Disney has a major update regarding the third Tron movie after years of sitting in limbo. Garth Davis has just joined the project and is set to direct the upcoming project for the studio.
Davis is best known for his critically acclaimed 2016 drama Lion, which received six Oscar nominations including for Best Picture. Davis also made the 2018 Biblical epic Mary Magdalene with Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix. Tron marks his first big-budget project for a major studio; the director is typically known for helming smaller artful film pieces.
This third installment of Tron is reportedly not a direct sequel to 2010’s Tron: Legacy and 1982’s Tron. Instead, it will have its own independent path in the sci-fi franchise.
Jared Leto, who signed onto the project back in 2017, is attached to star. Leto will also produce with Justin Springer and Emma Ludbrook. Jesse Wigutow wrote the most recent draft of the script, which is still under development at Disney.
The original Tron did not make the best impression in the box office when it opened in 1982. However, the computer graphic imagery captured a cult following for the film at the time. In the first version, actor Jeff Bridges gets stuck inside the computer program called the Grid, where a computer hacker is abducted and forced to participate in brutal games.
Then in 2010, Disney decided to expand the franchise due to its popularity and developed a sequel called Tron: Legacy with Joseph Koskinski directing, Bridges reprising his role and Garret Hedlund and Olivia Wilde joining the franchise. This sequel earned over $400 million worldwide, a hit. But years later, there has been much hesitation from the studio on how to move forward with the next project in the franchise.
Davis joining the Tron team signals the next step into the installment, although it must be noted that the project still does not have a greenlight yet. With Davis’ involvement, however, hopefully the franchise can continue to progress in the right direction.