‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and ‘Maleficent’ Director Joachim Rønning to Direct ‘Tron: Ares’

Disney is finally getting the gears turning on the highly-anticipated next installment in the Tron franchise, Tron: Ares.

According to Deadline, Joachim Rønning is in talks to direct the project, which still has Jared Leto attached. The project is set to film in August in Vancouver. The Tron: Ares script is by Jesse Wigutow and is considered the sequel to Tron: Legacy, which was directed by Joe Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick).

Rønning replaces Garth Davis (Lion) at the helm. Rønning is no stranger to The Walt Disney Company having directed Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. He also just wrapped production on Disney’s newest film Young Woman and the Sea, about the daring journey of Gertrude Ederle, a New York teen who became the first woman to swim across the English Channel, which has Daisy Ridley starring.

While the original 1982 version of the film, starring Jeff Bridges, was met with a cult following, its 2010 sequel was met with mixed reviews. Despite bringing back Bridges, Tron: Legacy didn’t seem to resonate with critics, many stating the film and its characters lacked emotion and substance. However, the film was financially profitable for Disney, and it too has gained its own following, and fans have been clamoring for another film, and don’t worry… you’ll get one.

It is unclear if Jeff Bridges, Garett Hedlund, and/or Olivia Wilde, or any other characters from Tron Legacy will return for the newest Tron film.