Moviefone Editorial

Tag: tron-legacy

Joseph Kosinski’s ‘Miami Vice’ Movie Scores Release Date
(Left) Director-Producer Joseph Kosinski attends a Press Conference in Mexico City on June 10th, 2025 for Warner Bros. Pictures / Apple Original Films ‘F1’. Photo Credit: Chino Lemus. Copyright: Chino Lemus 2022. (Right) Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas in the TV series ‘Miami Vice’. Photo: NBC/Universal.

Preview:
- Universal has dated the new ‘Miami Vice’ for 2027.
- Joseph Kosinski is directing.
- No casting has been announced yet.
First there was ‘Miami Vice’, the iconic 1980s detective drama. In 2006, Michael Mann brought us Movie Vice (okay, it was still just called ‘Miami Vice’ on the big screen, but go with us here).
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And, back in April, word landed that ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and ‘F1’ director Joseph Kosinski was going to take his own crack at the concept for Universal.

It would appear that the success of ‘F1’ ($624 million worldwide so far on an admittedly hefty budget) has spurred the studio to truly commit to Kosinski’s version, with the company handing down a 2027 release slot.

Related Article: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Director Will Helm New ‘Miami Vice’ Movie

What’s the story of ‘Miami Vice’?

(L to R) Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas in the TV series ‘Miami Vice’. Photo: NBC/Universal.

‘Miami Vice’ began life in the early 1980s as a TV show created by ‘Hill Street Blues’ writer Anthony Yerkovich, after NBC president Brandon Tartikoff requested a program that combined the style of MTV with a cop series. The result, produced by Michael Mann, starred Don Johnson as Sonny Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Rico Tubbs, two detectives working undercover in Miami. The show, which ran for five seasons from 1984 to 1990, became known for its groundbreaking visual style, its hip needle drops, and the fashions worn by its characters, arguably revolutionizing the look of TV crime drama for decades to come.

After Mann moved into directing feature films with ‘The Last of the Mohicans,’ ‘Heat,’ and others, he rebooted ‘Miami Vice’ as a 2006 movie starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx as Crockett and Tubbs. While not initially a hit with either critics or audiences, the film has since been reappraised and is now considered a cult classic.

According to Deadline, Kosinski, working from a script by ‘Andor’s Dan Gilroy, is busy locking in his cast with an aim to shoot next year.

What else is Joseph Kosinski working on?

Director/Producer Joseph Kosinski on the set of Apple Original Films’ ‘F1’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo by Scott Garfield. Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures / Apple Original Films. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Kosinski has also been developing an untitled UFO thriller alongside his ‘F1’ partners Apple and producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

That seemed to be in pole position, but the date announcement for ‘Vice’ suggests it may now have taken precedence.

So, when will the new ‘Miami Vice’ be on our screens?

The movie is currently dated for August 6th, 2027.

It has displaced an untitled Universal film, which itself has shifted to September 24th and now appears to be a DreamWorks Animation entry.

(L to R) Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas in the TV series ‘Miami Vice’. Photo: NBC/Universal.

List of Joseph Kosinski Movies:
- ‘TRON: Legacy‘ (2010)
- ‘Oblivion‘ (2013)
- ‘Only the Brave‘ (2017)
- ‘Top Gun: Maverick‘ (2022)
- ‘Spiderhead‘ (2022)
- ‘F1‘ (2025)
Buy Joseph Kosinski Movies on Amazon
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September 24, 2025
New Big-Screen Version Of ‘Miami Vice’ In Development
(Left) Director Joseph Kosinski at CinemaCon 2025. Photo: Warner Bros. (Right) Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas in the TV series ‘Miami Vice’. Photo: NBC/Universal.

Preview:
- A new version of ‘Miami Vice’ is in development as a feature film, with Joseph Kosinski on board to direct.
- Kosinski is the director of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and the upcoming Brad Pitt racing drama ‘F1.’
- Originally a hit TV series in the 1980s, ‘Miami Vice’ was made into a feature film by the show’s producer, Michael Mann, in 2006.
Director Joseph Kosinski has been tapped to direct a new version of ‘Miami Vice’ for the big screen, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
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The Universal Pictures project will be scripted by Dan Gilroy, whose previous credits include ‘Nightcrawler,’ ‘Velvet Buzzsaw,’ and several episodes of ‘Andor.’ There is no word yet on casting or a release date.

Related Article: Director Joseph Kosinski and Lewis Hamilton Talk ‘F1’ Trailer and More

Why is Joseph Kosinski so hot right now?

Director/Producer Joseph Kosinski on the set of Apple Original Films’ ‘F1,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

It’s fair to say that Joseph Kosinski has become one of the hottest directors in Hollywood following the billion-dollar, Oscar-nominated triumph of his ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ in 2022. Kosinski’s next movie, ‘F1,’ is due out in late June and will star Brad Pitt in a Formula One racing drama that carries a reported price tag of $200 million.

Although Kosinski has signed up for ‘Miami Vice,’ his next film will be a similarly high-profile UFO thriller which is being produced by Apple Original Films (which also produced ‘F1’). His previous pictures include ‘Tron: Legacy,’ ‘Only the Brave,’ and ‘Oblivion,’ the latter of which marked his first collaboration with ‘Top Gun’ star Tom Cruise.

What is the background of ‘Miami Vice’?

(L to R) Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas in the TV series ‘Miami Vice’. Photo: NBC/Universal.

‘Miami Vice’ began life in the early 1980s as a TV show created by ‘Hill Street Blues’ writer Anthony Yerkovich, after NBC president Brandon Tartikoff requested a program that combined the style of MTV with a cop series. The result, produced by Michael Mann, starred Don Johnson as Sonny Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Rico Tubbs, two detectives working undercover in Miami. The show, which ran for five seasons from 1984 to 1990, became known for its groundbreaking visual style, its hip needle drops, and the fashions worn by its characters, arguably revolutionizing the look of TV crime drama for decades to come.

After Mann moved into directing feature films with ‘The Last of the Mohicans,’ ‘Heat,’ and others, he rebooted ‘Miami Vice’ as a 2006 movie starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx as Crockett and Tubbs. While not initially a hit with either critics or audiences, the film has since been reappraised and is now considered a cult classic.

Since it’s unlikely that Farrell and Foxx will reprise their roles 20 years later, a new Crockett and Tubbs will no doubt be the first items on Kosinski’s to-do list.

(L to R) Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas in the TV series ‘Miami Vice’. Photo: NBC/Universal.

List of Joseph Kosinski Movies:
- ‘TRON: Legacy‘ (2010)
- ‘Oblivion‘ (2013)
- ‘Only the Brave‘ (2017)
- ‘Top Gun: Maverick‘ (2022)
- ‘Spiderhead‘ (2022)
- ‘F1‘ (2025)
Buy Joseph Kosinski Movies on Amazon
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April 28, 2025
Jeff Bridges Reveals He’s in ‘Tron: Ares’
Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn in 1982’s ‘Tron’. Photo: Buena Vista Distribution.

Preview:
- Jeff Bridges says he’s heading to the ‘Tron: Ares’ set to shoot a role.
- He didn’t specify if he’ll be back as Kevin Flynn.
- Jared Leto and Gillian Anderson are among the stars of the new movie.
It surely would not be a ‘Tron’ movie without Jeff Bridges, who played Kevin Flynn in the 2982 original movie about a programmer named Kevin Flynn who is drawn into the virtual world of The Grid inside his computer to compete in various challenges and to battle a malevolent program.

Bridges returned for 2010’s ‘Tron: Legacy’, playing both Flynn and Clu, the program he created in the past to oversee the Grid system that ends up turning into a threat himself.

Now, talking on the ‘Film Comment’ podcast about his career, Bridges dropped word that he’ll indeed be back for the third ‘Tron’ movie, ‘Tron: Ares’, which stars Jared Leto.
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What did Bridges say about ‘Tron: Ares’?

Jeff Bridges, Oscar®-nominee for Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, presents the Oscar® for Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role during the live ABC Television Network broadcast of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards® from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA Sunday, February 27, 2011. Credit/Provider: Michael Yada / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Here’s what Bridges said of his next gig:

“I’m heading off to play a part in the third installment of the ‘Tron’ story; I’m excited about that. It’s wild. Jared Leto is the star of this third one, and I’m really anxious to work with him, I’ve admired his work.”

Bridges doesn’t specify whether he’ll be Flynn or appearing as Clu in flashback (since he was vanquished in ‘Legacy’). Our guess would be the former.

But he did talk about his thoughts on the technology involved in the new movie:

“I’m really excited to see what the technology is going to be all about this time. When I did ‘Tron: Legacy,’ we had to put all these dots on our face and all these kinds of things. And that’s probably all passé. I had to see myself as a young guy or as another character, but the same guy, but it was gonna be digitally created. I think it was de-aging, but I didn’t like the way I looked in it; I felt like I looked more like Bill Maher than myself; it was kind of bizarre! I hear there’s even less A.I. stuff in this. It’s going to be more a practical set, and they’re beautiful; there are beautiful sets that I’ve seen.”

What’s the story of ‘Tron: Ares’?

‘Tron: Ares.’ Photo by Leah Gallo. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Written by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne, the script follows Leto’s computer program Ares on a journey from the digital world to that of humans.

There remains no word on whether Bridges’ fellow ‘Legacy’ stars Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde will be back, though we’d especially have to doubt Wilde’s return for anything other than a cameo given her busy directing career.

Who stars in ‘Tron: Ares’?

With Leto headlining, ‘Tron: Ares’ also features Evan Peters, Greta Lee, Sarah Desjardins, Cameron Monaghan, Gillian Anderson and Jodie Turner-Smith.

Related Article: Gillian Anderson is the Latest Addition to the ‘Tron: Ares’ Cast

Who is making ‘Tron: Ares’?

Joachim Rønning on the set of Netflix’s ‘Marco Polo.’ Photo: Phil Bray/Netflix.

Joachim Rønning, who has plenty of Disney sequel experience following ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales’ and ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’, is behind the camera for the new movie, which has been shooting for a few weeks.

When will ‘Tron: Ares’ be in theaters?

Disney has announced that ‘Tron: Ares’ is currently scheduled for release on October 10th, 2025.

A scene from ‘Tron: Legacy’ directed by Joseph Kosinski.

Other Movies Similar to ‘Tron: Ares’:
- ‘The Black Hole‘ (1979)
- ‘Tron‘ (1982)
- ‘WarGames‘ (1983)
- ‘Johnny Mnemonic‘ (1995)
- ‘The Matrix‘ (1999)
- ‘Avatar‘ (2009)
- ‘TRON: Legacy‘ (2010)
- ‘TRON: The Next Day‘ (2011)
- ‘Her‘ (2013)
- ‘Transcendence‘ (2014)
- ‘Ex Machina‘ (2015)
- ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle‘ (2017)
- ‘Ready Player One‘ (2018)
- ‘Free Guy‘ (2021)
Buy ‘Tron’ Movies on Amazon
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April 29, 2024
Gillian Anderson Joins the Cast of ‘Tron: Ares’
Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher in ‘The Crown’ season 4. Photo: Des Willie.

Preview:
- Gillian Anderson is the latest person cast in ‘Tron: Ares’.
- Shooting has now kicked off on the movie following a delay.
- The movie should be on screens next year.
It has been a long road to the screen for the third ‘Tron’ movie. In development since the second film, 2010’s ‘Tron: Legacy’, arrived, ‘Tron: Ares’ (as it is currently called) has faced multiple challenges so far, not the least of which was being shut down before it could begin shooting last year when the writers and actors’ strikes hit.

But now, it has turned a corner (or swerved on a right angle given how the iconic Light cycles work), and the cameras are finally rolling on the long-anticipated sequel, which follows both ‘Legacy’ and the 1982 original ‘Tron’, which sees humans drawn into a virtual world.

Now, with Jared Leto starring as a character called Ares, it looks like the opposite will be happening, and Gillian Anderson is the latest addition to the cast, playing an unknown role.
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What’s the story of ‘Tron: Ares’?

A scene from ‘Tron: Legacy’ directed by Joseph Kosinski.

Written by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne, the script follows Leto’s computer program Ares on a journey from the digital world to that of humans.

There’s no word yet on whether Jeff Bridges (who starred in the original and also showed up in ‘Legacy’) or ‘Legacy’ stars Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde will be back, though we’d especially have to doubt Wilde’s return for anything other than a cameo given her busy directing career.

Related Article: Joachim Rønning Directing Jared Leto in New Sci-fi Sequel ‘Tron: Ares’

Who stars in ‘Tron: Ares’?

Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Morbius.’ Photo by: Jay Maidment. Copyright: © 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

With Leto taking the title role and Anderson now aboard, ‘Tron: Ares’ also stars Evan Peters, Greta Lee, Sarah Desjardins, Cameron Monaghan and Jodie Turner-Smith.

Who is making ‘Tron: Ares’?

Joachim Rønning on the set of Netflix’s ‘Marco Polo.’ Photo: Phil Bray/Netflix.

Joachim Rønning, who has plenty of Disney sequel experience following ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales’ and ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’, is behind the camera for the new movie, and he celebrated finally getting to start rolling the cameras with an Instagram post…

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2TECpjyNcM/?hl=en

He previously bemoaned the delay in shooting:

“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.”

When will ‘Tron: Ares’ be in theaters?

Disney has yet to confirm whether the film –– which will require plenty of post-production work –– will maintain a 2025 release date, but the fact that it’s now shooting is a hopeful sign.

Olivia Wilde as Quorra in ‘Tron: Legacy.’

Other Movies Similar to ‘Tron: Ares’:
- ‘The Black Hole‘ (1979)
- ‘Tron‘ (1982)
- ‘WarGames‘ (1983)
- ‘Johnny Mnemonic‘ (1995)
- ‘The Matrix‘ (1999)
- ‘Avatar‘ (2009)
- ‘TRON: Legacy‘ (2010)
- ‘TRON: The Next Day‘ (2011)
- ‘Her‘ (2013)
- ‘Transcendence‘ (2014)
- ‘Ex Machina‘ (2015)
- ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle‘ (2017)
- ‘Ready Player One‘ (2018)
- ‘Free Guy‘ (2021)
Buy ‘Tron’ Movies on Amazon
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January 25, 2024
‘Tron: Ares’ to Delay Start of Shooting
Joachim Rønning on the set of Netflix’s ‘Marco Polo.’ Photo: Phil Bray/Netflix.

We’ve already seen plenty of big movies delayed, either in terms of their release dates moving or production being shut down mid-flow. But another hefty casualty is seeing its shoot curtailed before it has even begun.

‘Tron: Ares’, the latest chapter of the sci-fi saga (which began in 1982 with the original and continued in 2010 with ‘Tron: Legacy’), was supposed to have been shooting today, but obviously can’t start because both the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, which represents actors and other performers, are on strike for a better deal from studios, which have so far refused to truly consider the unions’ demands.

And director Joachim Rønning, whose credits include ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell no Tales’ and ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ is bemoaning the fact that he and his crew can’t get to work on the new movie, and many are now laid off.
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Rønning’s comments on the ‘Tron: Ares’ Delay

Joachim Rønning on the set of Netflix’s ‘Marco Polo.’ Photo: Phil Bray/Netflix.

Rønning opened his post by talking about the tougher side of filmmaking:

“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.”

The director then went on to discuss writers and A.I.:

“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.”

He also turned his attention to his frustration with the movie’s delay:

“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.”

You can read his full post here.

Related Article: Joachim Rønning to Direct ‘Tron: Ares’

What’s the story of ‘Tron: Ares’?

A scene from ‘Tron: Legacy’ directed by Joseph Kosinski.

It’s probably best at this point to say, what will be the story of ‘Tron: Ares’. Written by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne, the script follows Jared Leto’s computer program Ares on a journey from the digital world to that of humans.

The movie is scheduled to star Leto, Evan Peters, Greta Lee, Sarah Desjardins, Cameron Monaghan and Jodie Turner-Smith.

Tentatively scheduled for a 2025 release, we’ll wait and see whether that holds given the delay.

Olivia Wilde as Quorra in ‘Tron: Legacy.’

Other Movies Similar to ‘Tron: Ares’:
- ‘The Black Hole‘ (1979)
- ‘Tron‘ (1982)
- ‘WarGames‘ (1983)
- ‘Johnny Mnemonic‘ (1995)
- ‘The Matrix‘ (1999)
- ‘Avatar‘ (2009)
- ‘TRON: Legacy‘ (2010)
- ‘TRON: The Next Day‘ (2011)
- ‘Her‘ (2013)
- ‘Transcendence‘ (2014)
- ‘Ex Machina‘ (2015)
- ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle‘ (2017)
- ‘Ready Player One‘ (2018)
- ‘Free Guy‘ (2021)
Buy ‘Tron’ Movies on Amazon
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August 16, 2023
‘Tron 3’ Adds Evan Peters
Evan Peters in ‘Mare of Easttown.’ Photograph by Sarah Shatz/HBO.

While things have been relatively quiet since news that director Joachim Rønning was the man to make the third instalment of the ‘Tron’ movies, currently titled ‘Tron: Ares’, there has been an update. Evan Peters is now aboard to co-star with Jared Leto .
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Meet Evan Peters

Evan Peters as Pietro in Marvel Studios’ ‘Wandavision’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Peters, who for a few years was best known as Quicksilver in the ‘X-Men’ movies that kicked off with ‘First Class’ (he joined for ‘Days of Future Past’), has more recently made his name starring for Ryan Murphy as Jeffrey Dahmer in ‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,’ and in several seasons of ‘American Horror Story’.

He’s also been seen in movies such as ‘ Kick-Ass’ and ‘Elvis & Nixon,’ and appeared alongside Kate Winslet in limited series ‘Mare of Easttown’.

What’s the story of ‘Tron: Ares’?

No details have been released about the potential plot for this one, but it’ll likely pick up some strands from 2010’s ‘Tron: Legacy’, which saw the return of Jeff Bridges from the 1982 original and starred Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde. Jesse Wigutow has been writing the script, though any forward movement on that is on hold because of the writers’ guild strike.

Related Article: Joachim Rønning to Direct ‘Tron: Ares’

The development’ of ‘Tron 3’ so far

Olivia Wilde as Quorra in ‘Tron: Legacy.’

‘Legacy’ director Joseph Kosinski talked up the idea of a sequel around that movie’s release, but development stalled out and he moved on to other things, including a slightly successful other legacy sequel called ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’

Leto’s name was first mentioned back in 2017, when he tweeted his excitement to be part of a follow-up movie.

Here’s his announcement:

“I am so very excited and proud to confirm that YES––I will be starring in ‘Tron’. We will work as hard as we possibly can to create something that I hope you all will love. We have some very special ideas in store for you all… See you in the grid! I’m struck with such gratitude for the opportunity to bring this movie to life, especially as both the original video game and the film affected me so deeply as a young child. The fact that I get to be a part of this new chapter is mind-blowing.”

Garth Davis, the director behind ‘Lion’ and 2018’s ‘Mary Magdalene’ was mentioned as a potential filmmaker, though despite aggressively pursuing the job, he’s since dropped off the project.

Rønning, the Norwegian filmmaker who made his name co-directing voyaging movie ‘Kon-Tiki’, has become a reliable go-to director for Disney.

He’s handled ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell no Tales’ and ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ for the studio and is in post-production on ‘Young Woman and the Sea’, which stars Daisy Ridley in the story of Gertrude Ederle, a New York teen who became the first woman to swim across the English Channel.

As of right now, ‘Tron: Ares’ does not have a release date. And given the potential for actors to strike once the SAG-AFTRA contract runs out at the end of this month, we don’t expect that to change for a while yet. Shooting is scheduled for August, but we’ll see if it pans out.

A scene from ‘Tron: Legacy’ directed by Joseph Kosinski.

Other Movies Similar to ‘Tron: Ares’:
- ‘The Black Hole‘ (1979)
- ‘Tron‘ (1982)
- ‘WarGames‘ (1983)
- ‘Johnny Mnemonic‘ (1995)
- ‘The Matrix‘ (1999)
- ‘Avatar‘ (2009)
- ‘TRON: Legacy‘ (2010)
- ‘TRON: The Next Day‘ (2011)
- ‘Her‘ (2013)
- ‘Transcendence‘ (2014)
- ‘Ex Machina‘ (2015)
- ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle‘ (2017)
- ‘Ready Player One‘ (2018)
- ‘Free Guy‘ (2021)
Buy ‘Tron’ Movies on Amazon
June 29, 2023
Joachim Rønning to Direct ‘Tron: Ares’

‘Tron: Legacy’ directed by Joseph Kosinski.

Though things have been awfully quiet for the last couple of years, it seems that the ‘Tron’ grid might actually be coming back online. According to Deadline, Disney is busy making a deal with director Joachim Rønning to make ‘Tron: Ares’, with Jared Leto attached to star.

The latest installment of the venerable sci-fi trilogy (which has become used to big gaps between movies––after all, ‘Tron: Legacy’ hit screens 28 years after 1982’s original) is gearing back up again after rumors of other filmmakers looking to tackle it.

‘Tron’, for those who are somehow unaware, starred Jeff Bridges and was set inside a computer program called the Grid, where Bridges’ computer hacker is abducted and forced to participate in gladiatorial games alongside the heroic title character (Bruce Boxleitner).

The movie didn’t set the box office alight, but its envelope-pushing computer generated effects were groundbreaking for the time and it became a cult favorite.

It was also enough of a known name for Disney––a company that thrives on raiding its back catalogue for potential source material––to commission the follow-up. ‘Legacy’ saw Bridges reprising his role (this time playing both hacker Kevin Flynn and Clu, his villainous virtual (and de-aged) counterpart, and Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde joining the franchise.

Olivia Wilde as Quorra in ‘Tron: Legacy.’

‘Legacy’ director Joseph Kosinski talked up the idea of a sequel around that movie’s release, but development stalled out and he moved on to other things, including a slightly successful other legacy sequel called ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’

Leto’s name was first mentioned back in 2017, when he tweeted his excitement to be part of a follow-up movie. “I am so very excited and proud to confirm that YES––I will be starring in ‘Tron,’ ” he wrote. “We will work as hard as we possibly can to create something that I hope you all will love. We have some very special ideas in store for you all… See you in the grid! I’m struck with such gratitude for the opportunity to bring this movie to life, especially as both the original video game and the film affected me so deeply as a young child. The fact that I get to be a part of this new chapter is mind-blowing.”

Garth Davis, the director behind ‘Lion’ and 2018’s ‘Mary Magdalene’ was mentioned as a potential filmmaker, though despite aggressively pursuing the job, he’s since dropped off the project. Rønning, the Norwegian filmmaker who made his name co-directing voyaging movie ‘Kon-Tiki’, has become a reliable go-to director for Disney.

He’s handled ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales’ and ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ for the studio and is in post-production on ‘Young Woman and the Sea’, which stars Daisy Ridley in the story of Gertrude Ederle, a New York teen who became the first woman to swim across the English Channel.

Deadline cautions that the deals are still being made, but a crew is being assembled for a potential August start to the shoot in Vancouver. Jesse Wigutow wrote the script and despite earlier versions being mentioned as a reboot, ‘Ares’ appears to be a direct sequel to ‘Legacy’.

Now we just wait to see if it boots up this time.

Jaed Leto in Apple TV+’s ‘WeCrashed.’
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January 20, 2023
Best Legacy Sequels

Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

According to Wikipedia, a legacy sequel is a movie that follows the continuity of the original movie, but takes place further along the timeline, often focusing on new characters with the original ones still present in the plot.

We’ve seen this on TV with shows like ‘Cobra Kai’ and ‘The Book of Boba Fett,’ and in movies such as ‘Toy Story 4,’ or ‘Terminator: Dark Fate,’ and most recently with ‘Jurassic World Dominion‘ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’

With ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and ‘Jurassic World Dominion’ currently killing it at the box office, now is a good time to countdown the top ten best legacy sequels ever made.

Let’s Begin!

The Bourne Legacy (2012)

New CIA operative Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) experiences life-or-death stakes that have been triggered by the previous actions of Jason Bourne (Matt Damon).
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Halloween (2018)

Jamie Lee Curtis returns to her iconic role as Laurie Strode, who comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney), the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.
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The Color of Money (1986)

Former pool hustler “Fast Eddie” Felson (Paul Newman) decides he wants to return to the game by taking a pupil. He meets talented but green Vincent Lauria (Tom Cruise) and proposes a partnership. As they tour pool halls, Eddie teaches Vincent the tricks of scamming, but he eventually grows frustrated with Vincent’s showboat antics, leading to an argument and a falling-out. Eddie takes up playing again and soon crosses paths with Vincent as an opponent.
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Ghostbusters Afterlife (2021)

When a single mom (Carrie Coon) and her two kids (Finn Wolfhard and Mckenna Grace) arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson) and the secret legacy their grandfather (Harold Ramis) left behind.
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Star Trek (2009)

The brash James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) tries to live up to his father’s (Chris Hemsworth) legacy with Mr. Spock (Zachary Quinto) keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan (Eric Bana) from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time, seeking revenge against a future version of Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy).
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Creed (2015)

The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers).
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Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Thirty years after defeating the Galactic Empire, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his allies (Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac) face a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and his army of Stormtroopers.
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TRON: Legacy (2010)

Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), the tech-savvy and daring son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), investigates his father’s disappearance and is pulled into The Grid. With the help of a mysterious program named Quorra (Olivia Wilde), Sam quests to stop evil dictator Clu (also Jeff Bridges) from crossing into the real world.
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Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.
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Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him.

When he finds himself training a detachment of TOPGUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.”

Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
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July 3, 2022
‘Only the Brave’ Director Joseph Kosinski Reveals How Close ‘Tron 3’ Came to Being Made

Back in the fall of 2015, filming was scheduled to commence on the third “Tron” film, with director Joseph Kosinski and stars Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde set to reprise their roles.

It was supposedly going to open up the world of “Tron,” with characters moving from the videogame world into ours for the very first time (unlike the previous two films, which only featured human characters going into the computerized realm). This move was meant to expand the world and open up the franchise possibilities.

When chatting with “Tron: Legacy” filmmaker Kosinski, whose new movie “Only the Brave” opens this weekend, we had to ask him about how close they came to filming, whether or not they’d bring back Daft Punk, and what connection the film had to whatever Jared Leto has been discussing in the press recently.

MOVIEFONE: So you guys got really close to making “Tron 3.”

Kosinski: Well, I wouldn’t say really close. We got a script. We got to a point where the script was really close. I did a draft with Tom McCarthy that was in really good shape. But movies get to the point where they’re building sets. We never got to that. We have an idea and we have a plan if Disney ever decides to pick it up.

So you’re still onboard?

Well, if Disney ever wanted to continue this story that we set up in “Legacy,” with those characters, certainly bringing in new ones would be exciting. Yeah, if they would want to continue in, I’d certainly consider it.

Jared Leto has been talking about it a lot.

Well, Jared and I have been talking about “Tron” since “Legacy.” Jared was almost in “Tron: Legacy,” but Jared is a huge “Tron” fan going back to the original. So we’ve been talking about it since 2009.

Had you thought about the music? Would you try to bring the robots back?

Oh yeah, of course — why wouldn’t you? You’d have to go back to them, if it ever happened. They’d be the first call.

Kosinski’s “Only the Brave” opens this Friday everywhere.

October 18, 2017
‘Tron 3’ Is Dead: Did ‘Tomorrowland’ Kill It, and Can Fans Save It?

Disneyland may be The Happiest Place on Earth but “Tron 3” is not getting a happy ending. It’s not even getting a happy beginning, since it was killed before it got to live. But what destroyed, or at least tabled, “Tron 3” — a crowded Disney movie slate; lack of real interest in another “Tron” movie, despite early buzz (and an angry fan petition, see below); or the disappointing box office for Disney’s “Tomorrowland”?

Back in April, The Hollywood Reporter said the sequel to “Tron: Legacy” was a go, with Olivia Wilde and Garrett Hedlund scheduled to pick up their roles. However, THR returned late on Friday, May 29 with a never-mind report, saying Disney had chosen not to move forward with the sequel. It was never official to begin with, but THR said prep had started on the third film, with production possibly beginning this fall in Vancouver with Joseph Kosinski returning to direct.

But forget all that. After the “Tron 3” is dead news broke, Variety quoted a Disney executive, who put the blame on a crowded movie schedule:

We had never greenlit the movie, but it was in development for some time. Things in the queue got ahead of it and we have such a big slate out in front of it, we started to think, ‘Where does it go?’ And it’s a pretty big investment to make if you are not even sure when you are going to release it.”

Not everyone is convinced this is just about a crowded movie slate. THR noted that, while Disney has had success with live-action versions of fairy tales like “Cinderella” and “Maleficent,” it stumbled a bit with “Tomorrowland,” which cost about $180 million and underperformed with a $33 million U.S. debut. They just put that information out there without blame, but some readers picked up the scent and think there is a connection between those disappointing numbers and Disney not moving forward with another big budget movie. According to Variety, the plan was for “Tron 3” to cost roughly as much as the second, which had a $170 million budget. A source told the site the movie “could resurface at some point but it’s not going to get the go button right now.”

Several fans are upset at the “Tron 3” news, and a Change.org petition was launched asking Disney to revive the movie. As fan Lucas Lowman wrote:

Tron: Legacy grossed over 400 million dollars and helped more fully realize the world created in the original Tron. It’s a shame that Disney has elected not to move forward with a third Tron film as the universe is ripe to be explored. Sign this petition so that we may show Disney that The Grid is too great to never be shown again and to prove that Flynn lives.”

So far, the petition has more than 12,000 signatures. Do you hope “Tron 3” does arrive eventually, or is this no great loss to you?

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June 1, 2015