When Disney's Tron arrived in theaters in 1982, it revolutionized cinema with its then cutting edge technology. In the era we live in today, it may not seem so extraordinary that the Grid was created with the earliest CGI and the best practical effects available, but the adventures of hacker Kevin Flynn being transported into the digital world came to life for a generation of fans.
Tron: Legacy sought to revitalize the franchise with an updated aesthetic, smoothing the glitches in the original film with the best special effects in Hollywood. This time it focused on Sam Flynn, Kevin's son, desperately trying to find his father now stuck in the world of Tron. Though it proved to be a divisive film in terms of plot and character development, no one could deny that visually, it was a stunning successor to the original classic. Its look and feel inspired hundreds of cosplays, ten of which we feel are the best at capturing the magic of Tron.
RINZLER
A mysterious figure in Tron: Legacy, Rinzler was the first program Sam Flynn faced in the Disc Wars and proved that he was a highly skilled combatant and an elite warrior in the Grid games. He is the only program that uses two identity discs when he fights and works as an operative for Clu. Few know his true identity as Tron, the original program who fought for the Users!
This Rinzler cosplay perfectly captures the menace and mystery of Rinzler, with its custom body armor, identity discs, and hand-constructed helmet. Cosplayer Pip even has the light physique of Rinzler, capable of employing an insane amount of acrobatic fighting techniques.
CLU
Creating CLU (Codified Likeness Utility), the hacker program designed by Kevin Flynn and considered his “best program”, was no easy task. Clu resembled his user (Jeff Bridges), who had to be “de-aged” to appear in his ‘30s since programs don’t age. Bridges had to wear a helmet that mapped his entire face down to the micro expressions and transported it into a computer.
This amazing cosplay by S-lime mimics the arrogance of the program, who genuinely believed himself superior to Users and wanted nothing more than to use Sam Flynn’s identity disc and escape into the real world. The distinct yellow circuitry on the suit is attributed to neither being a part of the malevolent MCP (red circuitry), nor the benevolent free programs (blue).
QUORRA
As the last remaining ISO (Isomorphic Algorithm), a program that was spontaneously born of the Grid, Quorra was already quite unique. But after becoming the apprentice of Kevin Flynn, she combined her prowess in the Grid Games with his knowledge of the real world, turning into an inquisitive and versatile entity that longed to exceed the possibilities of her programming.
This incredible cosplay by Annisse shows the minimalist yet intricate costume worn by Quorra in the film Tron: Legacy, which she recreated by screen printing the catsuit out of a HEX pattern design with 4-way stretch vinyl. She used Lite Tape and black latex sheeting to make it fully light up, and the identity discs stay lit permanently with LEDs.
ZUSE
Known by Castor or Zuse, he was the flamboyant proprietor of the End of Line Nightclub on the Grid. Those that have enjoyed Michael Sheen’s performance in Good Omens will adore his portrayal of Zuse, who he has stated was based on a combination of Ziggy Stardust and Mae West. Sheen apparently was a big fan of the first Tron and wanted to star in the sequel.
This cosplayer certainly captures Zuse in all his eccentric glory. He certainly had the most personality on the Grid, with his white coattails and glowing cane. It was a shame that the character wasn’t given more screen time, but he clearly left a lasting impression as cosplay inspiration! Rumor has it he was named after computer pioneer Konrad Zuse.
BLACK GUARD
Black Guards (or Elite Guards) were the most highly trained combatants and dangerous programs on the Grid after Rinzler. They operated as Clu’s personal commando unit, often deploying from recognizers to track down errant programs and imprison or destroy any programs Clu views as seditious. They fought with identity discs and a baton that turned into a variety of melee weapons.
This amazing cosplay by hati-of-doom perfectly captures the intimidating presence of the Black Guards. From the orange-red circuitry (it was white in the original Tron film) to the pitch black helmet, this looks like a Black Guard who walked off the set of Tron: Legacy. He even has a few light grenades strapped to his utility built!
SIREN
The Sirens were a unique part of Tron: Legacy, and weren’t based on any previous programs from Tron. Their purpose in Legacy was to equip combatants with their body armor for the Grid games, and they resided in bays in the armory beneath the Games Arena. They have little in the way of personality when Sam meets them, but he does see one at the End of Line Club later.
RELATED: 10 Stunning Gotham City Sirens Cosplays
This Siren cosplay looks almost identical to the platinum-haired Siren in the film. The suit worn by cosplayer Annisse is made from lycra, and the shoes were made by gluing two different designs together. She’s even wearing gloves that glow white at the fingertips, mimicking the tools the Sirens used to remove Sam Flynn’s clothing.
TRON PROGRAMS
The programs in Tron and Tron: Legacy mimic their user, which is why they will bear their likeness and even their voice. Their circuitry is color-coded to match whether or not they are an agent of the MCP (Master Control Program), a free program (created by a User), or something entirely different (like Clu, also created by a User, but not altogether friendly in Legacy). Their colors are red, blue, and yellow respectively.
It’s not clear whether this pair of programs is supposed to be Sam Flynn and Quorra, but it’s clear by their blue circuitry that they’re free programs. The high contrast of dark and light in the photograph, combined with the silhouettes of the programs against the light cycle makes for a very striking effect.
ANOTHER SIREN
There were four sirens in Tron: Legacy that lived in the armory below the Games Arena, only removing themselves from their bays when they needed to outfit a new combatant with armor for the Games. The Sirens had dark or platinum hair in tight buns on top of their heads, had piercing blue eyes, and all wore the same white bodysuits with white circuitry.
This amazing cosplay looks like it could have been designed by Beau Garrett himself, responsible for putting the Siren actresses into their looks for the film using balloon rubber sprayed on latex for their catsuits (a process which took up to 5 hours). This cosplay has reflective tape to appear to “light up” with flash photography.
MORE PROGRAMS
The programs found on the Grid seemed to have an existence that focused on their primary functionality, with the ability to “punch out” from their duties and do things like grabbing a drink at the End of the Line club when they weren’t performing their usual tasks. They wore different variations of the catsuit with circuitry, seen here represented by this cosplaying group.
It looks like there’s a Sam Flynn in this photo atop the light cycle, with a Quorra and another program posed on either side of him. Kevin Flynn is there too, with his robe that glowed with white circuitry in Tron: Legacy and his identity disc.
GRID GAMES
The Grid Games were incredibly dangerous to compete in, but programs gained notoriety for engaging in the digital gladiatorial bouts. Whether participating in Disc Wars or Light Cycle Races, victory came at a price, and programs could be derezzed at any point in the game, never to be seen again.
These cosplayers look like they would be right at home in the Games, with exceptionally crafted catsuits, helmets, and circuitry. The suits worn by the cast of Tron: Legacy used small lithium batteries, but each battery only last ten minutes. The lights had to be switched on right before each take to look their brightest. Strip lighting has come a long way since then, and often will last over an hour.