Tron

Tron is a 1982 American science fiction film released by Walt Disney Pictures. The film was scripted and directed by Steven Lisberger, based on a story by Lisberger and Bonnie MacBird. The film stars Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, David Warner, Cindy Morgan and Barnard Hughes. A computer programmer is transported inside the software world of a mainframe computer, where he interacts with various programs in his attempt to get back out.

Development of Tron began in 1976 when Lisberger became fascinated with the early video game Pong. Along with producer Donald Kushner, he set up an animation studio to develop Tron with the intention of making it an animated film. Lisberger decided to include live-action elements with the computer animation. Various film studios had rejected the storyboards for the film before the project was set up at Disney. There, backlit animation was combined with the computer animation and live-action.

Tron was released on July 9, 1982 in 1,091 theaters in the United States. The film received positive reviews from critics who praised the visuals and acting, but criticized the storyline. The film was a box office success, grossing $33 million in the United States (approx. $74 million in 2010). Tron received nominations for Best Costume Design and Best Sound at the 55th Academy Awards, and received the Academy Award for Technical Achievement 14 years later. Over time, Tron developed into a cult film and eventually spawned a franchise, which consists of multiple video games, comic books and an animated television series. A sequel titled Tron: Legacy was directed by Joseph Kosinski and was released on December 17, 2010; it saw the return of Lisberger, Bridges, and Boxleitner to the franchise.