Anyway...
My boys love Tron. My daughter likes it, too, but not the way the boys do. We were even watching Tron: Uprising but that got derailed because of school. Now that summer is here, I'm sure we'll finish it up. They were very excited about the sequel to Tron: Legacy that has been in the works and was scheduled to begin filming in a few months.
Look, this is a big deal. The movie was in pre-production. It had stars attached to it. It was getting geared up to start filming... and Disney pulled the plug.
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Dude.
My boys were devastated. Well, okay, that's a rather transitory experience for teenagers, but it lasted at least 10 minutes and no one can mention Tron in the house, now, without hearing "awww..." from one of them.
So what happened? Tomorrowland happened.
Now, see, I liked Tomorrowland, but that doesn't change the fact that it had a rather underwhelming opening weekend. So underwhelming that Disney pulled the plug on a completely unrelated project: Tron 3. I suppose you could say that Disney got a little insecure.
So, see, it's not just you. Even the big guys have moments of doubt and insecurity and, sometimes, it makes people do dumb things because they start focusing on what could go wrong instead of focusing on how to make it work.
Just sayin'.
I was really disappointed as well. Despite its issues, I really liked Legacy and was looking forward to the next one. Just because one science fiction film failed doesn't mean the next one will.
ReplyDeleteAlex: Especially one that isn't related in any way to the other one.
DeleteMy hubby wanted to see Tommowland but then the Rock's movie came out and he wants to see that one much more. Me? I don't care for either. But, Spy...Spy looks great!
ReplyDeleteA few years ago there were rumors about the Gunslinger (Dark Tower Series) being made into a movie/series deal but...they pulled the plug. Dangit!
Elsie
Elsie: I do not want to see San Andreas at all. It's full of stupid. I won't even see that one on DVD. However, we might see Spy if we can make time.
DeleteAnd I say a think today about Dark Tower getting a director, so I don't think that one's gone.
Great lesson. If Disney can get insecure, none of us are safe. I want to see Tomorrowland. There's so many great movies coming out.
ReplyDeleteM Pax: No kidding! I mean, Disney just made (literally) a bajillion bucks on Avengers; what do they really have to be worried about?
DeleteThings like that seem to happen a lot. I'm surprised, though, since Tron at least has a fan base. Sequels are usually irresistible for studios.
ReplyDeleteJeanne: I think it's because studios are still too invested at looking only at domestic take, and Legacy only just squeaked a profit domestically.
DeleteThat stinks about Tron.
ReplyDeleteTAS: It does!
DeleteIt seems likely they'll revive the franchise sometime. Just not soon.
DeleteTAS: Yeah, I'm sure they will, but they might have lost their audience by then and have to build a brand new one.
DeleteI don't know. Consider Mad Max. It had been 30 years since the last one and the new film has been very successful.
DeleteThat said, let's hope it doesn't take 30 years for another Tron.
TAS: I haven't seen Fury Road, yet, but there was also a 30 year gap between Tron and Legacy. And, no, I don't want another 3 year gap.
DeleteSeriously that's why?
ReplyDeleteI am already down on people running businesses this week for purely personal reasons that have me very upset. But this makes it worse. Literally every business is apparently run by people who make money only if they are lucky and then it is in spite of themselves. Good lord how do you be in charge of a major studio and do this?
I hope our World Cup entry does well so they don't burn all the proofs of Episode VII. Makes as much sense.
ReplyDeleteBriane: That's what all the people who ought to know are saying, although Disney isn't saying. I think it would look bad for them to say that.
DeleteHey, maybe when Ant-Man does well they'll change their minds.
Interesting. I'm not a Tron fan, but this is such a good point. Even the big guys get insecure. I don't think that you're ever safe from struggling with it, no matter how successful you are.
ReplyDeleteJenni: That can certainly be true.
DeleteGood point. Also, I have always loved Tron. I'm iffy on whether I'm going to pay money for Tomorrowland. Did they really think another movie based on a ride would take off the same?
ReplyDeleteShannon: We were actually looking that up the other day, and it's about 50/50, so far (if you count Pirates as one thing). Tomorrowland's not really a ride, though.
DeleteThat's true. It's an area of the park. I find that even more vague than basing it on a ride!
DeleteShannon: Or more cool!
DeleteShannon: Except that I think they are actually taking Tomorrowland out of the park in some sort of re-structuring to do with Star Wars. Don't quote me on that, though; I might be remembering it incorrectly.
DeleteI'm pretty sure Disney has bean counters who were balancing costs and projected costs against market research/expected profit. I loved Tron 2, but I know a bunch of people who didn't like it as much as the original. I agree with your boys though - I'm sorry there won't be a Tron 3. :(
ReplyDeleteLexa: Sure, they have all of that and came to the conclusion that, say, The Lone Ranger was a good idea. Which is to say that they make mistakes that go both ways.
DeleteThis is why I'm hesitant to get involved in a new TV series. Now often instead of stand alone episodes they continue from week to week and I really hate it when a show just stops after I've gotten all involved. As far as I know that's what they did with Revolution and Flash Forward--both shows that I was really enjoying. I never saw an ending episode so I guess they just disappeared off the map.
ReplyDeleteSeems like everything anymore is a series or to be continued.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Road trippin' with A to Z
Tossing It Out
Lee: That's what keeps the audience coming back, the ongoing story, so, yeah, that's true.
DeleteYeah but if I keep coming back and then all of sudden it's not there anymore it makes me more reluctant to watch new stuff because there may never be a satisfying conclusion.
DeleteArlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Road trippin' with A to Z
Tossing It Out
Lee: Yeah, I can understand that. Since we don't watch actual TV, we don't have that problem. We tend to know the general state of a show before we decide to start watching it.
DeleteI don't know if it's actually the kind of thing you'd like, but you should try Justified.
Very good point, Andrew! You summed it up perfectly. So many of us focus on the what if's instead of figuring out how to make it happen....
ReplyDeleteMichael: Right! Don't fret over things that might not even happen. And don't let the failure of one thing make you decide that nothing will succeed.
DeleteTron: Legacy has one of the best soundtracks (by Daft Punk) I have ever listened to. I became a huge fan of Daft Punk because of that movie.
ReplyDeleteMichael: I agree with you about the soundtrack. It's one of the few things I can listen to while I'm writing, too.
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