One of every ’90s kids’ most beloved Disney properties is finally getting the second chance it deserves. Disney+ is making a new Rocketeer movie with David Oyelowo potentially starring, though the actor has not been confirmed for the role as of yet. Oyelowo, along with wife Jessica Oyelowo, will produce The Return of the Rocketeer, as the new movie is titled, and Now You See Me writer Ed Ricourt is penning the screenplay. No director has been named yet.
The Rocketeer, which was released in 1991, was always set up to be a franchise, but the first film struggled at the box office and Disney canceled any sequels. However, over the years, and especially during the superhero-filled times we’re living in now, the movie has come back into popularity both because it’s pretty fun and its aesthetic is simply fantastic. There’s no word on how this new film will be connected to the original, if at all, but The Return of the Rocketeer will focus on a retired Tuskegee airman who takes up the mantle of the Rocketeer. Oyelowo is no stranger to the Tuskegee airmen as he played one in George Lucas’ Red Tails.
Disney has been actively trying to get a sequel out for The Rocketeer for a bit now, with reports landing in 2016 that a film was in the works. This one seems to be on the fast track, however, with Disney+ giving the studio an easy place to put a film that it’s not sure will make big bucks but that fans have been clamoring for.
The Return of the Rocketeer has no release date yet.
