Overview

• The Disney sequel arrives in theaters on October 10 with a PG-13 rating and a 1 hour, 59 minute runtime, with a strong push for IMAX and other premium formats.
• Critics broadly praise the production design, practical set pieces and large-format execution, highlighting a standout soundtrack from Nine Inch Nails.
• Initial reactions trend mixed-to-negative on the writing and emotional engagement, with some outlets issuing one-star pans and others calling it entertaining but shallow.
• The story centers on a program entering the physical world and a so-called permanence code that changes the stakes, setting up real-world lightcycle action without dwelling on deeper AI questions.
• Jared Leto, Greta Lee and Evan Peters lead the cast under director Joachim Rønning, and Jeff Bridges makes a brief return, following a Los Angeles world premiere earlier this week.