Hollywood’s upcoming movie “Tron: Ares” is set to premiere at Star Cineplex theaters on October 17. This American science fiction action film marks the third installment in the Tron series and serves as a sequel to the 2010 movie “Tron: Legacy.” Directed by Joachim Rønning, the star-studded cast includes Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, and Gillian Anderson.
The idea for a sequel to “Tron: Legacy” was initiated by franchise creator Steven Lisberger in October 2010. By March 2017, plans for the new film shifted towards a soft reboot rather than a direct sequel. Jared Leto became involved as both a producer and lead actor, portraying a character named Ares, a concept derived from earlier versions of the “Ascension” script.
Inspiration for the Tron series traces back to Lisberger’s time in the late 1970s and early 1980s near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The concept of “first contact” with aliens sparked his creativity, leading him to explore the idea of intelligent life emerging not from outer space but from a machine beyond human control. While the original “Ascension” script was discarded, elements of Ares’s narrative from that iteration were retained, resonating with the evolving themes post the release of “Legacy.”
In August 2020, during the screenplay development by Wigutow, Garth Davis was appointed as the director. However, Davis stepped down in January 2023, with Rønning taking over the role the subsequent month. Production was initially slated to begin in August 2023 but faced delays due to the Writers Guild of America strike. Filming eventually kicked off in Vancouver in January 2024, wrapping up in May of the same year.
Disney’s aim with this 45-year-old sci-fi franchise is to offer a fresh perspective that delves into contemporary themes of artificial intelligence, human ethics, and technology regulation. The narrative revolves around Ares, an advanced “program” dispatched from the virtual world, the Grid, to the real world with the mission of initiating direct contact between humanity and artificial life, leading to unforeseen conflicts.
The plot unfolds as scientists create an AI entity, Ares, possessing intelligence surpassing human understanding, aiming to bridge the gap between human and digital realms. However, upon Ares’s arrival in reality, he faces fear and hostility from humans seeking his destruction. Caught between two worlds, Ares must choose whether to advocate for humanity or champion the autonomy of his kind. This central dilemma — the clash between humanity and artificial life — forms the philosophical crux of the film.