Jared Leto's Tron Movie Is Moving Forward, And A Disney Vet May Have Scored The Director's Chair

Jared Leto sits with a menacing look in Blade Runner 2036: Nexus Dawn.
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Progress on a proposed Tron movie starring Jared Leto has been a bumpy road to follow. The latest updates surrounded a project called Tron: Ares, which would see Jared Leto taking the starring role in the next chapter. After some starts and stops, it looks like The Grid is finally booting up again, and Disney’s tapped a veteran director from their stable to bring this next level of one of the best sci-fi movies to life. 

New information has just come in from Deadline as the third film in the Tron legacy is apparently gearing up to start shooting in Vancouver this August. What’s more, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil director Joachim Rønning is negotiating to helm the film, a new development in what we know about Tron 3

Previously, Lion director Garth Davis was on board to direct Tron: Ares; which seems to have changed since the last reported updates. Also, we now seem to have a likely title of the film after starting life as a supposed leak from Jared Leto. However, until Disney confirms that information, it's probably best to hold off on making any banners.

Even more tantalizing is the detail included in the report above that states Tron: Ares is supposedly a sequel to 2010’s Tron: Legacy. With early details stating that the Jared Leto’s film would be a reboot, we might still see threads from the past being tied up in this new Disney project. Hopefully, someone’s contacted Cillian Murphy’s agent about returning as Edward Dillinger Jr., fulfilling perhaps the most promising tease left unfulfilled in the aftermath of that fan favorite. 

Plenty of time still remains for Tron 3 to change in any way shape or form. Once again, until there’s press releases from Disney announcing that principal photography will start when speculated, you shouldn’t get your hopes up. Let’s not forget the rumors that eventually saw the production of the currently scrapped Tron: Ascension cancelled in the wake of Tomorrowland’s box office stumble.

Patience and accuracy are, as always, the key to winning this game. Obviously Disney's still interested in the property, thanks to the impending debut of the Tron Lightcycle/Run ride, set to take place this April at the Magic Kingdom. With whispers like this being released into the world, it's more of a question of when, not if, we'll see Kevin Flynn's creation back on the big screen. Wouldn't that be something? 

A release date for Tron: Ares is currently not announced, with that alleged August production start also waiting to be confirmed. In the meantime, roam about the digital frontier to our 2023 new movie releases schedule, so you can select your next adventure at the movies. Also, don't forget that the world of Tron is available to stream, so long as you have a Disney+ subscription as your guide. 

Mike Reyes
Senior Movies Contributor

Mike Reyes is the Senior Movie Contributor at CinemaBlend, though that title’s more of a guideline really. Passionate about entertainment since grade school, the movies have always held a special place in his life, which explains his current occupation. Mike graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, but swore off of running for public office a long time ago. Mike's expertise ranges from James Bond to everything Alita, making for a brilliantly eclectic resume. He fights for the user.