Speaking on an Entertainment Weekly radio show to be aired on August 15th, actor Jeff Bridges, star of Tron (1982) and sequel Tron: Legacy (2010), suggested that a third Tron feature should be “the first virtual reality movie.” Posted in a short entry on the Entertainment Weekly website, writer Clark Collis explained that he was prompted to ask about Tron rumours by Bridges’ new collaboration with Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski in upcoming movie Only the Brave.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard those rumors too,” Bridges replied. “I hope that happens. I think Joe’s got the script and everything, you know. Yeah, I don’t know that I’m supposed to talk about it or not. I don’t know. It should be the first virtual reality movie, you know? Wouldn’t that be cool…to see Tron in that world?”

CCP Games’ forthcoming VR game ‘Sparc’ has a neon-futuristic aesthetic that evokes ‘Tron’ | Image courtesy CCP Games

The original 1982 Tron, widely acknowledged as the first film to significantly feature CGI, was strongly influenced by the early video game industry. Its striking visual style has, in turn, been ingrained in sci-fi culture, with many VR experiences opting for a similar look over the years, sometimes as a nod to the franchise, or simply because its clean design makes efficient use of limited rendering performance.

While a third Tron sequel designed for VR would indeed be a milestone for the movie industry, it’s doubtful whether both the technology and audiences are ready for a ‘full-length’ blockbuster VR film. Recently, Felix & Paul Studios released Miyubi, the longest ‘VR film’ at 40 minutes, but question marks remain over the ‘3D spherical camera’ approach, compared to the ‘true VR’ experiences only possible with real-time rendering.

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Dominic Brennan
The trial version of Microsoft’s Monster Truck Madness probably had something to do with it. And certainly the original Super Mario Kart and Gran Turismo. A car nut from an early age, Dominic was always drawn to racing games above all other genres. Now a seasoned driving simulation enthusiast, and former editor of Sim Racer magazine, Dominic has followed virtual reality developments with keen interest, as cockpit-based simulation is a perfect match for the technology. Conditions could hardly be more ideal, a scientist once said. Writing about simulators lead him to Road to VR, whose broad coverage of the industry revealed the bigger picture and limitless potential of the medium. Passionate about technology and a lifelong PC gamer, Dominic suffers from the ‘tweak for days’ PC gaming condition, where he plays the same section over and over at every possible combination of visual settings to find the right balance between fidelity and performance. Based within The Fens of Lincolnshire (it’s very flat), Dominic can sometimes be found marvelling at the real world’s ‘draw distance’, wishing virtual technologies would catch up.
  • Marcus Scottus

    Too late. There are already several VR movies out there. If he means the first big Hollywood movie then that’s another matter.

    • leodagan

      ” Recently, Felix & Paul Studios released Miyubi, the longest ‘VR film’ at 40 minutes, but question marks remain over the ‘3D spherical camera’ approach, compared to the ‘true VR’ experiences only possible with real-time rendering.”

      so yeah, i thinks he talk about 2 hours and multi-millions dollars movie.

    • Ron

      Several, Where they at?

      • Michigan Jay Sunde

        They’re in all those self-contained content portal apps that are so irritating to install and update. And, obnoxiously, there’s a lot more on GearVR that are not on Rift, for people who LOVE streaming 360 content to their PHONE instead of streaming it over a wired broadband connection. Neither Rift nor Vive have a branded Netflix app, for example. Gear does. :( You know, cuz nothing says “the future” like low-bitrate adaptive streaming one inch from your eyeballs.

  • Rafael

    I would like to see a Tron 3 VR experience.
    It is a pity that Tron 2 didn’t go well economically, so don’t expect even a normal movie.

    • PK

      I don’t think it did badly, it made a profit. Problem is that Disney makes so much $$$ with Marvel and Star Wars that from what I understand they just put this aside, energies focused on their massive acquisitions. Glad to hear them talking again though.

  • Patrick Down

    Maybe renew Tron Uprising in a VR format?

  • ra51

    Hell I just want another Tron movie whether or not it’s in VR

  • kool

    I think an open world Tron game would do well in VR.

  • Michigan Jay Sunde

    I started watching Myubi. Got fatigued and told myself I’d come back to it later. Did not. 360-stereo is not comfortable enough to watch long-form content, at least for me. Meanwhile, a 90-minute Henry feature film – rendered in the Unreal Engine? I would watch that shit. I watched Allumette multiple times w/o fatigue. VR should be full-VR, nothing less. I’m sure the TRON team would understand that, of course.

  • Get Schwifty!

    It should be in VR, it’s the natural medium for it, but it also means now 30+ years later that line graphics are out the window and we need something on a whole level different to draw folks in. Speedy light bikes making 90′ turns on a grid is way old hat now…