Why Tron 3's First Behind-The-Scenes Photo Already Has Twitter Users Worried
The path to "Tron: Ares" has been long and littered with stumbling blocks. Development on a third film in the franchise began soon after the release of "Tron: Legacy" back in 2010. At first, it looked like a direct sequel to the second movie was in the works, but those plans eventually fell apart. There were rumors of reboots and multiple scripts, but very little seemed certain — that is, until Jared Leto was officially cast and the title of the film was properly unveiled.
Production has finally begun on the long-awaited threequel, and director Joachim Rønning has marked the occasion by posting the film's first behind-the-scenes photo for the film on Instagram. The picture is simple, showing a single empty chair from the back with the film's title emblazoned upon it. "WEEK 1 ON THE GRID," the director's caption reads. Curiously, the red logo says "TR3N" — the working title for the film over a decade ago when "Legacy" and "Top Gun: Maverick" director Joseph Kosinski was still attached to the project.
Though many fans are excited to see production finally starting up on another "Tron" film, some have responded skeptically to Rønning's post. In particular, the possible name change has caused some commotion. "VENOM 3 isnt V3NOM but TRON 3 is TR3N... we have lost the light of god," X (formerly known as Twitter) user @zachsilberberg posted in response to the photo. Plenty of others agreed with the sentiment. Some even expressed concern that the "TR3N" title is too similar to "Tren," a common shortening of the steroid trenbolone. So what exactly is going on with the name of the new "Tron" movie?
Tron 3, TR3N, or Tron: Ares?
"TR3N" was an early title tossed around back in the early 2010s when the film was first in development. However, after the production team and angle changed, years passed without much word on the project. For the last year or so, "Tron: Ares" has been the title — one pulled from Jared Leto's own mysterious character.
The official word from Disney has also gone back and forth on whether the film is an official sequel to the "Legacy" storyline or a reboot. If the studio is going back to the "TR3N" name, that would seem to connect it more directly to the preceding films. Or, alternatively, both could be true. Disney could be deferring to a title executives believe to be catchier, while the story may still be heading for reboot territory.
What we know of the cast so far only supports the reboot. Idea. So far, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Greta Lee, Cameron Monaghan, Gillian Anderson, and Sarah Desjardins have been cast alongside Leto, and none of these actors have appeared in either of the previous "Tron" movies. Series mainstays like Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner — the actor behind Tron himself — don't appear to be involved. A new narrative direction doesn't necessarily mean that the entire world is being rebooted, but it seems safe to say that whatever the final title ends up being, the next film will be relatively independent of what's come before.
A confusing title isn't the only reason Tron fans are worried
In addition to its shifting name, the next "Tron" movie has faced skepticism from fans for several other reasons. First and foremost is Jared Leto himself, a star who's become increasingly divisive in recent years. Leto's on-set behavior has continued to generate headlines, and his at times off-putting method acting style has caused many moviegoers to build up a strong distaste for his work. It certainly doesn't help that Leto's last big genre blockbuster was "Morbius," a movie so bad it generated an entire internet meme ecosystem.
There's also been concern over the changes behind the camera. Joseph Kosinski wasn't exactly a huge name when he helmed "Tron: Legacy," but he's since become increasingly acclaimed, especially after "Top Gun: Maverick" turned into one of the biggest blockbusters in years. Understandably, some fans would feel more comfortable if the director were still helming "Tron: Ares" (if that is its official name).
Another defining trait of the last movie was Daft Punk's iconic soundtrack — something else that will surely be missing from the threequel, as the electronic music duo split up in 2021. The ethereal synths of the group's "Legacy" score helped reestablish the digital world of the Grid for a whole new generation, and the world of "Tron" won't be the same without it. Only time will tell if "Tron 3" can triumph and prove all the doubters wrong. For now, it still has a lot of question marks.