‘Tron: Ares’ to Delay Start of Shooting

‘Tron: Ares’ Director Joachim Rønning Laments Film’s Strike-Enforced Shoot Delay

“We are shut down with over a hundred and fifty people laid off,” he wrote on Instagram. “It’s indefinite, which makes it exponentially harder for everyone.”

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.

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.

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.