Imagine a world where virtual reality blurs with our own, where computer programs question their purpose, and lightcycles scream through digital landscapes. That's the world of Tron, and after a long wait, it's back with 'Tron: Ares'! But did you know that some of the coolest elements in this new film, especially those incredible lightcycles, are actually resurrected ideas from a scrapped 'Tron: Legacy' sequel?
Forty-three years after the original 'Tron' captivated audiences, 'Tron: Ares' plunges us back into the Grid. This time, we follow Ares (played by Jared Leto), an advanced computer program grappling with the morality of his orders from Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), the CEO of Dillinger Systems. Ares's journey leads him to the real world in search of Eve Kim (Greta Lee), the current head of Encom. The stakes are high: both Encom and Dillinger Systems are in a desperate race to find Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges)'s permanence code, blurring the lines between the digital and physical realms. This creates a fascinating tension: what does it mean to be 'real' in a world increasingly shaped by technology?
Darren Gilford, the production designer for both 'Tron: Legacy' and 'Tron: Ares,' had a unique opportunity. Returning to the franchise after 15 years allowed him to dust off concepts that were initially abandoned during pre-production for Joseph Kosinski's planned 'Tron: Legacy' sequel. "There were a lot of things that carried over," Gilford explains. "Joe wanted the sequel to be more grounded in the real world, and the Dillinger grid concept was always there from the beginning. We started that in 2015 or 2016, and I had started the earliest concept art back then with a [different] team of concept artists and an art department. I was able to go back with Joachim [Rønning, the director of 'Tron: Ares'] and harvest some of those key elements." Think of it like an artist revisiting old sketches, finding hidden gems that are finally ready to shine.
One of the most exciting aspects of 'Tron: Ares' is the inclusion of practical, real-life lightcycles. During a thrilling chase sequence featuring Eve, Ares, and Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith), the actors actually got to ride these Dillinger lightcycles alongside proxy motorcycles. Gilford emphasized that these bikes needed to convey a military-esque, utilitarian design, reflecting the aesthetic of Encom's rival corporation. They couldn't just look cool; they had to feel functional and powerful. But here's where it gets controversial... some fans argue that too much practicality might detract from the sleek, futuristic feel of the original lightcycles. What do you think?
"As we were developing the movie and learning about what the characters have to do, we had to figure out what are the rules of the light cycle," Gilford says. "The most important things were that the light cycle had to have two critical riding positions and an aggressive high speed position, which is my favorite look of the bike. When the full canopy is deployed and the backpacks deployed, it really feels like the rider is enveloped and engulfed, like man and machine." He wanted to capture that sense of symbiosis, the feeling of becoming one with the technology.
To bring these lightcycles to life, Gilford and his team programmed special energy sources to power them throughout filming. "We created a power source in the middle of the bike which was a yellow gyro that spins and animates," Gilford explains. "Throughout how the bike is moving, that telegraphs some of the motion of the bike. That yoke is the heart of the bike and what the hinges are, so the front fork and the front wheel actually rotate around that energy source." This attention to detail creates a believable and immersive experience for the audience. And this is the part most people miss... the spinning gyro isn't just a visual flourish; it's a crucial element that grounds the lightcycle in a sense of tangible energy.
After his involvement in both 'Legacy' and 'Ares,' Gilford says that 'Tron: Ares' marked the first time he was able to create truly practical lightcycles for the franchise. "On 'Legacy,' we never actually built a real bike until the end. We just built them for marketing. We built the original bikes [digitally] and we built gimbals and rigs for Garrett [Hedlund]. But for this film, Joachim was adamant that he wanted real bikes on the street being towed in any capacity we could. I have a transportation design background and I was a car designer originally, so it was an honor and a privilege for the opportunity to get to design these vehicles," he says. It's clear that these lightcycles are more than just props; they're a passion project, a culmination of years of experience and a deep love for the 'Tron' universe. Bold statement: the practical lightcycles in 'Tron: Ares' could redefine how sci-fi vehicles are created in film.
So, what do you think? Are you excited to see these resurrected ideas and practical lightcycles in action? Do you prefer the sleek, purely digital aesthetic of the original lightcycles, or do you appreciate the more grounded, military-inspired design of the 'Tron: Ares' vehicles? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
