In 2010, the science fiction sequel Tron 3 was announced, but the project has not yet made it to the cinema. Filming was supposed to start on Monday. Because of the ongoing double strike in Hollywood the shoot paused before it could even start. The director of the Jared Leto film commented on this in a social media post.
Sci-fi director vents frustration at film stop
Joachim Rønning may not be a household name among casual moviegoers, but he has experience on multi-million dollar Hollywood productions with Pirates of the Caribbean 5: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Maleficent 2: The Dark Knights. When shooting started on August 14th, he first wrote on Instagram about his understanding of the striking unions of actors and authors in the US film industry. Then he came to talk about Tron: Ares aka Tron 3:
Today was supposed to be the first day of shooting Tron: Ares (a film about AI and what it means to be human). Instead we are shut down with over one hundred and fifty employees laid off.
The dismissal is permanent, which makes the situation even more difficult for everyone involved.
Rønning wrote about those involved in the strike:
The AMPTP, SAG-AFTRA and WGA must not leave the negotiating table until the matter is settled. This is Hollywood. We’re closing deals for breakfast. Why do we suddenly have all the time in the world when every day is so precious? This tactic is extremely frustrating. It’s time for diplomacy so we can get back to work on terms that are fair to all.
Isn’t Tron 3 being shot at all anymore?
Fans of the sci-fi series, which launched in 1982 with Tron and continued in 2010 with Tron: Legacy, can breathe a sigh of relief. Filming was put on hold. However, according to confidential sources from the industry website Deadline, Disney has not given up on the project. Tron: Ares has only been paused until the strike ends.
Why the Tron 3 director is being criticized for this
Joachim Rønning’s frustration is understandable, but his statements have been criticized by colleagues. TV legend and Writers Guild member David Simon (The Wire) writes on Twitter with reference to Rønning’s directors’ union:
Please don’t try to equate both sides, DGA colleague. Only one side folded their arms in April, offered nothing, and then refused to come back to the negotiating table to even have a word with us until they lost the actors too. I am sorry that you and your production are suffering as much as the rest of the industry.
Disney
Tron: legacy
Rønning’s statement can be described as at least poorly worded. In his statements, he places equal responsibility for the length of the strikes on the shoulders of studios and streaming services (AMPTP) and writers’ and actors’ unions (WGA and SAG-AFTRA).
Why are the strikes lasting so long?
Rønning thus assigns the same responsibility to billionaire corporations such as Disney, Netflix or Warner Bros. Discovery Creative people who mostly work in the minimum wage range and demand fair wages. On the other hand, the AMPTP has refused for months to submit new proposals to the authors’ union WGA.
Only since last week has there been movement on the part of the studio representation. Disney and Netflix are reportedly pushing for an end to the strike, as reported by Bloomberg. A new offer was drafted and last night there was a meeting between the AMPTP and the WGA (via The Wrap). We will keep you informed about the developments.
The WGA strike has been going on since May 2, 2023. The actors’ union SAG-AFTRA called on its members on July 14 to stop work. Since then, most productions in the US film industry have come to a standstill.
Tron: Ares has no launch date yet. The cast includes Jared Leto (Morbius), Evan Peters (Dahmer) and Jodie Turner-Smith (After Yang).