Is Tron 4 happening? Joachim Rnning says it always depends on how many people want to see it

Date:
Mon, 13 Oct 2025 20:00:00 +0000

Description:
The director and crew of Tron: Ares tease what could be next for the sci-fi franchise.

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After years of development, Tron: Ares is finally out of the Grid and onto
the screen, bringing a new sci-fi story about the fictional cyberspace that reflects on today's technological headlines.

While critics have slammed the new movie's obvious plot and bland characters, the mid-credit scene strongly hints at another sequel (more on that later). But will Tron 4 go ahead following the latest film's ropey start?

According to director Joachim Rnning, it always depends on how many people want to see it. Heres what Rnning, along with Tron: Ares producers, told me about the likelihood of another installment, and where the Tron universe
could go next. Does Tron: Ares hint at a sequel? (Image credit: Disney)

Spoilers follow for the ending of Tron: Ares, turn back now if you haven't seen it.

If you've read my Tron: Ares review (light spoilers), then you'll know that there's a mid-credits scene that suggests Dillinger Systems CEO Julian Dillinger, who's played by Evan Peters, could return in future installments.

After lasering himself into the Dillinger Grid to escape being arrested, Dillinger's digital self is fitted with a light suit that'll look familiar to fans of the original 1982 movie. That's because the V-shaped helmet he's wearing is almost identical to the one worn by Sark, the first films villain.

This suggests there's already a potential storyline laid out that Disney
could could build on. But of course nothing has been confirmed yet and besides, a sequel wouldnt necessarily have to follow the groundwork Tron:
Ares has laid out.

After all, the script for the third installment had been adapted from the cancelled Tron: Ascension , which was set to be more of a direct sequel to Tron: Legacy. In fact, if it weren't for that early draft, then Tron: Ares might not have existed at all.

"[Jared Leto]s a big reason for why were sitting here," Rnning said. "He saw
a character [in that early draft] and said 'this is the character I want to play, so let me know if you ever want to make [Ares] the main character'." Where could a new Tron movie go next? (Image credit: Walt Disney Studios)

The Tron franchise has always been about technology and, as Rnning puts it, "giving a glimpse of tomorrow". It's become a formula that many will recognize. Indeed, according to one of the producers on Tron: Ares, Sean Bailey: "Every Tron movie has to deliver on three things: speak about the future, innovate technologically, and explore our relationship with tech."

Steven Lisberger's original movie envisioned the rise of home computing,
while Joseph Kosinski's subsequent sequel expanded on themes around the
future of AI in the internet age. In Tron: Ares, an AI program is fighting to exist in the real world, which is exactly where we're today.

While the concept was written before the rise of ChatGPT, the rapid pace of technological advancements means a lot of the ideas the film explores around physical devices carrying AI agents and 3D printing have started to become a reality.

Many of the ideas we had early on have started to kind of come true in the last few years," Justin Springer, another producer that worked on the film, said. "And obviously theres a huge conversation around artificial
intelligence and the role it will play in our lives going forward."

It wouldnt be surprising if the next iteration of Tron explores how humans
and machines can coexist in the real world, similar to what we saw in iRobot
, or tackles the metaverse and humanitys blurred lines with digital
realities, like in Ready Player One . What have the Tron: Ares crew said
about a sequel? (Image credit: Disney)

With several hints at another Tron movie, its reasonable to speculate that a sequel is on the minds of the Tron: Ares crew, although nothing is
guaranteed.

"We put a couple fun things in there for the fans and maybe set up a couple
of things, but really were just trying to deliver on this movie," Bailey said on the potential of a follow-up.

Rnning was even more cryptic: "It all depends on how many people want to see it I just wanted to have fun with some of these Easter eggs and well see if
we are lucky enough to continue the journey." You might also like New movies: the most exciting films coming to theaters in 2025 Wake Up Dead Man is the best Knives Out mystery yet Every Alien movie ranked from worst to best



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/streaming/disney-plus/is-tron-4-happening-joachim-ro nning-says-it-always-depends-on-how-many-people-want-to-see-it


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