I was pretty busy with hosting events at the Koto booth this convention so I was not able to spare the several hours needed to wait in line to attend the public Disney 3D panel for the convention goers. Being press, however, I was able to get in on the press conference for the Tron sequel. Josh and I, in case you didn't know, consider Tron to be one of those influential films of our lives and an essential part of the DNA that makes up CollectionDX. So how could I pass up covering this?
The new film is called Tron Legacy and they literally just wrapped principal photography. Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner return. Daft Punk is doing the score. The Tron world has remained on a private server and is not connected to the internet. The general premise is that it's some 30 years after the first film and Flynn has been missing for 25. Flynn's son goes back into the Tron world to find his father. It's all a bit "Heart of Darkness"/"Apocalypse Now". So here is the press conference in its entirety. I am sorry for the shaky camera and sound quality. The room was pretty packed by the time I got there, so I got the best spot I could. Enjoy Tron's heads!
But that wasn't all Disney was up too, to promote this upcoming film. They turned a nightclub in the Gaslight District into a replica of Flynn's for 2 nights. Sadly I did not get myself this venue while it was running but thanks to my friends @scoobydiesel, @seandps, @Taozoo4u and @ethernz I do have some photos to share with you. Thanks guys and gals you are all real lifesavers. :)
A full-size mock-up of the new Lightcycle was on display
From what I can tell, the Tron arcade game IS NOT the classic 80's game we played when we where kids. It was more in line with the game Flynn played from the movie... really wish I had gone... grrr.
They also brought me back an arcade token from Flynn's.
So very looking forward to seeing this sometime next year...
Comments
9 comments postedWow- that is one hell of a promotion- a working arcade based on nothing but one movie! And not only that, but the 1/1 new LightCycle!
w00t for "Tron Legacy"!
. . .
Wow- it is really difficult to understand that press conference. I know you were limited by distance, and I understand that's how the cards fall. But... is there any way you could- I don't know- caption it for us?
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CollectionDX Staff
Just the same, you guys are right about the original, after all TOMY made the original TRON toys. Syd Mead, Juan/ Wendy Carlos, The Dude... Never mind the futurist aspects which are on par with Star Trek. People who can't dig that movie amaze me.
I'm with you in hoping this one is another classic. The marketing push is encouraging, as long as they (the royal "They") don't kill this movie before it arrives.
A few months ago, I somehow managed to watch three movies starring Jeff Bridges in one three-day weekend. Friday night was Iron Man, Saturday was The Big Lebowski, Sunday was TRON. It was entirely unintentional.
If you look at the original Tron's pre-production art, the "NEW" Lightcycles design is incredibly close to what they intended for the first film.
Oh- they intended them to be open-air? Was it the restriction of the CGI at the time that prevented it?
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CollectionDX Staff
Originally it was to be called Tron 2.0 from what I read. Still the trailer looks awesome, hope the movie lives up to the hype. Sometimes the movie trailer is better than the actual movie... did I hear "Revenge of the fallen".
TR2N is the one I went for. Seriously enigmatic and cryptic, but whatever. You know the rule "Asses in Seats!" applies before anything creative ever will. Still, I can't wait for this movie. I'm hugging my MIP Tomy SARK even as I type.
For me, this was the biggest news to come out of SDCC this year. I've always been a pretty big fan of TRON. It is probably one of my top 5 favorite movies. Seeing the trailer for the sequel gave me goosebumps like I haven't had since first seeing footage of the 2007 TF movie. 2010 is going to be BIG!
PS: Adam, you lucky bugger. Those tokens are AWESOME!