Tron 3 Would Be So Exciting If It Wasn’t For This 1 Part Of Disney’s Upcoming Sequel

Tron 3, the third installment in Disney’s fan-favorite sci-fi series, looks like an exciting new chapter — except for one key element. A much-anticipated sequel to 2010’s Tron: Legacy, the newly sub-titled Tron: Ares has been stuck in production purgatory for over a decade, but promises to bring the franchise to a new generation of movie-goers. Tron, the first film in the series, premiered in 1982, making waves for its pioneering and extensive use ofCGI. Starring Jeff Bridges as former ENCOM software engineer Kevin Flynn, Tron transports its protagonist into a computer mainframe.

While trying to escape ENCOM’s nefarious digital realm, Bridges’ engineer-turned-hacker encounters computer programs that take the form of human-like entities. The mainframe’s ruler, ENCOM’s Master Control Program (MCP), is determined to turn the programs against their programmers. All who resist are forced to compete in deadly games, like light cycle races. Tron: Legacy follows Flynn’s son Sam (Garrett Hedlund), who enters the Grid after hearing a distress call from his long-lost dad. Although Sam succeeds in keeping the VR realm from invading the real world, Tron: Ares promises more digital thrills.

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Jared Leto’s Casting Makes It Difficult To Get Excited About Tron 3

Even though some iteration of a third Tron film has been in development for around 10 years, Disney has been tight-lipped about the plot of Tron: Ares. Both Tron and Tron: Legacy were films ahead of their time, which is part of the reason why the sci-fi flicks became such cult classics. Unfortunately, Tron: Ares might break that franchise trend due to the divisive casting of Jared Leto. The Oscar-winning actor is set to play the titular Ares, so there’s a lot riding on Disney’s Leto casting decision.

Leto aside, Tron: Ares boasts an incredible cast of sci-fi vets, including Evan Peters (X-Men: Days of Future Past), Greta Lee (Russian Doll), Jodie Turner-Smith (Nightflyers), Cameron Monaghan (Jedi: Fallen Order), Sarah Desjardins (Impulse), and none other than the Emmy-winning X-Files star Gillian Anderson. Of course, Leto has also appeared in several sci-fi blockbusters, including Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049. While the actor may have the track record to pull off the Tron: Ares role, he’s squandered both his audience goodwill and box-office potential in recent years.

Morbius’ Failure Has Changed Audience Perception On Jared Leto

In the wake of his controversial Dallas Buyers Club Oscar win, Jared Leto’s movie career has taken a somewhat unexpected turn. The actor nabbed several roles in blockbuster films, including the much-maligned Suicide Squad, which saw him tackling the role of an enduring Batman villain. Leto’s unhinged, weird take on The Joker was denounced by fans and critics alike, marking the first of a string of box office failures for the actor. More recently, the massive failure of the Leto-led superhero movie Morbius cemented movie-goers’ perception of the performer.

Set in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, the film stars Leto as Dr. Michael Morbius, a scientist who becomes a vampire after seemingly curing his own rare blood disease. Deemed uninspired and nonsensical by critics, Morbius proved that Leto no longer has command of the box office either. The film set box office records — in a bad way. It experienced the second-worst sophomore weekend drop of any superhero movie, falling a whopping 74% in terms of gross (via Forbes). In the end, Morbius generated just $167.5 million at the worldwide box office during its theatrical run.

Why Jared Leto Is A Controversial Figure

Jared Leto’s status as a divisive figure goes beyond his misguided Dallas Buyers Club casting and his maligned box-office flops. A TV and film star for decades, Leto also amassed a devoted fanbase as 30 Seconds to Mars’ frontman. As his mainstream notoriety has grown, so has the backlash against the performer. When it was announced that Leto would continue to play the lead in Tron: Ares, comics creator Hamish Steele suggested Tron fans search the phrase “Jared Leto 14” (via The Mary Sue) — a supposed nod to the age Leto was when first expressing interest in Tron.

Instead, the search results surfaced allegations against Leto due to his reported predatory behavior toward underage girls. The decades of allegations of misconduct haven’t ended the actor’s career, but they’ve certainly shifted audiences’ perception of Leto. Moreover, Leto has been accused of using “method acting” as an excuse to behave disrespectfully on set and harass his colleagues (via E! News). Between reports of Jared Leto’s behavior and actions — both on and off set — and his Hollywood flops, it’s difficult to be anything but frustrated by his role in Tron: Ares.

Sources: Forbes, The Mary Sue, E! News