David Oyelowo provided an update on Disney’s long-in-development sequel to The Rocketeer, The Return of the Rocketeer. Disney has been trying to get a new Rocketeer movie off the ground for years, and the most recent attempt involves the Lawmen: Bass Reeves star.
The Return of the Rocketeer will have “an all-new creative directive with Ricourt’s story focusing on a retired Tuskegee airman who takes up the mantle of the Rocketeer.”
During a recent interview with The Wrap, Oyelowo shared a positive update on the film, saying, “We have forward momentum.” He went on to offer some insight on the process of the film:
“I know you guys hear this stuff all the time, but we are in the script development stage and if you’re going to reinvigorate that beloved franchise, you better come with the goods. And so Eugene Ashe is currently writing away and we were talking about it only this week. We’re all very committed to that. But it’s going to have to be great and we will not rest until it is.”
The actor was then asked what made him want to be a part of the movie, and he responded:
“Well, I loved the original film. I remember seeing it, and again, not unlike the cowboy genre, there was something about it, the aspirational, inspirational, heroic quality of it. I also liked that it was sort of a bit more DIY and do-it-yourself in terms of the pack. It wasn’t superpowers. It was a guy. It just felt more grounded somehow.”
When talking about the new version of the character in the sequel, Oyelowo offered the following insight:
“I had the idea of what happens if the jetpack is passed on to an ex-Tuskegee Airman, someone who you’re not having to do a bunch of heavy lifting as to why does he have the skill and the bravery to be able to don the pack and go off and be heroic?
“That is something that I think the original film had to do a little bit more heavy lifting around is… Secord, he’s this circus pilot, and then how does he get to do that? And all that kind of stuff. But a guy coming out of World War II who is an ace at what he does, those skills are transferable. And that became the jump off for what felt like, and thankfully Disney agreed, a very exciting way into doing this story in a slightly different way.”
I like that concept for this next iteration of Rocketeer! It seems like an interesting and fun direction for the story. I am a huge fan of The Rocketeer! I loved the original film, and it’s so wild that it’s taken so long to get a sequel. But, that sequel is coming, and I’m excited to see how it turns out!
The original 1991 action-adventure film was directed by Joe Johnston, and based on the comic book series of the same name by Dave Stevens. Set in 1938 Los Angeles, the movie follows the story of Cliff Secord, a young stunt pilot who stumbles upon a mysterious jetpack hidden in a stolen biplane. When he straps on the rocket-powered device, Cliff becomes the Rocketeer, a high-flying hero with the ability to thwart evil schemes. As he navigates the glamorous yet perilous world of pre-World War II Hollywood, Cliff must confront a gang of Nazi spies led by the sinister Neville Sinclair, who is determined to get his hands on the jetpack’s technology. Filled with thrilling aerial sequences, swashbuckling adventure, and a dash of romance, “The Rocketeer” is a classic homage to the golden age of pulp heroes and remains a beloved cult favorite among fans of both comic books and retro cinema.
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