In our exclusive “Anatomy of a Scene” series, we dive deep into the filmmaking process, revealing the creative secrets behind memorable movie moments.
For the first time ever in the “Tron” saga, those iconic light cycles burst out of the digital grid and onto the bustling streets of the real world! This unleashes a mesmerizing, neon-soaked, high-speed chase. Imagine light walls slicing a police car in half and intense, swirling pursuits through a multi-story parking garage.
The story unfolds as Julian Dillinger (played by Evan Peters), CEO of Dillinger Systems, has developed advanced AI programs capable of manifesting physically. However, these programs have a critical limitation: they can only survive for 29 minutes in our world before vanishing. The key to their indefinite existence lies within the mysterious permanence code.
When Julian discovers that Eve Kim (Greta Lee), the visionary CEO of a rival tech firm, has obtained this crucial code, he unleashes his elite programs, Ares (Jared Leto) and Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith), to reclaim it. Their mission: to hunt down Eve in a spectacular, action-packed pursuit.
Director Joachim Ronning, guiding us through this thrilling sequence, shared his intense dedication: “I put so much pressure on myself and everybody to get this right, because it’s such an iconic part of the ‘Tron’ universe.”
The creation of this scene was a monumental undertaking, involving a full year of meticulous planning and collaboration with production designer Darren Gilford to perfect every detail. Filming took place on the vibrant streets of Vancouver, where actual light cycles were constructed to allow for dynamic, immersive camera placement, truly bringing the audience into the heart of the action.
According to Ronning’s narration, the scene captures the first appearance of the famous ‘Tron light wall’ in the real world. The team spent six weeks filming at night in film-friendly Vancouver, even closing down a bridge to execute the ambitious stunts. The design of the light cycles and suits was a year-long effort, and Ronning highlights an “Akira slide” maneuver as a crucial inclusion.
He recalls reading the script years ago and feeling as a fan and filmmaker that he desperately wanted to see digital assets like the light cycles cause havoc in the real world. The chase leads into a parkade, transitioning into a psychological thriller as Eve hides, resourcefully taking down Athena by ghost-riding her Ducati. Real stunt work was involved, despite the cold Vancouver nights, emphasizing the authenticity of the action.
Ronning mentions the advantage of building physical light cycles, allowing cameras to be mounted directly on them with the actors for an immersive experience. He notes Athena’s T-1000-like pursuit and highlights the physical demands on actors Jodie Turner-Smith and Greta Lee, who performed extensive running in their suits.
For Ronning, driving a light cycle in the real world was a wish fulfillment, a moment that epitomizes the resources available for big movies. The scene climaxes with Greta Lee’s character escaping Jodie Turner-Smith’s Athena, all captured in dynamic single shots.
Get ready to witness a chase like no other!
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