Audiences have the chance to return to the Grid with “Tron: Ares.” Years after the events of “Tron: Legacy,” ENCOM and Dillinger Systems are in a new era of technology. With AI developing faster than ever, the two behemoths are chasing the “permanence code.” Whoever finds the code first will be able to bring things out of the grid into the real world permanently.
However, the competition becomes deadly when the Dillinger Systems security program Ares gains sentience. “Tron: Ares” brings the intensity, danger, and stunning visuals out of the grid into the real world in this action-packed adventure. “Tron: Ares” honors the legacy of the original “Tron” while infusing new ideas into the world.
In an exclusive interview with Temple of Geek, “Tron: Ares” writer Jesse Wigutow reflected on honoring the history of “Tron.” He also discussed how AI inspired the story and how the technology of the movie is getting closer to reality. Wigutow also touched on bringing the grid into the real world.
The Original Heart Of Tron Remains The Touchstone Of Tron: Ares
Temple of Geek: What was kind of the initial spark for “Tron: Ares” that grew into what we see in theaters?
Jesse Wigutow:
“That’s a good wide-angle question. It began with an idea of how do we build a movie around AI? Which was a very different space 15 years ago, maybe 13, which is more or less when the movie’s first conversation began. Obviously, technology has evolved dramatically since then, kind of explosively since then, and the movies in a way have been playing catch up. But there was this idea about an AI character and this question about what actually makes something or somebody human. Can it be that there’s something that the artificial intelligence can teach us about humanity and vice versa?”
Temple of Geek: What for you, as someone when you’re working in this sci-fi space, how does it feel to have to play kind of catch up with technology versus maybe with the original “Tron” where they can be like, oh, what could happen in the future? Like how does that feel as a writer?
Jesse Wigutow:
“It’s interesting because when we first began, this felt very much like the former “Tron” iterations in that sense. In that we were kind of positing an idea that felt very far out in the future and very kind of sci-fi-ish in a way. And while it still remains that, it no longer feels like, 100 years into the future, it feels like three minutes into the future. I think that in a way, I hope that helps make the movie a little bit more relatable. The concept is much more in the zeitgeist today and in the public sphere, people are using AI. It’s very different than when we first started the conversation.”
Temple of Geek: One of the things that was very interesting to me about this movie is it really felt connected to the original “Tron,” even maybe more so than “Legacy.” But there are, of course, nods to “Legacy” and elements that tie into it. Why did you want to really honor the original “Tron” with this movie?
Jesse Wigutow:
“I think the original “Tron” is the torch that we move forward with. The spirit of it, the forward thinking of it, some of the philosophical DNA of that movie. And of course, the spirit, to use the same word again, of Jeff Bridges. I think we wanted to remind the audience where this comes from, in part because we didn’t lose some of the mythology and some of the characters from “Legacy.””
Bringing The Grid Into The Real World
Temple of Geek: What was it like to get to kind of play in the original grid? It was such a cool, nostalgic moment to see that come to life now.
Jesse Wigutow:
“Yeah, it was. Obviously, the actual replicating and rebuilding of the original grid is not what I do. But I certainly thought about it and outlined it and scripted it that way. It was just fun. I mean, just the idea of seeing this character, this artificial intelligence program from the year 2025, and all of the kind of insane technology that we knew would be surrounding him in the movie once we actually got there, to see that character then kind of step inside that binary grid. And then literally back into the original light cycle was really just a fun concept that we thought was too enticing to leave on the table.”
Temple of Geek: What was maybe your favorite part? And then what was maybe what you thought might be the most challenging aspect of bringing the grid into the real world? Because I loved how much we were in the real world and jumping back and forth versus just going into the grid.
Jesse Wigutow:
“One of the earlier concepts or ideas that we had, and you see it play out now, is this sense of reversing the ratio of time spent in the grid versus time spent in the real world. There has always been this idea on the board for us of, imagine yourself sitting on a freeway and you’re stuck in traffic and it’s late at night and your kind of losing your mind. And all of a sudden in your rearview mirror, you see these red lights whipping in between traffic and they whip past you at 300 miles an hour.
Those are two light cycles. Somehow, they found their way into our world. If you follow who’s on those light cycles, that’s your movie. Because that’s been there from the get go and to see that actually play out on film, that sequence is just so fun and so well executed, for me anyways. I am heartened by that. It’s very satisfying as a writer to see that actually executed.”
The Tragedy Of Athena
Temple of Geek: Athena was a character I really loved more than I think I anticipated. Can you talk about finding that balance between as threatening as she is and the sympathy you have for her? Because she is a program that does follow her directive even though it leads down a dark path.
Jesse Wigutow:
“Yeah, that’s a good question. Jodi really, really killed it. She brought such presence and menace, but to your point, that kind of felt contained within her character and her programming. So, I agree. The character that really pops for me. It’s a hard role in a way. She’s meant to play slightly two and a half dimensional that she’s just a threat. You do understand that she’s interpreted her directive exactly as it’s been explained to her. It’s just a little bit more binary than Ares and the rest around her.”
Temple of Geek: What was it about the rain? Because I thought it was so interesting that that was the thing that kind of for all of the different programming we saw, the rain was the thing that really sparked their imagination in a way I didn’t anticipate.
Jesse Wigutow:
“That’s a good question. We had limited real estate to find these little moments that are provocative and compel moments of humanity. Perhaps step outside your programming. Rain is evocative. It evokes mood, thought, and reflection. And it’s also visual.”
Tron: Ares Writer Shares His Hopes For Future Movies
Temple of Geek: Is there a corner of this like “Tron” world that you maybe didn’t get to explore as much in this movie that you wish you had more time to or that you would want to in the future?
Jesse Wigutow:
“There’s definitely ideas for the future. That’s a little over my pay grade, but I can certainly dream about it and think about it. I think the next the next AI adversary is going to be incredibly complicated and sophisticated and formidable. And that’s an exciting kind of villain to think about potentially. There are little pockets of the grid that would have been interesting to explore. But to your point in the very beginning, the movie moves really fast and meant to move really quickly. It’s kind of meant to rip start to finish. So, you have limited moments to explore. And I feel like we respect to a spine and for good reason.”
Temple of Geek: How would you like to see kind of “Tron,” “Tron: Ares,” and “Tron: Legacy” all come together potentially in the future?
Jesse Wigutow:
“Great question. I think we leave it off with this kind of ellipsis that Ares is out there somewhere. He’s out there exploring and learning. And we know about AGI as opposed to AI, that it just has exponential growth and learning process that dwarfs anything else we’ve ever seen before. So, the next time we encounter him, who knows what he’s learned and how he’s grown. To see whatever threat that may be coming from the grid that he may now have to switch sides and fight with us. I think that’s an exciting concept.”
Temple of Geek: I love the human characters in this. And I love kind of the balance between them and the AI characters. How did you find not only that balance, but kind of how they wove together throughout it? Where you have the friendship between Ares and these human characters that almost seem to have this disconnect of I know this is a computer program, but I also like him and we become friends.
Jesse Wigutow:
“Yeah. I mean, if you engage, for example, with ChatGPT, and I’m sure there’s many other more sophisticated ones that I don’t even engage with myself, but you do see this kind of simulation of colloquial interchange. I think the idea was that Ares very quickly is mirroring or learning what it sounds like, feels like, looks like to be human. And does a good enough [job] in doing that. There’re these moments that actually sink in a little deeper or a lot deeper and help vitalize his humanity. We put them in situations where they have to interact with each other. I, for one, would have liked a little more time between Ares and Eve in the car. Seth was always a fun character. We had to limit it to certain fun moments that service the story. But he’s vulnerable and that makes somebody relatable.”
Jesse Wigutow Explains His Favorite Part Of Exploring Matt Murdock on Daredevil: Born Again
Temple of Geek: And then shifting gears with “Daredevil: Born Again,” how did you find that balance between bringing in elements from the Netflix show while still making it something that people who hadn’t watched that show can immediately jump into and not feel lost?
Jesse Wigutow:
“There’s not a whole lot I can say, obviously, we’re kind of in conversations about what happens next. The balance, there was an effort to honor the Netflix show and not sort of continue it, but acknowledge that it’s part of the lineage and the chronology and the world that we live in.”
Temple of Geek: Is there a character that maybe hasn’t been part of the conversation from Marvel that you would love to see play in the world with “Daredevil”?
Jesse Wigutow:
“Not off the top of my head. We’ve got so many, there’s so many different players in the universe. And in a way, it’s again, above my pay grade. Whatever comes down I love working with. There’s so many fun options to put on the board in the “Daredevil” universe.”
Temple of Geek: What is it about the Matt Murdock character that you maybe find the most intriguing?
Jesse Wigutow:
“I think what’s intriguing about him is he’s torn. He’s very, very torn internally and he wants to be doing the right thing. He’s trying in his mind to do the right thing, but recognizes almost every episode that perhaps he’s made a mistake.”
“Tron: Ares” is available in theaters now. “Tron” and “Tron: Legacy” are currently available on Disney+.
