Tron: Ares looks set to go. After spending around a decade in development hell, Disney is finally ready to proceed with the film and has taken several steps in the past few months that confirm this.
According to Deadline, the studio has cast Cameron Monaghan, best known for his roles as Ian Gallagher and the twins, Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska in Shameless and Gotham, respectively, in an undisclosed role. Monaghan is one of the two latest additions to the film’s cast, with the second one being Yellowjackets star Rachel Desjardins.
Talks about a third Tron film began around the debut of Tron: Legacy, the second installment in the sci-fi adventure series, in 2010. Filming was slated to begin on the new film in 2015 before Disney decided it was no longer interested and pulled the plug on the project. Since then, there hasn’t been any concrete progress until now.
Despite the uncertainty that has surrounded a third Tron film since its inception, one thing that has never changed is Jared Leto’s involvement, first announced in 2017.
Earlier this year, in what was a sign of progress on the highly-anticipated project, we heard that Disney had hired Joachim Rønning, the director of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, to helm the film.
Then, last month, Disney added new cast members – Dahmer star Evan Peters, Past Lives star Greta Lee, and Queen & Slim actor Jodie Turner-Smith – in a move that signaled its intention to finally proceed with the movie.
At the moment, we don’t have much detail on the film’s plot. However, one thing that’s clear is that it will follow a different format from that of its predecessors. Instead of telling the story of a man who visits the virtual world, Tron: Ares will tell the story of a computer program, Leto’s Ares, and its journey to the real world.
Tron: Ares was reportedly slated to begin production this August. Unfortunately, the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike rocking Hollywood, which has already delayed the filming of Deadpool 3, will undoubtedly throw a wrench into those plans. Unless, of course, studios can come to an agreement with the striking actors before the day arrives.
Tron 3 is still in very early development stages and does not have an official release date just yet. However, some insider sources have reported that the film will arrive in theaters in December 2025.
