Jared Leto to Lead ‘Tron: Ares’ with Joachim Rønning in Talks to Direct

Jared Leto is getting on the Grid.

The Academy Award winner has officially been cast in upcoming “Tron” franchise installment, “Tron: Ares.”  Joachim Rønning of “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” fame is currently in negotiations to direct, IndieWire can confirm.

Deadline first reported that “Tron: Ares” will serve as a direct follow-up to “Tron: Legacy,” which marked Jeff Bridges reprising his role from the original 1982 sci-fi film. Garret Hedlund and Olivia Wilde also starred in the Joseph Kosinski-helmed 2010 film. A slated follow-up was scrapped in 2015 that was reportedly set to have Kosinski, Hedlund, and Wilde returning. Leto was rumored to be joining the cast at the time.

“Tron: Ares” is written by Jesse Wigutow and production is set to start in August 2023. “Tron” follows an arcade lover who is trapped in a computer program called the Grid where he is forced to participate in gladiator games to survive.

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“Ares” will be produced by lead star Leto, Justin Springer, Jeffrey Silver, and Leto’s Paradox partner Emma Ludbrook.

Leto is continuing his partnership with Disney after starring in Marvel’s “Morbius” and the upcoming “Haunted Mansion.” The acclaimed actor made waves for allegedly staying in character as bloodsucking antihero Morbius for the MCU film. Director Daniel Espinosa detailed how Leto opted to use a wheelchair even during bathroom breaks to maintain his character’s alter-ego persona.

Leto is known for being fiercely dedicated to his roles, staying in character throughout the productions on Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci” as a prosthetic-laden Paolo Gucci, as well as on Apple TV+’s “WeCrashed, as Israeli WeWork founder Adam Neumann. On the set of “Blade Runner 2049,” Leto used custom contact lenses to actually blind himself to play villain Niander Wallace. On the set of “Suicide Squad,” Leto allegedly sent various cast members disturbing items like live rats, used condoms, and anal beads.

Leto responded to Method acting claims in January 2021, saying, “It’s my job to show up, do whatever I can, to be overprepared. And to deliver. It’s also my job to show up and, you know, be a pleasure to work with, and to be collaborative, and to have a good experience on set.”

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