Jeff Bridges Will Appear in ‘Tron: Ares’

Kevin Flynn is (possibly) back on the grid! Jeff Bridges will make his return to the Tron franchise in the upcoming third installment, Tron: Ares.

Bridges recently revealed the exciting news during an interview with the Film Comment podcast (via The Playlist), stating, “I’m heading off this Saturday to play a part in the third installment of the ‘Tron’ story. Jared Leto is the star of this third one. I’m really anxious to work with him. I’ve admired his work.” Variety later confirmed the actor had already concluded his work on Ares by the time the podcast aired, although it wasn’t confirmed in what capacity he will appear.

The sci-fi franchise began with 1982’s ground-breaking Tron, starring Jeff Bridges as Flynn, a man teleported into his own video game, who must team with security program Tron to survive. The 2010 sequel Tron: Legacy, helmed by Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski, also starred Bridges, in addition to Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde, and included an impressive 1,565 VFX shots, 882 created by Digital Domain (723 in Venice and 159 in Vancouver).

The upcoming project has faced years of development trials and tribulations but has been championed by Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto (of Morbius and Suicide Squad fame), who will play the lead role of a digital program who escapes to the real world. The film is penned by Jesse Wigutow (It Runs in the Family), with frequent Disney collaborator Joachim Rønning (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) set to direct. 

Ares also stars Evan Peters, Greta Lee, Gillian Anderson, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan and Sarah Desjardins.

Justin Springer and Jeffrey Silver produce alongside Emma Ludbrook and Leto for their production company Paradox. Russell Allen executive produces.

Cybersecurity specialist by day, investigative journalist by night.