Tron (franchise)
Encyclopedia
The Tron franchise began in 1982 with the Walt Disney Pictures
film Tron
. It was followed by various film tie-ins, a comic series and the 2010 sequel Tron: Legacy. More sequels are planned, and a 10 part television series
is in development and due to air on Disney XD
in summer 2012.
film by Walt Disney Pictures. It stars Jeff Bridges
as Kevin Flynn, Bruce Boxleitner
as Tron and his User Alan Bradley, Cindy Morgan
as Yori and Dr. Lora Baines, and Dan Shor
as Ram. David Warner
plays all three main antagonists: the program Sark, his User Ed Dillinger, and the voice of the Master Control Program. It was written and directed by Steven Lisberger
. Tron has a distinctive visual style, as it was one of the first films from a major studio to use computer graphics
extensively.
science fiction film. Jeff Bridges returns as Kevin Flynn and also, in a digitally de-aged form, plays the film's antagonist, a new version of his CLU program. Bruce Boxleitner
also returns as Alan Bradley and, likewise de-aged, as Tron. They are joined by Garrett Hedlund
as Sam Flynn, Kevin's son, the film's primary protagonist, Olivia Wilde
as digital warrior Quorra, Michael Sheen
as Castor, owner of a nightclub within the Grid and Beau Garrett
as Gem, a program that works within the digital world. The film deals with Sam investigating the disappearance of his father twenty years earlier, a quest that ultimately leads him into an isolated digital world created by his father after the events of the first film. Original film director Steven Lisberger acted as a producer and consultant on the film, which was written by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis
and directed by first-time director Joseph Kosinski
.
, along with arcade adaptations of Superman III
and The Last Starfighter
. In 1982
, Midway Games
released the Tron arcade game
, which consisted of four mini-games based on sequences in the movie. This game earned more than the film's initial release. In 1983
, Midway released Discs of Tron
, a sequel that focused on disc combat.
Electronics released three separate Tron games (unrelated to the arcade game) for the Intellivision game console in 1982: Tron: Deadly Discs, Tron Maze-A-Tron, and Tron: Solar Sailer
. Deadly Discs was later ported to the Atari 2600
(along with an original Tron game for that platform, Adventures of Tron), and a version also appeared for the short-lived Aquarius
home computer. A special joystick resembling the Tron arcade game joystick was also created as a free giveaway in a special pack that included both Atari 2600 Tron video games.
and Macintosh was released on August 26, 2003. In this first person shooter game, the player takes the part of Alan Bradley's son Jet, who is pulled into the computer world to fight a computer virus. A separate version of this game, called Tron 2.0 Killer App, is available for the Xbox
, and features new multiplayer modes. An almost completely different game of the same name is also available for the Game Boy Advance
, where Tron and a Light Cycle program named Mercury (first seen in Tron 2.0 for the PC) fight their way through the ENCOM computer to stop a virus called The Corruptor. This game includes light cycle, battle tank, and recognizer battle modes, several security-related minigames, and the arcade games Tron and Discs of Tron. While the Game Boy Advance game is only minimally connected to the PC game, one of the 100 unlockable chips shows a picture of Jet Bradley.
, released in December 2010. Teaser trailers were released in November 2009, with a longer trailer airing during the Spike Video Game Awards on December 12, 2009. Evolution was made at the same time as the film, and features heavy cross-over references, with members of the video game developers stating that some of the facts in film have more depth if the game is played first, as the game reveals more about that scene. It will also allow you to explore further parts of the Tron world.
level. Spatter enemies wear the red suits of Sark's minions and one of the robotic Beetleworx of the area has a Lightcycle inspired torso. The boss of the level is Petetronic, a version of Pete dressed as Sark, who you must defeat by deflecting his disc attacks and using either thinner or paint to defeat him, paint turning his circuitry blue and friendly, thinner derezzing him, only to appear as an MCP like program in the alternate ending.
, director of the Kingdom Hearts series, stated in an interview that Tron was the first Disney movie to be suggested for use in the game. He got his inspiration after seeing a game designer working on Tron 2.0 Killer App on a computer during a visit to Disney in the United States. Bruce Boxleitner reprises his role as Tron in the English version, while Sark and the MCP are voiced by Corey Burton
, although the game does feature David Warner
's likeness for its portrayal of Sark.
attraction, as part of The World of Tron, in which the light cycle sequence from the film was projected around park guests as their vehicle passed through a tunnel on the upper level of the Carousel Theater, placing the PeopleMover in the role of a light cycle. The attraction was known as PeopleMover Thru the World of Tron after this sequence was added. From 1977 to 1982, this segment was previously home to the "SuperSpeed Tunnel," in which race cars were projected around the vehicles.
In 2010, the Epcot
Monorail on the Walt Disney World Monorail System
received wrap advertisements
featuring blue and yellow light cycles on either side of the train to promote Tron Legacy.
ElecTRONica
was announced on the Disney Parks Blog for Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California. Disney's "ElecTRONica" is an interactive nighttime dance party in Hollywood Pictures Backlot. It is a similar experience to Glow Fest, but with a focus on Tron: Legacy. ElecTRONica features lights, lasers, music, and projections to promote the film. On October 29, 2010, the nighttime show World of Color began soft-openings after its second show for a Tron: Legacy themed encore using Daft Punk
's original music from the soundtrack
, using new effects and projections on Paradise Pier attractions, The segment was added on November 1, 2010 and ended on March 23, 2011.
. It included eight pages of color photographs from the movie. Also that year, Disney Senior Staff Publicist Michael Bonifer authored a book entitled The Art of Tron which covered aspects of the pre-production and post-production aspects of Tron.
In 2010 to coincide with the release of Tron: Legacy a range of new books have been released; including a range of junior novels - "Tron the Junior Novel" by Alice Alfonsi, "Tron: Legacy: Derezzed" by James Gelsey, "Tron: Legacy: Out of the Dark" by Tennant Redbank, "Tron: Legacy: It's Your Call: Initiate Sequence" by Carla Jablonski. Additional books include "The Art of Tron: Legacy" by Justin Springer, Joseph Kosinski, and Darren Gilford, and "Tron Legacy: The Movie Storybook" by James Ponti.
In 2005, Slave Labor Graphics
announced its six-issue limited series comic, Tron: The Ghost in the Machine
. The first issue was released in April 2006, the second issue in November of the same year. The comic book explores the concept of making a backup copy of a User within the computer system, and how that artificial intelligence might be materialized into the real world. The comic book was written by Landry Walker and Eric Jones, with art in the first two issues by Louie De Martinis. The artist on the last three issues is Mike Shoykhet.
The comic from Slave Labor Graphics opens with a detailed history of the Tron universe, providing this previously unseen background on the events that allowed Ed Dillinger and the MCP to rise to power:
Marvel Comics
released a two issue mini-series entitled Tron: Betrayal
in October 2010. The story takes place a year after the original film.
for the simulated world of the Tron universe. These futuristic two-wheeled vehicles resemble motorcycles and create walls of colored light. The vehicles were primarily used in a competition between humanoid computer programs, similar to an old computer game sometimes known as "Surround" or "Dominos
" (games which predate Tron). Players are in constant motion on a playfield, creating a wall of light behind them as they move. If players hit a wall, they are out of the game; the last player in the game wins. Since the original display in Tron, there have been numerous adaptations, as well as references in popular culture.
A light cycle toy, in red and yellow versions, was produced by TOMY
as part of the merchandising for the Tron film, along with action figures scaled to fit inside the toy cycles. Bootleg
versions of TOMY's design were produced by other toy manufacturers that came in a wide variety of colors, including blue and silver, but were noticeably smaller than the TOMY-produced toy, too small in fact to accommodate one of the TOMY action figures.
Light cycles make a return in Tron Legacy, with new designs by Daniel Simon
. According to the press conference at Comic-Con 2009, a new vehicle appears called a "Light Runner," a two-seat version of the light cycle. It is said to be very fast, and has the unique ability to go off the grid on its own power. We also get a glimpse at Kevin Flynn's own cycle, a "Second Generation Light Cycle" designed in 1989 by Flynn and “rumor has it it's still the fastest thing on the grid.” It incorporates some of the look of both films.
The tie-in
video game Tron: Evolution
, which is set between the events of Tron and Tron: Legacy, features light cycles in sections of the single-player mode and in certain game maps for the multiplayer mode. Light cycle use in multiplayer gives players the option to shift back and forth between cycle and foot travel at will, and provides multiple attack and defensive options beyond the classic "boxing in" of an opponent. In addition, the light cycles of Evolution can pass through their own light trails (and the trails of allied players) unharmed.
A more classic interpretation of the lightcycle game is shown in the Wii-Game Tron: Evolution - Battle Grids, which is primarily based on offline multiplayer or singleplayer matches. These lightcycle battles don't allow the player to pass through his own trail but do allow passage through teammates' trails. There is also no option to travel on foot.
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
film Tron
Tron (film)
Tron is a 1982 American science fiction film written and directed by Steven Lisberger, and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It stars Jeff Bridges as the protagonist Kevin Flynn; Bruce Boxleitner in a dual role as security program Tron and Tron's "User", computer programmer Alan Bradley; Cindy...
. It was followed by various film tie-ins, a comic series and the 2010 sequel Tron: Legacy. More sequels are planned, and a 10 part television series
Tron: Uprising
Tron: Uprising is an upcoming animated science fiction television series, part of the Tron franchise, which will air on Disney's television channel Disney XD, in the United States. The show is set to air in summer 2012. It will be directed by Charlie Bean, Joseph Kosinski and Sean Bailey, who will...
is in development and due to air on Disney XD
Disney XD
Disney XD is a brand of children's TV channels worldwide targeting young males, owned by The Walt Disney Company. The channel was formerly known as Toon Disney and/or Jetix in most areas. According to Gary Marsh, President of Entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, "XD" does not "stand for...
in summer 2012.
Tron
Tron is a 1982 American action science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film by Walt Disney Pictures. It stars Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
as Kevin Flynn, Bruce Boxleitner
Bruce Boxleitner
Bruce William Boxleitner is an American actor, and science fiction and suspense writer. He is known for his leading roles in the television series How the West Was Won, Bring 'Em Back Alive, Scarecrow and Mrs. King , and Babylon 5...
as Tron and his User Alan Bradley, Cindy Morgan
Cindy Morgan
Cindy Morgan is an American actress best known for her appearances as Lora/Yori in Tron and Lacey Underall in Caddyshack.-Biography:...
as Yori and Dr. Lora Baines, and Dan Shor
Dan Shor
Daniel Shor is an American veteran actor, director, writer and teacher with a career spanning over 30 years.- Early life :Shor was born and raised in New York City. Attended McBurney school from 6th thru 8th grade...
as Ram. David Warner
David Warner (actor)
David Warner is an English actor who is known for playing both romantic leads and sinister or villainous characters, both in film and animation...
plays all three main antagonists: the program Sark, his User Ed Dillinger, and the voice of the Master Control Program. It was written and directed by Steven Lisberger
Steven Lisberger
Steven M. Lisberger is an American film director, producer and writer famous for directing Tron in 1982.Lisberger was born in 1951 in New York City and grew up in Hazelton, Pennsylvania. He is a 1974 graduate of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts...
. Tron has a distinctive visual style, as it was one of the first films from a major studio to use computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
extensively.
Tron: Legacy
Tron: Legacy is a 20102010 in film
The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and...
science fiction film. Jeff Bridges returns as Kevin Flynn and also, in a digitally de-aged form, plays the film's antagonist, a new version of his CLU program. Bruce Boxleitner
Bruce Boxleitner
Bruce William Boxleitner is an American actor, and science fiction and suspense writer. He is known for his leading roles in the television series How the West Was Won, Bring 'Em Back Alive, Scarecrow and Mrs. King , and Babylon 5...
also returns as Alan Bradley and, likewise de-aged, as Tron. They are joined by Garrett Hedlund
Garrett Hedlund
Garrett John Hedlund is an American actor known for his roles in the films Friday Night Lights, Four Brothers, Eragon, Country Strong, for his role as Patroclus in the movie Troy and as Sam Flynn in the film Tron: Legacy.-Early life:Hedlund was born in Roseau, Minnesota, the son of Kristine Anne ...
as Sam Flynn, Kevin's son, the film's primary protagonist, Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde is an American actress and fashion model. She began acting in the early 2000s, and has since appeared in a number of film and television parts, including roles in the serial-drama The O.C. and The Black Donnellys. She portrayed Dr...
as digital warrior Quorra, Michael Sheen
Michael Sheen
Michael Christopher Sheen, OBE , is a Welsh stage and screen actor. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England and made his professional debut opposite Vanessa Redgrave in When She Danced at the Globe Theatre in 1991...
as Castor, owner of a nightclub within the Grid and Beau Garrett
Beau Garrett
Beau Jesse Garrett is an American actress and model.-Career:She was first hired by GUESS in the late 1990s. She is currently a spokesmodel for Revlon cosmetics, along with Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Connelly and Jessica Alba, and has also modeled for Double D Ranch and CosmoGirl...
as Gem, a program that works within the digital world. The film deals with Sam investigating the disappearance of his father twenty years earlier, a quest that ultimately leads him into an isolated digital world created by his father after the events of the first film. Original film director Steven Lisberger acted as a producer and consultant on the film, which was written by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis
Edward Kitsis
Edward Lawrence Kitsis, also sometimes credited as Eddy Kitsis, is an American screenwriter and producer, best known for his work on the popular American television series, Lost and Once Upon a Time.-Life and career:...
and directed by first-time director Joseph Kosinski
Joseph Kosinski
Joseph Kosinski is an American television commercial and feature film director best known for his computer graphics and computer generated imagery work. He made his big-screen directorial debut with the Disney Digital 3-D science fiction film Tron: Legacy, the sequel to the 1982 film Tron...
.
Video games
Tron
Since video games play a central role in the film, many video games based on Tron have been produced over the years. Atari, Inc. had plans to develop a real Space Paranoids game, but this was canceled due to the video game crash of 1983Video game crash of 1983
The North American video game crash was a serious event that brought an abrupt end to what is considered the second generation of console video gaming in North America. Beginning in 1983, the crash almost destroyed the then-fledgling industry and led to the bankruptcy of several companies producing...
, along with arcade adaptations of Superman III
Superman III
Superman III is a 1983 superhero film and the third film in the Superman film series based upon the long-running DC Comics superhero. Christopher Reeve, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure and Margot Kidder are joined by new cast members Annette O'Toole, Annie Ross, Pamela Stephenson, Robert Vaughn and...
and The Last Starfighter
The Last Starfighter
The Last Starfighter is a 1984 science fiction adventure film directed by Nick Castle. The film tells the story of Alex Rogan , an average teenage boy recruited by an alien defense force to fight in an interstellar war. It also featured Dan O'Herlihy, Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Preston, Norman...
. In 1982
1982 in video gaming
-Events:* December 27 - Starcade, a video game television game show, debuts on TBS in the United States.-Notable releases:*October 13 - Mystique releases the Custer's Revenge adult video game for the Atari 2600 home console....
, Midway Games
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
released the Tron arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
, which consisted of four mini-games based on sequences in the movie. This game earned more than the film's initial release. In 1983
1983 in video gaming
-Events:* A major shakeout of the video game industry begins. By 1986, total video games sales will decrease from US$3.2 billion to US$0.1 billion.* MCA Universal files suit against Nintendo, claiming that the latter company's video arcade hit Donkey Kong violated Universal's copyright on King Kong...
, Midway released Discs of Tron
Discs of Tron
Discs of Tron is the second arcade game based on 1982 Disney film Tron.-Description:While the first Tron arcade game had several mini-games , Discs of Tron is inspired by the Jai alai sequence in the original 1982 film in which Kevin Flynn is forced to play against Crom, leading to Crom being...
, a sequel that focused on disc combat.
Mattel games
MattelMattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
Electronics released three separate Tron games (unrelated to the arcade game) for the Intellivision game console in 1982: Tron: Deadly Discs, Tron Maze-A-Tron, and Tron: Solar Sailer
Tron: Solar Sailer
Tron: Solar Sailer is a game that was released by Mattel for the Intellivision in 1982. The game is one of four released for the console that required the Intellivoice module...
. Deadly Discs was later ported to the Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
(along with an original Tron game for that platform, Adventures of Tron), and a version also appeared for the short-lived Aquarius
Mattel Aquarius
Aquarius is a home computer designed by Radofin and released by Mattel in 1983. It features a Zilog Z80 microprocessor, a rubber chiclet keyboard, 4K of RAM, and a subset of Microsoft BASIC in ROM. It connects to a television set and uses a cassette tape recorder for secondary data storage...
home computer. A special joystick resembling the Tron arcade game joystick was also created as a free giveaway in a special pack that included both Atari 2600 Tron video games.
Tron 2.0
A PC game sequel released for WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and Macintosh was released on August 26, 2003. In this first person shooter game, the player takes the part of Alan Bradley's son Jet, who is pulled into the computer world to fight a computer virus. A separate version of this game, called Tron 2.0 Killer App, is available for the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, and features new multiplayer modes. An almost completely different game of the same name is also available for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, where Tron and a Light Cycle program named Mercury (first seen in Tron 2.0 for the PC) fight their way through the ENCOM computer to stop a virus called The Corruptor. This game includes light cycle, battle tank, and recognizer battle modes, several security-related minigames, and the arcade games Tron and Discs of Tron. While the Game Boy Advance game is only minimally connected to the PC game, one of the 100 unlockable chips shows a picture of Jet Bradley.
Space Paranoids
In 2009, 42 Entertainment released eight, real-life Space Paranoids arcade machines during the 2009 San Diego Comic Con. They were placed in a recreated Flynn's Arcade near the convention center. The object of the game is to go through the levels and to achieve as many points as possible by destroying Recognizers. The total number of points a person can achieve is 999,000 pts, which is a reference to the score Flynn got in the movie, and is a record currently held by the gamer with the initials FLN. You use a pilot-like joystick and a ball to move the turret and tank.Tron: Evolution
A tie-in video game based upon Tron: Legacy, titled Tron: EvolutionTron: Evolution
Tron: Evolution is a third-person action-adventure, tie-in video game for the film Tron: Legacy by Propaganda Games, published by Disney Interactive. It was officially announced at the Spike Video Game Awards and was released for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and Xbox...
, released in December 2010. Teaser trailers were released in November 2009, with a longer trailer airing during the Spike Video Game Awards on December 12, 2009. Evolution was made at the same time as the film, and features heavy cross-over references, with members of the video game developers stating that some of the facts in film have more depth if the game is played first, as the game reveals more about that scene. It will also allow you to explore further parts of the Tron world.
Tron: Evolution - Battle Grids
Unlike Tron: Evolution, made for PS3, PSP, Xbox 360 and PC, Tron: Evolution - Battle Grids is made exclusively for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS, and its storyline predates that of the other versions. In this game you create your own program, this program will meet Quorra and Tron before the events of Tron Legacy and they will train him to be the first ISO to win the Grid Games, but before that can happen you will have to battle and defeat the enemies that kidnapped Quorra and threatened that if you participate in the games she would be Derezzed. The video game is developed by n-Space and published by Disney Interactive Studios.Epic Mickey
A game based on Disney history, Epic Mickey features several Tron elements in its Tomorrow CityTomorrowland
- Tomorrowland 1955–1967 :The first Tomorrowland opened at Disneyland on July 18, 1955, with only several of its planned attractions open, due to budget cuts. The construction of the park was rushed, so Tomorrowland was the last land to be finished. It became something of a corporate showcase,...
level. Spatter enemies wear the red suits of Sark's minions and one of the robotic Beetleworx of the area has a Lightcycle inspired torso. The boss of the level is Petetronic, a version of Pete dressed as Sark, who you must defeat by deflecting his disc attacks and using either thinner or paint to defeat him, paint turning his circuitry blue and friendly, thinner derezzing him, only to appear as an MCP like program in the alternate ending.
Kingdom Hearts II
Features a world named "Space Paranoids" (after one of Flynn's games in the film) that is set in the world of Tron. Tetsuya NomuraTetsuya Nomura
is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix , best known for his work on both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts series.-Time before Square:Nomura was born in Kōchi, Japan...
, director of the Kingdom Hearts series, stated in an interview that Tron was the first Disney movie to be suggested for use in the game. He got his inspiration after seeing a game designer working on Tron 2.0 Killer App on a computer during a visit to Disney in the United States. Bruce Boxleitner reprises his role as Tron in the English version, while Sark and the MCP are voiced by Corey Burton
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor, perhaps best known as Count Dooku, Ziro the Hutt and Cad Bane in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Brainiac in the DC animated universe and Spike Witwicky and Shockwave in the Transformers universe...
, although the game does feature David Warner
David Warner (actor)
David Warner is an English actor who is known for playing both romantic leads and sinister or villainous characters, both in film and animation...
's likeness for its portrayal of Sark.
Virtual Magic Kingdom
An online multiplayer game developed by Disney, had a room based on Tron, with Recognizers and the MCP in the background. There were also multiple furniture items in VMK based on Tron, such as Lightcycle Chairs, Tank Chairs, and a Tron Arcade Game Cabinet. It also featured the Red Tron suit (Sark) and Blue Tron Suit. VMK is closed as of May 21, 2008.Disney Universe
Features a cartoonish version of Tron, Clu, Sam Flynn, and Quorra from Tron: Legacy as playable characters.Theme parks
From 1982 to 1995, Tron was featured in Disneyland's PeopleMoverPeopleMover
The PeopleMover, sometimes referred to as the WEDWay PeopleMover, was a transport attraction that operated from July 2, 1967 to August 21, 1995 in Tomorrowland at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Guests boarded small trains that ran on elevated tracks for a "grand circle tour" above Tomorrowland...
attraction, as part of The World of Tron, in which the light cycle sequence from the film was projected around park guests as their vehicle passed through a tunnel on the upper level of the Carousel Theater, placing the PeopleMover in the role of a light cycle. The attraction was known as PeopleMover Thru the World of Tron after this sequence was added. From 1977 to 1982, this segment was previously home to the "SuperSpeed Tunnel," in which race cars were projected around the vehicles.
In 2010, the Epcot
Epcot
Epcot is a theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort, located near Orlando, Florida. The park is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, namely international culture and technological innovation. The second park built at the resort, it opened on October 1, 1982 and was initially named...
Monorail on the Walt Disney World Monorail System
Walt Disney World Monorail System
The Walt Disney World Monorail System is a public transit system in operation at the Walt Disney World Resort.The Walt Disney World Resort currently operates twelve Mark VI monorail trains on three lines of service. The monorail system opened in 1971 with two routes and with Mark IV monorail trains...
received wrap advertisements
Wrap advertising
Wrap advertising is the marketing practice of completely or partially covering a vehicle in an advertisement or livery, thus turning it into a mobile billboard. This can be achieved by simply painting the vehicle surface, but it is becoming more common today to use large vinyl sheets as decals...
featuring blue and yellow light cycles on either side of the train to promote Tron Legacy.
ElecTRONica
ElecTRONica
ElecTRONica is a nighttime event at Disney California Adventure Park, part of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. Located in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot, ElecTRONica premiered on October 8, 2010...
was announced on the Disney Parks Blog for Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California. Disney's "ElecTRONica" is an interactive nighttime dance party in Hollywood Pictures Backlot. It is a similar experience to Glow Fest, but with a focus on Tron: Legacy. ElecTRONica features lights, lasers, music, and projections to promote the film. On October 29, 2010, the nighttime show World of Color began soft-openings after its second show for a Tron: Legacy themed encore using Daft Punk
Daft Punk
Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
's original music from the soundtrack
Tron: Legacy (soundtrack)
Tron: Legacy is the soundtrack album for the 2010 film Tron: Legacy, released by Walt Disney Records on December 3, 2010. It is the first film score by French music duo Daft Punk.-Background:...
, using new effects and projections on Paradise Pier attractions, The segment was added on November 1, 2010 and ended on March 23, 2011.
Books
A novelization of Tron was released in 1982, written by American science fiction novelist Brian DaleyBrian Daley
Brian Daley was an American science fiction novelist. He also adapted for radio the Star Wars radio dramas and wrote all of its episodes.-Biography:...
. It included eight pages of color photographs from the movie. Also that year, Disney Senior Staff Publicist Michael Bonifer authored a book entitled The Art of Tron which covered aspects of the pre-production and post-production aspects of Tron.
In 2010 to coincide with the release of Tron: Legacy a range of new books have been released; including a range of junior novels - "Tron the Junior Novel" by Alice Alfonsi, "Tron: Legacy: Derezzed" by James Gelsey, "Tron: Legacy: Out of the Dark" by Tennant Redbank, "Tron: Legacy: It's Your Call: Initiate Sequence" by Carla Jablonski. Additional books include "The Art of Tron: Legacy" by Justin Springer, Joseph Kosinski, and Darren Gilford, and "Tron Legacy: The Movie Storybook" by James Ponti.
Comic books
In 2003, 88 MPH solicited a mini-series titled Tron 2.0: Derezzed. This comic was canceled before any issues were released.In 2005, Slave Labor Graphics
Slave Labor Graphics
Slave Labor Graphics is an independent American comic book publisher, well-known for publishing darkly humorous, offbeat comics.-Company history:...
announced its six-issue limited series comic, Tron: The Ghost in the Machine
Tron (comics)
Tron: The Ghost in the Machine was a six-issue comic book limited series produced by Slave Labor Graphics. It continued the storyline of the film Tron and the video game Tron 2.0.-Production notes:...
. The first issue was released in April 2006, the second issue in November of the same year. The comic book explores the concept of making a backup copy of a User within the computer system, and how that artificial intelligence might be materialized into the real world. The comic book was written by Landry Walker and Eric Jones, with art in the first two issues by Louie De Martinis. The artist on the last three issues is Mike Shoykhet.
The comic from Slave Labor Graphics opens with a detailed history of the Tron universe, providing this previously unseen background on the events that allowed Ed Dillinger and the MCP to rise to power:
In the early 1970s a small engineering company called ENCOM introduced a revolutionary type of software designed to direct and streamline the transfer of data between networked machines. Ed Dillinger, the lead programmer on this project, realized the enormous potential of his team's creation and secretly encoded a secondary function to be activated upon installation: to copy the sub-routines of other programs and absorb their functions. This alteration allowed Dillinger to appropriate research and claim it as his own, and he rose quickly through ENCOM’s corporate ranks. This was the beginning of the Master Control Program.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
released a two issue mini-series entitled Tron: Betrayal
Tron: Betrayal
Tron: Betrayal is a two-issue comic book limited series which serves as the official prequel to the film Tron: Legacy and was published by Marvel Comics beginning in October 2010.- Description :...
in October 2010. The story takes place a year after the original film.
Television series
In March 2010, Disney announced that a 10 part micro-series, entitled Tron: Uprising, was in production and will air in summer 2012 on Disney XD.Light cycles
Light cycles are fictional vehicles designed by Syd MeadSyd Mead
Sydney Jay Mead, commonly Syd Mead, is a "visual futurist" and concept artist. He is best known for his designs for science-fiction films such as Blade Runner, Aliens and Tron...
for the simulated world of the Tron universe. These futuristic two-wheeled vehicles resemble motorcycles and create walls of colored light. The vehicles were primarily used in a competition between humanoid computer programs, similar to an old computer game sometimes known as "Surround" or "Dominos
Dominos (arcade game)
-Gameplay:Gameplay is a variation of the snake genre, in which players compete by surrounding each other with lines of dominos. Players change direction via a set of four directional buttons representing up, down, right, and left respectively. A player loses when they hit a wall, their own...
" (games which predate Tron). Players are in constant motion on a playfield, creating a wall of light behind them as they move. If players hit a wall, they are out of the game; the last player in the game wins. Since the original display in Tron, there have been numerous adaptations, as well as references in popular culture.
A light cycle toy, in red and yellow versions, was produced by TOMY
TOMY
is a Japanese toy, children's merchandise and entertainment company created from the March 2006 merger of two companies: Tomy and long-time rival, Takara...
as part of the merchandising for the Tron film, along with action figures scaled to fit inside the toy cycles. Bootleg
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
versions of TOMY's design were produced by other toy manufacturers that came in a wide variety of colors, including blue and silver, but were noticeably smaller than the TOMY-produced toy, too small in fact to accommodate one of the TOMY action figures.
Light cycles make a return in Tron Legacy, with new designs by Daniel Simon
Daniel Simon
Daniel Simon is a German concept designer and automotive futurist best known for his visionary book Cosmic Motors.-Early life:Simon was raised in the north of Germany and obtained his degree in Vehicle Design .-Automotive career:He began his design career in 1999 at Volkswagen under the control...
. According to the press conference at Comic-Con 2009, a new vehicle appears called a "Light Runner," a two-seat version of the light cycle. It is said to be very fast, and has the unique ability to go off the grid on its own power. We also get a glimpse at Kevin Flynn's own cycle, a "Second Generation Light Cycle" designed in 1989 by Flynn and “rumor has it it's still the fastest thing on the grid.” It incorporates some of the look of both films.
The tie-in
Tie-in
A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
video game Tron: Evolution
Tron: Evolution
Tron: Evolution is a third-person action-adventure, tie-in video game for the film Tron: Legacy by Propaganda Games, published by Disney Interactive. It was officially announced at the Spike Video Game Awards and was released for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and Xbox...
, which is set between the events of Tron and Tron: Legacy, features light cycles in sections of the single-player mode and in certain game maps for the multiplayer mode. Light cycle use in multiplayer gives players the option to shift back and forth between cycle and foot travel at will, and provides multiple attack and defensive options beyond the classic "boxing in" of an opponent. In addition, the light cycles of Evolution can pass through their own light trails (and the trails of allied players) unharmed.
A more classic interpretation of the lightcycle game is shown in the Wii-Game Tron: Evolution - Battle Grids, which is primarily based on offline multiplayer or singleplayer matches. These lightcycle battles don't allow the player to pass through his own trail but do allow passage through teammates' trails. There is also no option to travel on foot.