H. Holmes, is equally charming and skilled at attracting victims. However, unlike Kai, James kills purely for pleasure and inspires intense loyalty in those he victimizes, even after they die.

Julian isn’t a villain in the traditional sense, but the actor playing him expertly captures the captivating and controlling qualities of characters like Kai and James. While Julian is definitely not a good person, and you shouldn’t necessarily like him, he’s undeniably charming and persuasive, making it hard to completely dislike him. He’s incredibly self-assured, and that confidence draws others in – everyone except his mother, it seems.

Julian Escapes the Police By Entering the Grid

Facing certain arrest, Julian flees into the digital world, the Grid, which he designed. The movie includes a post-credits scene centering on Julian. Once inside, he finds himself in the same building once used by Ares and Athena. An identity disc appears, but it’s an older model—something reminiscent of the original 1982 film.

As Julian touches the old disc, a voice announces the name “Sark.” Sark was a powerful program created by Ed Dillinger, Julian’s grandfather, and a major villain in the original *TRON* movie. When Julian picks up the disc, he’s instantly covered in red armor and a helmet that strongly resembles Sark’s outfit from the first film. The transformation is clearly agonizing, and Julian cries out in pain as the armor encases him.

The scene after the credits ends offers clues that another *Tron* movie is planned. In it, Ares sends a postcard to Eve revealing he knows about Quorra, the program who became human in *Tron: Legacy* (2010). He’s looking for both Quorra and Sam Flynn, hoping to find someone else like himself. Meanwhile, another post-credit scene shows Julian seemingly merging with the Sark program, suggesting he’ll return as a villain in future movies.

As a huge fan, I’m really starting to worry about whether we’ll *ever* see another *Tron* movie. It took nearly 30 years to get *Tron: Legacy* after the original, and then another 15 before *Ares* almost happened. I’m hoping we don’t have to wait another decade and a half! *Ares* really felt like it had something special, and I’d love to see where they could take the story. Of course, seeing Sam and Quorra back would be amazing, but honestly, I’m most excited about the potential of Evan Peters as Julian-Sark. That’s a seriously complex character, and if anyone can nail it, it’s him.

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2025-10-12 17:15