The Massie Twins recently had a chance to join Tron 2.0 Director Joe Kosinski, Producers Sean Bailey and Steve Lisberger (also the original director of Tron), and actors Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, and Olivia Wilde to discuss the revolutionary, action-packed futuristic 3D thriller from Walt Disney Pictures.
Jeff Bridges commented on his involvement boiling down to the script and Steve’s enthusiasm for the project and his ability to pull it off. It’s exhilarating, fresh and exciting when it all comes together onscreen and works. For him it was also a bit nostalgic. The idea behind revisiting such an old movie wasn’t to reinvent it, or create a sequel, but to create something moviegoers could become passionate about. It comes down to vision and Joe presented his idea of what the world of Tron would look like and it turned out to be a perfect combination, especially with Jeff who has been a screen icon for decades. His participation was essential, along with the acceptance of all the new technology. It was never a goal for Sean and Steve to look through the Disney library and pick out something to revisit (even though we contrarily just came from an all new Alice in Wonderland presentation) – it’s the truth regardless of how genuine it sounded. With A Christmas Carol, Alice in Wonderland or anything, it depends on a unique vision and if Joe Kosinski didn’t have that, they never would have gotten this far. It turned out to be a perfect marriage of ideas.
Jeff also discussed his fighting a younger version of himself in the film and how bizarre it was (footage from the original Tron will be spliced in apparently), but said that revealing too much would be like a magician explaining a trick. The world of Tron has evolved on its own, and Tron City was briefly mentioned. It’s like an aquarium, disconnected from the outside world for over 20 years. It’s continued to grow and the simulation has become more perfect and realistic. The scale, realism and physics of the world have all grown and is intended to feel like they went in and shot everything with motion picture cameras.
Jeff Bridges commented on looking back at the first Tron which was so advanced for the time, and yet all they had was white adhesive tape that covered the sets. There wasn’t much CGI, but a lot done by hand. In fact, they degraded the live action to match the CG of the time.
Director Kosinski stated how thrilled he was with 3D and its trend. It’s what they’re doing now, and while it’s the state-of-the-art thing, there’s no reason not to embrace it. Society is more interested in how to move data than in how to make cars – so this technology is going to be in everything. It’s all about how to get the best data to audiences, including acting, stories and visuals.
When asked about a Tron 2.0 game, the group mentioned that the original game didn’t impact the production of this film, although there will almost certainly be a corresponding video game. At this point, a lot of stuff is being discussed.
On the importance of Comic-Con, the general consensus was that it is very important, especially for a film like Tron 2.0. Last year’s footage created a firestorm of interest and next year there will actually be full scenes to show. They felt a certain obligation to come back since the previous visit really launched the popularity of this sequel.
The most challenging aspect for actor Garrett Hedlund and actress Olivia Wilde wasn’t just the Tron suit (that looked great but was a nuisance to wear) or the stunts or the cablework, but the act of doing things all day long. The minimal stuff really became tedious. Everyone promised lots of stuff for fans, although it was guaranteed that you’ll be able to watch Tron 2.0 and get wrapped up in the world and characters even if you haven’t seen the original.
The soundtrack will be done almost entirely by Daft Punk, an influential band with a broad taste for music well beyond the usual punk style. In fact, for their shows they even dress the part, borrowing ideas from the original Tron film’s costumes. There is a certain level of secrecy surrounding the plot, although the producers confirmed that they would have gladly shown more had they had it. As proud as they are in their efforts, they also believe that a decision should be made concerning advance publicity when they have materials in hand.
When asked why it took so long to make a sequel, the original film having been released in 1982, Joe Kosinski stated that this was the right time, the right story and the right vision. You’ll need no prior knowledge of the first film – it’s standalone, although it will acknowledge the existence of the original’s events and attempt to tie together all of the mythology spanning between 1982 and 2010, where Tron 2.0 is set.
Tron 2.0 Official Movie Synopsis and Notes:
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, James Frain, Beau Garrett and Michael Sheen
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Producers: Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver, Steven Lisberger, Donald Kushner
Writers: Steven Lisberger, Richard Jeffries, Brian Klugman & Lee Sternthal, Eddie Kitsis & Adam Horowitz, Bill Wheeler (credit not final)
Based on Characters Created by: Steven Lisberger and Bonnie MacBird
TRON is a 3D high-tech adventure set in a digital world that’s unlike anything ever captured on the big screen. Sam Flynn (GARRETT HEDLUND), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (JEFF BRIDGES), looks into his father’s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 25 years. Along with Kevin’s loyal confidant (OLIVIA WILDE), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.
Notes:
- Producer Steve Lisberger co-wrote and directed the original TRON (1982).
- Jeff Bridges reprises the role of Kevin Flynn, which he originated in TRON (1982).
- Bruce Boxleitner reprises the roles of Alan Bradley and Tron, which he originated in TRON (1982).
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