Joachim Rønning, the director behind Tron: Ares, has unveiled intriguing details about Jared Leto’s unique character and his upgraded weapon. As a soft reboot of the franchise following Tron: Legacy (2010), itself a sequel to the original 1982 Tron, the upcoming third installment centers on Ares (played by Leto), an advanced program who crosses over from the digital world into the real world on a perilous mission. The recently released first-look trailer offered a glimpse of Leto’s character, teasing an epic collision of worlds as iconic Tron imagery spills into real-world cityscapes.
Now, following the epic first trailer, Rønning has revealed new details about Leto’s character in Tron: Ares in an interview with Empire Magazine. The director likened Ares to Pinocchio, revealing that the film will explore the experience of a computer program encountering the nuances of the real world for the first time:
“I don’t want to get too cliché, but I always felt like he was a bit like Pinocchio. Ares wants to be a real boy. We talked a lot about his experience of being almost like a baby, exploring the world for the first time, and how we wanted the audience to see the world through his eyes. The little things that we take for granted, or don’t even notice anymore. That was important. And then, the bigger theme of the movie is, what does it mean to be human – what does it take? Which is especially interesting in this case, because he’s a computer program.”
Rønning explained that the film will also introduce at least one exciting new prop, with Ares wielding a " more advanced " triangular identity disc instead of the circular ones:
“It’s definitely a weapon. And it’s an advanced disc. When you become part of a franchise, you want to evolve the design, although I’m sure people are going to be up in arms that it’s not circular: ‘Oh, no!’ But we have circular discs too. Don’t worry.”
Rønning’s comments were accompanied by a new image of Leto in Tron: Ares, sporting a red and black suit and gazing intently into the distance. Check it out below:
What This Means for Tron: Ares
Will It Be an Improvement After Legacy?
Leto’s character will be a first for the Tron film series, which has previously kept the digital world (including Tron City and Argon City) relatively separate from the real world. However, the key themes explored through Leto’s character have been explored many times before in sci-fi, with Blade Runner memorably exploring similar questions about what it means to be human. However, Tron: Ares will evidently explore these themes in a new way, with the merging of the digital and real worlds set to cause chaos, and perhaps even destruction.
Whether the new setup for the Tron: Ares film series will be successful remains to be seen. 2010’s Tron: Legacy received mixed reviews from critics, but was a moderate box office success, grossing $400 million worldwide. If Tron: Ares is a step up in the eyes of critics and audiences, it could breathe new life into the franchise, perhaps laying the groundwork for sequels that don’t take over a decade to produce.
Jeff Bridges is confirmed to briefly return as Kevin Flynn in Tron: Ares, with other cast members including Greta Lee, Sarah Desjardins, Gillian Anderson, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Cameron Monaghan.
Our Thoughts on Leto’s Tron Character
Ares Could Be a Defining Role for Leto
Leto is undoubtedly a talented actor, but he has definitely struggled when playing more conventional leading man roles in Hollywood. For example, Morbius received negative reviews across the board, and the film was also a box office bomb. However, playing a computer program in Tron: Ares may be the perfect role for him, as it could play to his unique strengths as an actor. Leto’s performance as an otherworldly character in Blade Runner 2049 bodes well for this upcoming sci-fi film.
The introduction of new triangular discs and other new elements to the series could prove controversial, but the film has the opportunity to give the Tron franchise a new lease on life, attracting new viewers while also appealing to older fans. However, if Tron: Ares bombs at the box office, the franchise will likely be dormant for a long time once again. There is clearly a lot of pressure on Tron: Ares to succeed, but early signs are promising.