Back in 1982, a movie was released that has steadily remained a part of nerd culture. It’s one of those movies that you watch and are like “Wow, this is pretty cool and innovative” but then there are a lot of awkward lines, weird pacing issues, and of course… 80’s special effects. Now in the 80’s, these effects were top notch – and I would still argue the design implications of the Tron world are still fantastic – but that was the 80s.

Jeff Bridges... but 25 years earlier!

Fast forward 30 or so years and you have the prospect of Tron: Legacy. With the original cast members and a slew of new ones, crazy cool special effects at their disposal, and an audience that is all too familiar with the tech world… I think it will be a blockbuster, and here are my top 5 reasons why:

5. Jeff Bridges – from the original Tron – will be reprising his role and playing a programmed version of his former self. The tech needed to bring to life a character like this hasn’t existed until now, and the glimpse we see in the teaser trailer is fantastically weird (it’s my favorite shot in the trailer). The original Tron, Bruce Boxleitner, is also starring in a non-cameo role.

4. Daft Punk will be scoring the film – I am not a Daft Punk fan (I don’t really know too much about them, actually) but this score has me more excited for the music than almost anything else. In the teaser, the movie begins with a very predictable kind of string underscoring, but this music transforms by the time we enter the mainframe and each shot is accented with retro distortion rock reminiscent of the first film (but at the same time very progressive and forward moving). If this trailer is any indication of how well the music will be integrated into the movie, my ears are in for a real treat.

The Recognizer reborn.

3. The director is an unknown – I checked a little in to Joseph Kosinski, and he has little experience with feature films. He is, however, a bit of a special effects guru. I am more than happy to see a fresh face approach something like this, especially after reading a little about his approach to the film. I am also happy to know the original director, Steven Lisberger, is involved in a producing manner (since I feel he gave the original tron its signature innovation and creative elements). In any case, it will be nice to see a non-Michael-Bay-esque action flick… I’m ready for something new.

2. Olivia Wilde with a bob and lightsuit – Besides speculating as to what role 13 will have in this sequel, I was immediately struck by the whole updated design of the Tron world: from the couch she is sitting on, to the stormy skies of the mainframe. It has a dark splendor to it all, in many ways reminding me of the Matrix or 2001: A Space Odyssey. I don’t know who or what the plot revolves around, but the updates all look very good.

House's 13 sporting the bob

1. Tron will be the next biggest step in 3D – because while a ton of movies are scrambling to 3-dee-ify their stuff (a process which yields inferior results), Tron: Legacy has built 3D into the original concept of it’s story and is using the next generation of 3D tech used on Avatar. Disc-battles, light-cycles, and recognizers all look better in 3D. Here’s hoping people don’t get sick of 3D before then!

Tron: Legacy, the next good use of 3D since Avatar!

All pictures taken from Tron:Legacy teaser trailer, released via Apple, Disney.