Tron 3 revitalised by Disney with Jared Leto and director Garth Davis attached

The long awaited third part in the Tron cult movie series could be back on the menu in Hollywood, with Disney reportedly developing it with Jared Leto attached as the star.

Deadline reported that Australian filmmaker Garth Davis has been hired for the project after he "aggressively pursued the job", while Suicide Squad and Morbius star Leto has been attached to the project since 2017.

The original Tron is a 1982 movie starring Jeff Bridges set inside a computer programme called the Grid, where a computer hacker is abducted and forced to participate in gladiatorial games. It wasn't a success at the box office, but its reputation grew based on its game-changing computer graphics and art design.

Eventually, Disney produced a sequel, Tron: Legacy, in 2010, which brought back Bridges in a leading role, joined by Garrett Hedlund, Michael Sheen and Olivia Wilde. Director Joseph Kosinski managed to persuade the elusive, enigmatic French producers Daft Punk to create their first film score on the movie.

Tron: Legacy was a global success, earning in advance of $400 million (£305 million).

According to Deadline, Disney scrapped plans for a direct sequel to Tron: Legacy and took its time working out how to advance the story; even Leto's interest in 2017 failed to reignite the project.

Davis' pursuit of the director's role appears to be the key to the revitalisation of the Tron franchise. He directed 2016 tearjerker and Best Picture Oscar nominee Lion, starring Dev Patel, and 2018's biblical epic Mary Magdalene, starring Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix, but the Tron film would mark a massive step up in budget and sheer cinema scope.

Insiders stressed that Tron hasn't yet been given a green light by Disney, but Davis' involvement is a key step in the right direction.

Jesse Wigutow wrote the latest draft of the third Tron movie, and Leto will produce with Justin Springer and Emma Ludbrook.

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