Tron fans had reason to rejoice a little over a week ago when we reported that Disney is now moving forward with a sequel to 2010âs TRON: Legacy. The follow-up has been in development since that filmâs release, but new Disney Studios head Alan Horn sees Tron 3 as a priority, and so Jesse Wigutow has been brought on to pen the latest draft of the script in order to get things moving. Legacy star Garrett Hedlund recently confirmed his inevitable involvement in the pic, but details regarding the sequel have been few and far between.
Steve recently participated in an exclusive interview with Legacy director Joseph Kosinski in anticipation for his upcoming sci-fi film Oblivion, and he kindly provided a lengthy update on Tron 3, which he intends to direct. Kosinski talked about the status of the script, the fact that this had to be their Empire Strikes Back in order for him to return, the possibility of Daft Punk once again providing the score, how much time has passed when Tron 3 picks up, and much more. Hit the jump to see what he had to say.
Speaking about the sequel, Kosinski says he thinks theyâve found an idea that makes the follow-up worth doing:
âWell the only reason to go back, for me and I think for anyone involved would be if we could do something truly spectacular. Weâve been talking about it for a couple years and thereâs always been this idea, a big idea, in the back of my head that weâve been talking about. The idea itself, the notion of what the next Tron could be, is exciting enough that it would be worth going back to do it. Obviously we hinted some things at the end of Legacy, itâs kind of there for people to see what that potential is. So we just want to make sure that we have a script that delivers on that promise on an epic scale.â
TRON: Legacy was Kosinskiâs first feature film as a director and was made under a bit of a time crunch, so Kosinski notes that he wants to have the script in tip-top shape before they start production:
âIâve said it would have to be our Empire Strikes Back for me to come back and for me to pull the whole team back together. I think we do have that idea. We do have the idea that feels big and really blows the doors off this franchise. Itâs hinted at promises of something for two movies now, for thirty years, so itâs time to deliver on that. But the scriptâs got to be at a level that makes it worth going back for, because itâs a lot of work to make a movie like this and itâs a multi-year project. So weâve got our writer Jesse Wigutow on it right now writing, and fingers crossed if it all comes together, as we hope it will, there could be another Tron in the next few years, and itâs going to be awesome.â
Regarding the story, Kosinski was unsurprisingly mum on details but he did reveal the time frame between Legacy and Tron 3:
âI think time has passed. It feels like weâre kind of real-time in step. So however much time has passed since Legacy came out would also have transpired in the real world. So it will still be contemporary. So letâs say if the Tron sequel comes out in 2015, then four or five years have passed since the last movie.â
The filmmaker also teased that he would be bringing some new designs to the film instead of re-using material from Legacy:
âI donât want to say too much about it but the goal would not be to simply re-use. Weâre not going to re-use the assets from Legacy, thatâs no fun. If weâre going to do to it weâre going to reinvent all over again and itâs going to be a whole new generation for reasons that are very story-driven. Thatâs all I can say.â
As for whether the Legacy sequel could be Kosinskiâs next film, the director seems cautiously optimistic:
âThere is certainly a chance, like I said; weâre writing the script now. Sometimes with these things all the pieces fall into place. I mean, weâve been talking about this for years and we donât have the script now, but sometimes things fall into place very quickly, and if everything lines up it could happen. Thatâs all I can say, itâs too early.â
One of the highlights of Legacy, in addition to Kosinskiâs stirring visuals, was a fantastic score from Daft Punk. Steve asked if they would be returning for the follow-up, and Kosinski seems keen on âgetting the band back togetherâ so to speak:
âWhen it comes to building the team up for soundtrack they would absolutely be my first call. As to whether or not they would do it, it depends on what theyâre doing at the time. They are very methodical in how they pick their next project, and they would only do it if they felt that they could dedicate themselves a hundred percent to that. I know they have another album coming out, Iâm sure thatâs going to be their next big project, which I assume is going to be followed by a massive tour. So, you know, hopefully if theyâve got the time and the creative willingness to dive back in.â
The filmmaker notes that Daft Punk created plenty of tracks that Kosinski didnât use in Legacy, so theyâve already got a leg-up on the music for the sequel:
âRemember, there are a lot of tracks that they created that I still have that I wasnât able to fit into TRON: Legacy. So weâve already got a head start on some great tracks for the future, which Iâm really excited about. Like I said, they would be my first call.â
Hopefully weâll hear more about the sequel very soon, as fan response to the promise of Tron 3 has been incredibly positive.
Read the full transcript of the portion of Steveâs interview with Kosinski below, and look out for the entire interview on Collider soon.
Please tell people the status of another Tron sequel.
Kosinski: Well the only reason to go back, for me and I think for anyone involved would be if we could do something truly spectacular. Weâve been talking about it for a couple years and thereâs always been this idea, a big idea, in the back of my head that weâve been talking about. The idea itself, the notion of what the next Tron could be, is exciting enough that it would be worth going back to do it. Obviously we hinted some things at the end of Legacy, itâs kind of there for people to see what that potential is. So we just want to make sure that we have a script that delivers on that promise on an epic scale. Iâve said it would have to be our Empire Strikes Back for me to come back and for me to pull the whole team back together. I think we do have that idea. We do have the idea that feels big and really blows the doors off this franchise. Itâs hinted at promises of something for two movies now, for thirty years, so itâs time to deliver on that. But the scriptâs got to be at a level that makes it worth going back for, because itâs a lot of work to make a movie like this and itâs a multi-year project. So weâve got our writer Jesse Wigutow on it right now writing, and fingers crossed if it all comes together, as we hope it will, there could be another Tron in the next few years, and itâs going to be awesome.
My understanding is the studio is very enthusiastic about continuing Tron. Obviously they have new leadership under Alan Horn, have you actually talked to Alan and said, âHow do you feel about Tron?â
Kosinski: I havenât talked to him directly. I mean, Sean Bailey was my producer on Tron, now heâs the president over there at Disney. So Disney has their full support behind it, which is great, but again itâs got to be the right story. Itâs got to be a script thatâs up to snuff and worth going back for. The ideaâs there, the ambitionâs there, the excitementâs there; but we need to have all the pieces in place before they would ever pull the trigger on that. So weâll see. Weâll see what happens.
Obviously youâll be done with Oblivion in April, then youâll go on tour with it, then it will be a question of what project you want to do next. Do you think that there is a real chance that Tron could be the next project, or do you think there might be something that goes in first?
Kosinski: There is certainly a chance, like I said; weâre writing the script now. Sometimes with these things all the pieces fall into place. I mean, weâve been talking about this for years and we donât have the script now, but sometimes things fall into place very quickly, and if everything lines up it could happen. Thatâs all I can say, itâs too early.
As Iâve mentioned many times, I loved the soundtrack, do you think that you would be able to get Daft Punk back again to do it?
Kosinski: When it comes to building the team up for soundtrack they would absolutely be my first call. As to whether or not they would do it, it depends on what theyâre doing at the time. They are very methodical in how they pick their next project, and they would only do it if they felt that they could dedicate themselves a hundred percent to that. I know they have another album coming out, Iâm sure thatâs going to be their next big project, which I assume is going to be followed by a massive tour. So, you know, hopefully if theyâve got the time and the creative willingness to dive back in. Remember, there are a lot of tracks that they created that I still have that I wasnât able to fit into Tron: Legacy. So weâve already got a head start on some great tracks for the future, which Iâm really excited about. Like I said, they would be my first call.
I actually donât know how the soundtrack sold. Did it sell well?
Kosinski: It did. In fact, where is it? I have a gold record here.
Which is very unusual for soundtracks.
Kosinski: Yes
Whereâs my gold record? Is it in there (he asks his assistant in another room. She say's it's in storage)?
Kosinski: My gold record was delivered to me on the Oblivion set; it was in my trailer one day. Disney sent it over, Sean Bailey sent it with a very nice note that it sold whatever gold is, that must be a million copies I guess? And it was the highest selling soundtrack since the last Star Wars, The Revenge of the Sith. So thatâs the highest soundtrack in seven years, or whatever that is. Like I said, that was a really wonderful thing; it was everything we wanted it to be.
From a design perspective, because I know youâre very passionate about design, have you already been thinking of cool ships and cool new additions to the Tron universe that youâve been doodling when you have some time? Or is it still just in the brain and not on paper yet?
Kosinski: Itâs definitely there. I donât want to say too much about it but the goal would not be to simply re-use. Weâre not going to re-use the assets from Legacy, thatâs no fun. If weâre going to do to it weâre going to reinvent all over again and itâs going to be a whole new generation for reasons that are very story-driven. Thatâs all I can say.
Do you see a sequel starting moments from when the last one ended or do you foresee some time passing before the next chapter might start?
Kosinski: I think time has passed. It feels like weâre kind of real-time in step. So however much time has passed since Legacy came out would also have transpired in the real world. So it will still be contemporary. So letâs say if the Tron sequel comes out in 2015, then four or five years have passed since the last movie. Â
Look for the full interview with Kosinski very soon.