‘Tron 3’ Starts Filming After the Holidays [Exclusive]

Following a suspension in preproduction three months ago, as a result of the SAG-AFTRA strike, Collider has learned that shooting on Tron: Ares is set to begin in Vancouver, BC, right after the holidays. The upcoming movie is set to feature Jared Leto in the main role, but specific details about his character haven’t been revealed yet. Evan Peters, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Cameron Monaghan are also part of the cast assembled by director Joachim Rønning.

Monaghan might be portraying a “virtual” character in the film’s digital world, given his experience with motion capture in the Star Wars: Jedi video game series. It’s uncertain whether Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, and Olivia Wilde will return to their roles from earlier films in the series. The news of the movie’s production commencing is a welcome one, following Rønning’s comments in August, when he revealed that over 150 employees had been let go from the project. At the time, as well as addressing the reasons for the strike, Rønning revealed details of the film’s plot, which seemed remarkably prescient given the current fears about AI in the industry, saying:

“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.”

What are the ‘Tron’ Movies About?

Tron followed Jeff Bridges’ Kevin Flynn, a computer programmer who became digitized and part of the electronic world within a computer. Programs resemble other humans and are tied to the rules of their digital environment. Its sequel, Tron: Legacy, sees Kevin’s son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) head into the Grid to find Kevin, who has been missing for almost thirty years. He finds a far more advanced society than that of the first film, discovering a cloned program of his father that seeks to escape the Grid and take over Sam’s world.

The movies—particularly the original—were known for their stunning and groundbreaking visual effects, with the former becoming one of the first movies to rely extensively on computer-generated imagery (CGI). Both Tron and Tron: Legacy can be streamed on Disney+, alongside the superb animated series, Tron: Uprising, which takes place between the events of the first two films. A release date for Tron: Ares is yet to be announced.

Watch ‘Tron’ on Disney+