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?”
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.