Production on the upcoming Disney sequel Tron: Ares has been delayed as a result of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA/WGA strikes.
What has led to Tron 3’s production being delayed?
Tron: Ares director Joachim Rønning made a post to Instagram on August 14 stating that principal photography on Tron 3 was set to begin that day but had been delayed due to the ongoing strikes. Rønning stated that he agrees that working conditions need to be fair for everybody and that AI requires regulation but lamented the strike’s length and speed.
The director’s full Instagram statement is as follows (via The Hollywood Reporter):
“The absolute best moments of my career have been watching an actor perform in front of the camera – taking the scene and the text to a higher place. I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with amazing talent. It’s a huge part of why I’m a filmmaker. However, like myself, being an actor or a writer, means you’re a freelancer. And I can tell you, the constant uncertainty is not for everyone. To that end I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask for a better safety net.
“Many of my best friends are writers. Everything starts with the story. Everything starts with you. That must continue. And that means that AI needs to be regulated. There is no doubt about the threat the technology poses to all creatives. Today was supposed to be our first day of principal photography on TRON: ARES (a movie subsequently about AI and what it means, and takes, to be human). Instead, we are shut down with over a hundred and fifty people laid off. It’s indefinite, which makes it exponentially harder for everyone.
“The AMPTP, SAG-AFTRA and WGA need to speed up the negotiating process and not leave the table until it’s done. This is Hollywood. We close deals for breakfast. Why do we suddenly have all the time in the world when every day is so precious? These tactics are extremely frustrating. It’s time for diplomacy so we can get back to work – under conditions that are fair to everybody.”
Tron: Ares is planned as the third big-screen entry in Disney’s Tron franchise, following 1982’s Tron and 2010’s Tron: Legacy (both of which starred Jeff Bridges). Joachim Rønning is attached to direct Ares from a script by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne. Rønning previously worked with Disney on 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and 2019’s Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.
In addition to starring, Jared Leto is also producing Tron: Ares. The long-gestating sci-fi film is expected to center on the titular Ares — a new character/computer program played by Leto. Reportedly, the plot follows Ares on a journey from the digital world to the human world.
