21/10/2025
As the new TRON sequel is currently playing in theaters, I've had the wonderful opportunity and pleasure to talk to the man who started it all – Steven Lisberger, the writer & director of the original 1982 cult classic. Steven is a true pioneer and legend, and he has done so much more – and so, our conversation revolves around a different sci-fi film he made, one which hasn't been talked about as widely as TRON: a 1989 dystopian adventure called SLIPSTREAM starring Bill Paxton and Mark Hamill. It's a film which offers many pleasures and a lot of food for thought, with literary references, political satire, and an interesting examination of our relationship to technology. So in our 90-minute chat, Steven discusses how the film came together under difficult circumstances, and we dive deep into the ideas and philosophies of the film and their connection to modern-day discussions about artificial intelligence. He also talks about how the live-action shoot compares to the more animation-based creation of TRON, he discusses one of his unmade projects, reflects on his career, and much more.
Enjoy!
Today’s conversation was a hugely thrilling and exciting occasion for me, because the man I spoke to is a true pioneer and a legend of sci-fi cinema, and the movie which he’s most famous for is one which really resonated with me when I first saw it as a teenager, and it’s continued to hold tha...
