Cillian Murphy’s Scrapped Return For Cult Sci-Fi Franchise Revealed In New Idea Artwork

Cillian Murphy’s scrapped return for Tron: Ares has been revealed in new idea artwork.

In Tron: Legacy (2010), Murphy makes a cameo look as Edward Dillinger Jr., the top of ENCOM’s software program design staff and the son of ENCOM’s former senior government vice chairman Ed Dillinger, who was performed by David Warner within the authentic 1982 movie. Nonetheless, Murphy’s character did not return in Tron: Ares (2025).

Now, new idea artwork shared by Phil Saunders on Instagram reveals a have a look at Cillian Murphy’s scrapped return for Tron: Ares, together with his character sporting the enduring Sark costume. Take a look at the idea artwork beneath:

Within the put up, Phil Saunders explains, “One of many first issues Manufacturing Designer Darren Gilford requested me to sort out on Tron: Legacy was a fast illustration of CIllian Murphy as the brand new Sark. I feel it was meant to lure him to the manufacturing to reprise his position because the junior Dillinger.”

They proceed, “Given his absence from the film I hope this illo isn’t the explanation he handed! As Moebius has at all times been an enormous hero of mine (and a kinder extra gracious soul I’ve by no means met) I used to be thrilled to do a variation on his iconic costume. As typical I tough out a couple of variations and am happy when my favourite is chosen.”

Cillian Murphy did not return in Tron: Ares as a result of director Joachim Rønning deemed his character, Edward Dillinger Jr., pointless for the sequel’s new route, which focuses on a brand new story moderately than counting on nostalgia-driven fan service. Rønning additionally indicated that some actors selected to not return. He explains:

“This stuff will not be solely artistic decisions; typically actors do not need to be in it anymore. There are other ways of taking a look at that, however I feel the story fell into a spot the place we felt that we did not want the outdated characters to be entrance and centre. We needed to take this into a brand new route whereas, on the similar time, honoring the universe that we’re in.”

Although Cillian Murphy’s Edward Dillinger Jr. did not return within the newest sequel, Evan Peters performs Julian Dillinger, the grandson of Ed Dillinger and the brand new CEO of Dillinger Techniques who, throughout Tron: Ares‘ ending, finally clothes within the Sark swimsuit.

Directed by Joachim Rønning, with a script written by Jesse Wigutow, Tron: Ares follows the titular extremely superior synthetic intelligence program originating from the Grid, which is distributed from the digital world into the actual world on a harmful mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.

Tron: Ares‘ solid additionally contains Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, Gillian Anderson, and Jeff Bridges, who reprises his position as Kevin Flynn from the primary two movies.