Tron fans had reason to rejoice a little over a week ago when we reported that Disney is now moving forward with a sequel to 2010’s TRON: Legacy. The follow-up has been in development since that film’s release, but new Disney Studios head Alan Horn sees Tron 3 as a priority, and so Jesse Wigutow has been brought on to pen the latest draft of the script in order to get things moving. Legacy star Garrett Hedlund recently confirmed his inevitable involvement in the pic, but details regarding the sequel have been few and far between.

Steve recently participated in an exclusive interview with Legacy director Joseph Kosinski in anticipation for his upcoming sci-fi film Oblivion, and he kindly provided a lengthy update on Tron 3, which he intends to direct. Kosinski talked about the status of the script, the fact that this had to be their Empire Strikes Back in order for him to return, the possibility of Daft Punk once again providing the score, how much time has passed when Tron 3 picks up, and much more. Hit the jump to see what he had to say.

Speaking about the sequel, Kosinski says he thinks they’ve found an idea that makes the follow-up worth doing:

“Well the only reason to go back, for me and I think for anyone involved would be if we could do something truly spectacular. We’ve been talking about it for a couple years and there’s always been this idea, a big idea, in the back of my head that we’ve been talking about. The idea itself, the notion of what the next Tron could be, is exciting enough that it would be worth going back to do it. Obviously we hinted some things at the end of Legacy, it’s kind of there for people to see what that potential is. So we just want to make sure that we have a script that delivers on that promise on an epic scale.”

TRON: Legacy was Kosinski’s first feature film as a director and was made under a bit of a time crunch, so Kosinski notes that he wants to have the script in tip-top shape before they start production:

“I’ve said it would have to be our Empire Strikes Back for me to come back and for me to pull the whole team back together. I think we do have that idea. We do have the idea that feels big and really blows the doors off this franchise. It’s hinted at promises of something for two movies now, for thirty years, so it’s time to deliver on that. But the script’s got to be at a level that makes it worth going back for, because it’s a lot of work to make a movie like this and it’s a multi-year project. So we’ve got our writer Jesse Wigutow on it right now writing, and fingers crossed if it all comes together, as we hope it will, there could be another Tron in the next few years, and it’s going to be awesome.”

Regarding the story, Kosinski was unsurprisingly mum on details but he did reveal the time frame between Legacy and Tron 3:

“I think time has passed. It feels like we’re kind of real-time in step. So however much time has passed since Legacy came out would also have transpired in the real world. So it will still be contemporary. So let’s say if the Tron sequel comes out in 2015, then four or five years have passed since the last movie.”

The filmmaker also teased that he would be bringing some new designs to the film instead of re-using material from Legacy:

“I don’t want to say too much about it but the goal would not be to simply re-use. We’re not going to re-use the assets from Legacy, that’s no fun. If we’re going to do to it we’re going to reinvent all over again and it’s going to be a whole new generation for reasons that are very story-driven. That’s all I can say.”

As for whether the Legacy sequel could be Kosinski’s next film, the director seems cautiously optimistic:

“There is certainly a chance, like I said; we’re writing the script now. Sometimes with these things all the pieces fall into place. I mean, we’ve been talking about this for years and we don’t have the script now, but sometimes things fall into place very quickly, and if everything lines up it could happen. That’s all I can say, it’s too early.”

One of the highlights of Legacy, in addition to Kosinski’s stirring visuals, was a fantastic score from Daft Punk. Steve asked if they would be returning for the follow-up, and Kosinski seems keen on “getting the band back together” so to speak:

“When it comes to building the team up for soundtrack they would absolutely be my first call. As to whether or not they would do it, it depends on what they’re doing at the time. They are very methodical in how they pick their next project, and they would only do it if they felt that they could dedicate themselves a hundred percent to that. I know they have another album coming out, I’m sure that’s going to be their next big project, which I assume is going to be followed by a massive tour. So, you know, hopefully if they’ve got the time and the creative willingness to dive back in.”

The filmmaker notes that Daft Punk created plenty of tracks that Kosinski didn’t use in Legacy, so they’ve already got a leg-up on the music for the sequel:

“Remember, there are a lot of tracks that they created that I still have that I wasn’t able to fit into TRON: Legacy. So we’ve already got a head start on some great tracks for the future, which I’m really excited about. Like I said, they would be my first call.”

Hopefully we’ll hear more about the sequel very soon, as fan response to the promise of Tron 3 has been incredibly positive.

Read the full transcript of the portion of Steve’s interview with Kosinski below, and look out for the entire interview on Collider soon.

Please tell people the status of another Tron sequel.

Kosinski: Well the only reason to go back, for me and I think for anyone involved would be if we could do something truly spectacular. We’ve been talking about it for a couple years and there’s always been this idea, a big idea, in the back of my head that we’ve been talking about. The idea itself, the notion of what the next Tron could be, is exciting enough that it would be worth going back to do it. Obviously we hinted some things at the end of Legacy, it’s kind of there for people to see what that potential is. So we just want to make sure that we have a script that delivers on that promise on an epic scale. I’ve said it would have to be our Empire Strikes Back for me to come back and for me to pull the whole team back together. I think we do have that idea. We do have the idea that feels big and really blows the doors off this franchise. It’s hinted at promises of something for two movies now, for thirty years, so it’s time to deliver on that. But the script’s got to be at a level that makes it worth going back for, because it’s a lot of work to make a movie like this and it’s a multi-year project. So we’ve got our writer Jesse Wigutow on it right now writing, and fingers crossed if it all comes together, as we hope it will, there could be another Tron in the next few years, and it’s going to be awesome.

My understanding is the studio is very enthusiastic about continuing Tron. Obviously they have new leadership under Alan Horn, have you actually talked to Alan and said, “How do you feel about Tron?”

Kosinski: I haven’t talked to him directly. I mean, Sean Bailey was my producer on Tron, now he’s the president over there at Disney. So Disney has their full support behind it, which is great, but again it’s got to be the right story. It’s got to be a script that’s up to snuff and worth going back for. The idea’s there, the ambition’s there, the excitement’s there; but we need to have all the pieces in place before they would ever pull the trigger on that. So we’ll see. We’ll see what happens.

Obviously you’ll be done with Oblivion in April, then you’ll go on tour with it, then it will be a question of what project you want to do next. Do you think that there is a real chance that Tron could be the next project, or do you think there might be something that goes in first?

Kosinski: There is certainly a chance, like I said; we’re writing the script now. Sometimes with these things all the pieces fall into place. I mean, we’ve been talking about this for years and we don’t have the script now, but sometimes things fall into place very quickly, and if everything lines up it could happen. That’s all I can say, it’s too early.

As I’ve mentioned many times, I loved the soundtrack, do you think that you would be able to get Daft Punk back again to do it?

Kosinski: When it comes to building the team up for soundtrack they would absolutely be my first call. As to whether or not they would do it, it depends on what they’re doing at the time. They are very methodical in how they pick their next project, and they would only do it if they felt that they could dedicate themselves a hundred percent to that. I know they have another album coming out, I’m sure that’s going to be their next big project, which I assume is going to be followed by a massive tour. So, you know, hopefully if they’ve got the time and the creative willingness to dive back in. Remember, there are a lot of tracks that they created that I still have that I wasn’t able to fit into Tron: Legacy. So we’ve already got a head start on some great tracks for the future, which I’m really excited about. Like I said, they would be my first call.

I actually don’t know how the soundtrack sold. Did it sell well?

Kosinski: It did. In fact, where is it? I have a gold record here.

Which is very unusual for soundtracks.

Kosinski: Yes

Where’s my gold record? Is it in there (he asks his assistant in another room. She say’s it’s in storage)?

Kosinski: My gold record was delivered to me on the Oblivion set; it was in my trailer one day. Disney sent it over, Sean Bailey sent it with a very nice note that it sold whatever gold is, that must be a million copies I guess? And it was the highest selling soundtrack since the last Star Wars, The Revenge of the Sith. So that’s the highest soundtrack in seven years, or whatever that is. Like I said, that was a really wonderful thing; it was everything we wanted it to be.

From a design perspective, because I know you’re very passionate about design, have you already been thinking of cool ships and cool new additions to the Tron universe that you’ve been doodling when you have some time? Or is it still just in the brain and not on paper yet?

Kosinski: It’s definitely there. I don’t want to say too much about it but the goal would not be to simply re-use. We’re not going to re-use the assets from Legacy, that’s no fun. If we’re going to do to it we’re going to reinvent all over again and it’s going to be a whole new generation for reasons that are very story-driven. That’s all I can say.

Do you see a sequel starting moments from when the last one ended or do you foresee some time passing before the next chapter might start?

Kosinski: I think time has passed. It feels like we’re kind of real-time in step. So however much time has passed since Legacy came out would also have transpired in the real world. So it will still be contemporary. So let’s say if the Tron sequel comes out in 2015, then four or five years have passed since the last movie.

Look for the full interview with Kosinski very soon.