Bruce Boxleitner Returns to Tron
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, Remakes and Sequels
What's Tron without Tron? I mean, you can have a Tron, but if it's not the real Tron, then it doesn't seem like a Tron-worthy endeavor. Does it?Confused? Let me explain: Coming Soon reports that Disney's upcoming Tron 2.0 will not only have original cast member Jeff Bridges (Kevin Flynn/Clu), but also Tron himself, Bruce Boxleitner. However, the piece does use some strange wording, saying that he's "filming a role" rather than returning to Tron. So, this could just be a cameo, or a small role set to woo us ol' fans of the original.
The first dealt with Bridges being a hacker who is sucked into the world of computers and has to team up with Boxleitner's Tron to bring down the MCP, or Master Control Program. This time around, Olivia Wilde is playing a "worker in the virtual world" who has to face the MCP, while Beau Garrett gets to play a virtual world siren.
This should be a good gig for Bruce, who continues to work, but hasn't had anything of Tron proportions lately. But how should he show up? I would love to see a years-later sequel actually make use of the original players, rather than just highlight them, but how 'bout you?










Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-25-2008 @ 11:50PM
Kurt said...
Why does this movie have to exist?
The original Tron was a gimmick-flick. It had a weak story and was only carried by its (then) eye-popping visuals and its flagrant exploitation of the emerging video-game culture (to say nothing of the rabid anti-communist undertones--I mean, hell, the bad guys were red). Watch it today and try not to cringe, especially if you know anything about the way computers work, and extra-especially if you know anything about the way computers worked in 1982.
Exactly what about Tron has any appeal to today's audience? It had only two things going for it: its other-worldly aesthetic and the popular fascination with (and misundertanding of) computers and video games. But modern movies look better, other-worldly is not nearly as en vogue today as it was in the 80's ("The Dark Crystal" or "Labyrinth" come to mind), and the laity have a far better understanding of technology.
This had "bad idea" written all over it.
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12-26-2008 @ 1:20AM
Paul Nicholson said...
I personally loved and love the original TRON. Yes it was a product of its time in terms of political agenda, special effects, etc, but that doesn't make it less of a movie. It isn't top 10 greatest material, but it is/was a good movie. The plot was surprisingly well constructed and the computer-world story played as a reasonable allegory for the real world counterparts (and was surprisingly accurate in terms of the role that "memory" and "bits" and "programs" etc all interacted, given when it was made and the intended audience).
I am a little leery of a sequel, but it wouldn't be impossible to make a good one. It will be very challenging though, and I'm not sure Disney is the studio up for the challenge. I also like getting Jeff Bridges involved, and at first was not sure about Boxlietner. With both men i was worried that they might try to CG-youngify the program versions of the characters, but then i remembered that in the original movie, the "old" obsolete programs were played by older men too, so it would still work in the context of the original.
I'm still dubious on the chances of a good remake, but i hold out hope that it isn't an impossible task. Bringing back the original actors in a legit capacity is a good sign.
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12-26-2008 @ 10:12AM
Glenn said...
Yes the Original tron was great and even now watching it I prefer the original special effects to the ones of today. Im looking forward with trepidation to the new version.
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12-26-2008 @ 12:10PM
What the Frack?! said...
Uh... I thought they already made a real/offical sequel to Tron called Tron 2.0 as a PC game.
Is this supposed to be a remake or something? Or because the game didn't do well, are they just doing a Superman Returns to the game?
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12-27-2008 @ 5:27AM
chuckiej6 said...
Don't bring up Superman Returns. Ewww. I think they are ignoring the PC game.
Find the Tron 2 lightcycle race on Youtube. It'll rock your world.