Jeff Bridges Will Return as Kevin Flynn For ‘TRON: Ares’
Disney is set to take audiences back to the Grid next year for TRON: Ares, the third installment in the TRON franchise.
In the long-awaited sequel to 2010’s TRON: Legacy, the film will introduce a highly sophisticated Program named Ares, who is sent on a dangerous mission. As opposed to previous installments in the franchise, which saw humans enter the computer world, TRON: Ares will see a Program enter the real world, marking humanity’s first encounter with an A.I. being.
A Star-Studded Cast
While it was previously announced that Jared Leto would star as the titular Program alongside Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Cameron Monaghan, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, and Gillian Anderson.
Up to this point, one of the largest questions looming over TRON: Ares was whether or not Jeff Bridges would reprise his iconic role as Kevin Flynn, the central character of the first two TRON films.
Well, we finally have our answer.
Jeff Bridges Will Return
During a recent appearance on the Film Comment podcast, Bridges revealed that not only will he appear in TRON: Ares, but he is currently in the midst of filming.
“I’m heading off this Saturday to play a part in the third installment of the ‘Tron’ story; I’m excited about that,” he revealed. “It’s wild. Jared Leto is the star of this third one, and I’m really anxious to work with him, and I’ve admired his work.”
Outside of working with Leto, Bridges admitted to seeing how the technology used in the film series has changed.
“When I did ‘Tron 2,’ ‘Tron Legacy,’ we had to put all these dots on our face and all these kinds of things,” Bridges explained “And that’s [probably] all passé. I had to see myself as a young guy or as another character but the same guy. But it was gonna be digitally created. I think it was [de-aging], but I didn’t like the way I looked in it. I felt like I looked more like Bill Maher than myself; it was kind of bizarre [laughs].”
Less CGI, More Practical Sets
Interestingly, according to Bridges, director Joachim Rønning wants to use more practical sets in the third TRON film.
“I’m anxious to see what the technology and what it will be. I hear there’s even less A.I. stuff in this. It’s going to be more a practical set, and they’re beautiful; there are beautiful sets that I’ve seen,” Bridges said.
While the extent of Bridges’ role in TRON: Ares remains unclear, it is great to hear that Kevin Flynn will return.
TRON: Ares will hit theaters next year.