Disney pulls the plug on the ‘Tron‘ sequel, ‘Tron 3’.
Disney has decided to end the development of ‘Tron 3,’ what was expected to be the sequel to the 1980s classic movie, because the studio could not find a time to start production until after 2018, according to reports.
From Variety:
“We had never greenlit the movie, but it was in development for some time,” said one Disney executive, discussing the sensitive decision to table the project. “Things in the queue got ahead of it and we have such a big slate out in front of it, we started to think, ‘Where does it go?’ And it’s a pretty big investment to make if you are not even sure when you are going to release it.”
When Disney looked out at its release horizon, though, it did not see a likely spot for the new “Tron” film. Walt Disney Pictures already has “Jungle Book,” another “Pirates of the Caribbean” installment, “Alice in Wonderland, “Pete’s Dragon” and “Beauty and the Beast.” And that’s not to mention other highly-anticipated projects, like director Tim Burton’s “Dumbo,” and a raft of mega-pics that are on the way from Disney’s premium-label subsidiaries — Pixar, Lucasfilm and Marvel.
Back in January 15, 2014, the Tron leading actor, Bruce Boxleitner stated in an interview: “All I know is, they don’t tell me anything, but they want to do it I would say probably the end of this year, for 2015 maybe,” Boxleitner said. “They don’t have any dates but I’m thinking from the scuttlebutt I’m hearing that’s it, but I don’t know anything for sure other than they do have a script they love, they’re still tweaking.”
The film may also take place more in the real world than in the past according to the recent interview: “That’s what I’m told, but you didn’t hear me say that,” Boxleitner joked. “I think it’s going to be a lot about taking the company back because if you remember Sam Flynn says to Alan at the end, just before he rides his bike off into the sunrise with Quorra, says, ‘We’re going to take the company back.’ That’s not the end of the movie. That’s the beginning of the next one. That’s foreshadowing. And you don’t get Cillian Murphy to do an unscripted cameo” and “I got a feeling Eddie Dillinger Jr.’s going to be as bad as his dad was.”
Disney promoted Tron: Legacy. It received mixed reviews from film critics, who generally loved the effects and soundtrack but hated its character development and acting. The ‘Tron’ grossed over $400 million during its worldwide, making it a financial success. It was the 11th highest grossing film of the year.
‘Tron’ follows Flynn’s son Sam who responds to a message from his long-lost father and is transported into a virtual reality called the Grid, where Sam, his father and the algorithm Quorra stop the malevolent program CLU from invading the human world.
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