I’ve always been surprised that there was never a sequel to The Rocketeer. Sure, the film wasn’t exactly the biggest box office success upon its release in 1991, but it was so much fun! There have been rumblings of a sequel or reboot to the film over the years, but Deadline has reported that Disney is officially developing The Rocketeer sequel.
Titled The Return of the Rocketeer, the project is set to be produced by Jessica and David Oyelowo, with the actor also circling the leading role. The Rocketeer sequel has been written by Ed Ricourt and will center on a retired Tuskegee airman who takes up the mantle of the Rocketeer. Ricourt is best known for penning Now You See Me as well as his work on Wayward Pines, Jessica Jones, and Raising Dion.
The original Rocketeer movie starred Billy Campbell as Cliff Secord, a stunt pilot who found a rocket-powered jet pack and usesd it to become The Rocketeer. Toss in Howard Hughes, the FBI, as well as secret Nazi operatives, and you had the makings of one hell of a film. David Oyelowo was most recently seen in Chaos Walking and Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. The Rocketeer star Billy Campbell commented on the possibility of a sequel earlier this summer but didn’t seem optimistic that it would happen.
As of yet, nothing’s happened. To be honest, I don’t know if anything will happen. What I do know is that the film endures, and the reason it has such a long-lasting appeal, I think, is its spirit. It has a really sweet spirit. That more than anything is the reason for its longevity. I hope they do another something but I also hope they respect the spirit of the original. I can only imagine that unless you get the right people involved to do it properly, that it’s almost bound to be a disappointment.
Now that it seems to be happening once again, how do you feel about The Rocketeer sequel?