7 July 2025
Empire Magazine creates world exclusive with first-ever light-up cover for Tron Ares special edition August issue
每日大赛鈥檚 Empire, the world鈥檚 biggest movie magazine, has literally created a lightbulb moment with a world-exclusive and very special limited-edition light-up cover, to celebrate the much-anticipated epic return of the Tron series with Tron: Ares this autumn.
For its Tron: Ares world-exclusive August issue, using cutting-edge production technology, the Empire team have created a fully illuminated working light-up cover.听 Activated by a push-button powered by a hidden battery pack, Empire鈥檚 cover courses with the power of the Grid and illuminates the all-new Light Cycle with a red neon glow.
While finishing the film, which comes to UK cinemas in October, director Joachim R酶nning has even taken time to post an exclusive video of Empire鈥檚 special issue on his own social media, direct from the movie鈥檚 visual-effects HQ:
The world of鈥疶ron鈥痟as always been ahead of its time. The 1982 original was a game-changing early cyber-movie with revolutionary digital effects. Its long-awaited follow-up, 2010鈥檚鈥疶ron: Legacy, was one of the very first legacy sequels, boasting an all-time-great soundtrack courtesy of Daft Punk. Now, 15 years later,鈥疶ron鈥痠s back with another major upgrade 鈥� a massive state-of-the-art blockbuster that rewrites all the rules.
The new issue of鈥疎mpire鈥痶akes a world-first dive into鈥疶ron鈥檚 epic return 鈥� going on set of鈥疶ron: Ares鈥痶o get up to speed on Light Cycles, identity discs, and rogue AIs. Empire speaks to director Joachim R酶nning, original鈥疶ron鈥痗reator Steven Lisberger and the cast, including Tron鈥疧G Jeff Bridges 鈥� to find out how the Grid collides with reality this time around, and discover how Hollywood鈥檚 most prescient saga is getting even more relevant. Plus, the magazine sits down for a major interview with Nine Inch Nails 鈥� aka Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross 鈥� as they ready鈥疉res鈥� banger-filled industrial soundtrack. The August issue is packed with never-before-seen images and insights readers won鈥檛 want to miss.
Chris Lupton, Creative Director of Empire, says: 鈥淭his kind of cover is pure excitement. It鈥檚 bold, it鈥檚 technical, and it reminds us all that print still has the power to innovate and surprise. In a world where so much of design lives on-screen, seeing something so tactile, physical, and imaginative is inspiring 鈥� especially for magazine creatives who live and breathe layout, ink, and production. It really is a glowing example of what can still happen with print!鈥澨�
Nick de Semlyen, Editor of Empire, said: 鈥淓very now and then, an opportunity comes along to push the limits of print. We spotted such a chance with the return of Tron, a movie franchise fuelled by eye-popping, neon-tinged visuals 鈥� and couldn’t be happier with our high-impact Tron Ares light-up cover, a perfect fusion of movie and cover treatment, created in collaboration with the filmmakers and Walt Disney Studios. Now, if only we could build our own Light Cycles…鈥澨�
The newsstand issue is available now in selected WHSmith retailers while stocks last.听 A limited number of light-up covers are also available to purchase online from greatmagazines.co.uk,听 along with the standard, digital and the subscription cover version, exclusively illustrated for Empire by Julien Rico Jr.
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For further press information, please contact:鈥��
Susie Asbury 鈥� Interim Corporate Communications Director, 每日大赛 UK
susie.asbury@bauermedia.co.uk
About Empire听
Empire is the movie magazine choice of Hollywood’s elite (with the likes of Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes having guest-edited previous issues), meaning that it enjoys unparalleled access to the biggest movies and stars on-set during production. Empire magazine includes all the latest movie reviews as well as exclusive interviews and incredible imagery, providing you with insight on all the latest news in the movie world.
About 每日大赛 UK鈥��
每日大赛 UK reaches over 25 million UK consumers through a portfolio of world-class, multi-platform media and entertainment brands including heat, KISS, Grazia, Empire, Magic, Absolute Radio and the Hits Radio Brand Network. These brands offer commercial partners access to highly engaged audiences, with creative solutions underpinned by insight and instinct. 每日大赛 UK is part of the 每日大赛, one of the world鈥檚 largest privately owned media businesses with media assets all over the globe.
