Tron: Ares producers say there was never a point where Jeff Bridges wasn't in the movie: "He is the franchise"

Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn in Tron: Ares — (Image credit: Disney)

Jeff Bridges's involvement in Tron: Ares is, admittedly, rather minor, but according to the producers, it was always a given that Kevin Flynn would appear in the sci-fi sequel in some capacity.

"I don't think there was ever a point where we didn't think we would have Jeff in the movie. We really wanted him to be in the movie," Justin Springer recalls in an exclusive interview with GamesRadar+. "Obviously, we had to go to him and talk to him about what his role would be and how he would fit into the story, and we had to figure out how to make that work from a story standpoint. But from the very earliest days of talking about making another Tron movie, we knew that we needed – or wanted – to include Jeff, for sure."

Bridges' Flynn was the protagonist of the 1982 original, which saw the gifted programmer get sucked into a digital world and forced to face off against a malevolent software. He had a significant role in Tron: Legacy (2010), too, as Flynn's son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) ventured into the Grid and tried to help his trapped father get back to the real world. In addition, Bridges also portrayed hacker program Clu in both – so it's not hard to see why Ludbrook and Springer believe he's so integral to the series.

Spoilers for Tron: Ares to follow! If you've not yet seen the movie and don't want to know anything that happens, turn back now!

Bridges' Flynn shows up briefly in Tron: Ares, in a sequence that sees the titular program (Jared Leto) transport himself to Flynn's Grid and ask its maker for his permanence code. At that point in the movie, Ares can only exist outside of Ed Dillinger Jr's Grid for 29 minutes before he turns to pixelated dust but with the permanence code, he could pretty much live as a human. Big Pinocchio vibes.

The pair chit-chat a little, about Depeche Mode and feelings; Flynn fascinated by the emotion and curiosity displayed by the advanced AI. And, well, that's about it.

Tron: Ares is in cinemas now. For more, check out our chats with stars Jared Leto, Evan Peters, and Greta Lee, and our breakdown of the Tron: Ares post credits scene. Or, if sci-fi isn't your thing, have a peek at our guide to the most exciting upcoming movies heading our way.