Tron: Ares was released globally today, answering the looming question occupying the thoughts of the Sci-Fi franchise’s fans. With multiple rumors surrounding the movie’s connection to its predecessors, fans were almost sure of Cillian Murphy‘s appearance in Tron: Ares.
Is Cillian Murphy in Tron: Ares?
Putting an end to speculations, director Joachim Ronning confirmed that Cillian Murphy will not be reprising his role as Ed. Dillinger, Jr. in Tron: Ares. Ronning stated creative choices and lack of interest as reasons for the non-renewal of Murphy’s character in the third movie.
The revelation comes as a shock to fans, as Tron: Legacy had beautifully set Murphy up as Tron 3’s antagonist.
Legacy portrays Murphy as the head of ENCOM’s software design team, whose big OS 12 launch is sabotaged by Sam (Garrett Hedlund). This leads to an animosity between the two that offers multiple possibilities for exploration in Tron: Ares.
Not all dreams come true, but the dates of Peaky Blinders’ sequel, The Immortal Man, clashed with those of Tron: Ares. This led Evan Peters to effectively take on the role of the villainous Julian Dillinger.
The third film in the Tron series has garnered mixed reviews from critics. While the tunes and visuals are superb, neither the plot nor the characters engages enough to hold the audience’s interest.
Rotten Tomatoes review on Tron: Ares and critics are far from impressed. The movie has scored a mediocre 54% on the tomatometer. The critics’ consensus review of Tron: Ares calls it a sensory feast of vivid neon hues and a hypnotic soundtrack. While stating that the movie is gorgeous to behold, the critics termed it too “narratively programmatic” to achieve an authentically human dimension.
The primary plotline of the Tron movies is the same: the Flynns versus the Dillingers. In the first film, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) plays the hero with Ed Dillinger (David Warner) as his nemesis. The long-term rivalry begins with Warner stealing Flynn’s intellectual property through corporate espionage, leading to Flynn entering the Grid.
