The ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, now in its second month, has claimed yet another victim, as Tron: Ares has officially been delayed the same week it was set to begin filming. Coming hot off the news, director Joachim Rønning has expressed his frustrations on social media, urging there to be a better “safety net” as SAG-AFTRA and WGA (whose own strike has exceeded 100 days so far) continue to be in a stalemate with the AMPTP, the group at the center of both strikes.
The delay of Tron: Ares will result not just in a calendar shakeup but the loss of jobs for around 150 crew members. As such, director Rønning has not minced words on his take. As per The Hollywood Reporter, “Today was supposed to be our first day of principal photography on TRON: ARES (a movie subsequently about AI and what it means, and takes, to be human). Instead, we are shut down with over a hundred and fifty people laid off. It’s indefinite, which makes it exponentially harder for everyone…The AMPTP, SAG-AFTRA and WGA need to speed up the negotiating process and not leave the table until it’s done. This is Hollywood. We close deals for breakfast. Why do we suddenly have all the time in the world when every day is so precious? These tactics are extremely frustrating. It’s time for diplomacy so we can get back to work – under conditions that are fair to everybody #amptp #sagaftra #wga”. That Tron: Ares centers around artificial intelligence is quite interesting, considering the topic is a major point in negotiations for both unions. You can read his full statement from Instagram below:
Tron: Ares is set to be the third movie in the Tron franchise following 1982’s original and 2010’s Tron: Legacy. It had been building its cast for some time – recently adding Cameron Monaghan (Shameless, Gotham) and Sarah Desjardins (Riverdale, Yellowjackets) to the already-cast Jared Leto, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, and more – building as best as they could in the excitement, although fans would much rather see Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde in the cast. Most would probably want to see how Cillian Murphy could expand his Legacy cameo as well.
Do you share Joachim Rønning’s sentiments about Tron: Ares being delayed because of the strikes? Are you still looking forward to the threequel? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.