Credit: Fox/DisneyGillian Anderson, star of the iconic 1990s conspiracy thriller series The X-Files, is joining another huge franchise: Tron.
The actress starred alongside David Duchovny in the popular Fox series for the majority of its original run, portraying Special Agent Dana Scully, the rational skeptic to Duchovny’s true believer. The X-Files was an unexpectedly massive hit for the network, propelling both Gillian Anderson and Duchovny to global fame and spawning a multi-media franchise that still periodically experiences a revival to this day.
Now, Gillian Anderson has been confirmed (via Deadline) to be starring in the latest attempt to revive the Tron franchise, one of Disney’s most under-utilized franchises. Details on the film are still scarce, and there is no indication of what role Anderson might be playing.
Tron: Ares (as the title of the much-delayed film has been revealed to be) will star Jared Leto as the titular character, a computer program who reportedly somehow makes his way into the real world, in what sounds like a reversal of the premise of the original Tron (1982).
The first movie in the franchise starred Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, a genius computer programmer (and video game expert) who is transported to a digital reality in which computer programs are fighting an oppressive fascist-coded regime and compete in deadly gladiatorial combat. The film was a moderate hit on release and received praise for its innovative special effects, but failed to produce a sequel for decades until Tron: Legacy (2010).
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Although Tron is a huge franchise that includes an animated series, numerous video games, and even theme park attractions, it has still taken fourteen years to produce a sequel and include an X-Files star in it.
In addition to Gillian Anderson and Jared Leto, Tron: Ares will star Evan Peters, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, Cameron Monaghan, and Sarah Desjardins. It will be directed by Joachim Rønning and is currently back in production after being delayed by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
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