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.

Newsletter graphic

This article may contain affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product we may receive a small commission which helps support the publication. More information.

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.