This from the Hollywood Reporter:
TORONTO — Commercial director Joseph Kosinski is in final negotiations to develop and direct “Tron,” described as “the next chapter” of Disney’s 1982 cult classic. Sean Bailey is producing via the Live Planet banner, as is Steven Lisberger, who co-wrote and directed the original film.
Kosinski, who last month signed on to helm the remake of “Logan’s Run” for Warner Bros. Pictures, will oversee the visual development of the project and have input on the script, which is being written by “Lost” scribes Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. Story details are being kept secret.
The original, about a computer programr thrust into a computer and forced to fight in games he helped create, is remembered for its sci-fi gladiator-style battles and groundbreaking special effects. It was the first movie to use computer-generated images instead of models and other optical effects in conjunction with live action. The arcade game based on the movie was so popular that it earned more than the movie.
When making the original, in order to convince the studio to take a chance on a first-time director, Lisberger shot a test reel, financed by the studio, involving the deadly Frisbee battle. In a case of historical synchronicity, sources said one of the things Kosinski will be doing is working on a sequence involving the movie’s Light Cycles to work out his vision for the movie. Sources also said visual effects personnel, for many of whom “Tron” was an inspiration to enter the business, already are jockeying for pole position to work on the sequence.
Brigham Taylor is overseeing for Disney.
Kosinski is a former architect whose specs caught the attention of director David Fincher, who convinced Kosinski to move to Los Angeles, where he joined the director at commercial house Anonymous Content. Kosinski then moved quickly up the ladder, eventually directing award-winning spots for Nike, Apple and Nintendo that gained notice for their use of computer technology that erased the lines between reality and CGI.
Kosinski is repped by Endeavor and Michael Sugar and Bard Dorros at Anonymous Content.
This is wonderful news for those of us taken in by the 1999 hoax report of Tron 2.0 being filmed at that time. Let’s hope everything pans out this time around. But did I also read mention of one of my other favorite movies… a remake of Logan’s Run?
I don’t know, I am far more tolerable with sequels as opposed to remakes. While most sequels are boring, predictable, and unfun, remakes just plain make me angry. They ALWAYS lose the director’s original vision and statement. And of course, that is the point of making a remake; to reshape the product to fit a new perspective or message.
Well, okay, now that I think about it a bit, the Ten Commandments (made and then remade by Cecil B. DeMille) and the Omega Man (Ubaldo Ragona directed Vincent Price and Boris Sagal directing Charlton Heston) might be better than their original big screen progenitors. Charlton Heston had something to do with that I think!
But look for Tron to be making another appearance, and with Disney behind it, watch for the FLOOD of pre-release marketing and merchandising. Remember the immortal words of Yogurt,
Moichandizing, moichandizing, moichandizing, where the REAL money from the movie is made.
Some friends of mine make movies. Not just any movies mind you, these are fan movies. Star Trek fan movies.
In my opinion, the