The Rocketeer sequel in development

[Chris3123]

A sequel to Disney's 1991 movie is currently in development. It will be called "The Rocketeers" (how original!) and will have a brand new character in the leading role, taking over the mantle from a missing Cliff Secord.

The project, in the early development stages, is considered a sequel-reboot and, in a modern-day twist, will be headlined by a black female character.

Brigham Taylor, who produced The Jungle Book with Jon Favreau, is producing along with Blake Griffin of the L.A. Clippers and Ryan Kalil of the Carolina Panthers. Griffin and Kalil are partners in a new venture called Mortal Media and approached Taylor with the idea for the reboot.

...

The new take keeps the story in a period setting and offers a fresh view on the characters. Set six years after the original Rocketeer and after Secord has vanished while fighting the Nazis, an unlikely new hero emerges: a young African–American female pilot, who takes up the mantle of Rocketeer in an attempt to stop an ambitious and corrupt rocket scientist from stealing jet-pack technology in what could prove to be a turning point in the Cold War.

I suppose it's possible that this could turn out to be a decent movie, but I'm not too optimistic.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

I'm not too optimistic.

Why?

There's so little to go by in the blurb ... the original was enjoyable enough, even has something of a cult following. There's nothing yet to say that this incarnation will, somehow, inherently be inferior.

 

[Chris3123]

Mainly because it's a sequel/reboot. Those types of movies tend to not have the best track record, especially ones that don't even feature the original characters.

There's nothing yet to say that this incarnation will, somehow, inherently be inferior.

Did I come off as suggesting that? Sorry, I sometimes have trouble accurately putting my thoughts into words.

Hopefully some of the creative folks from the original will hop on board.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

Everyone is clamoring for Joe Johnston to come back and direct. The would be great, however if they don't want him or he chooses to pass, I think Jon Favreau would be an ideal choice to direct this.

 

[Reverend]

If this ends up getting the '91 movie retroactively written into the MCU, then I'm OK with it.

 

[Awesome Possum]

I'm assuming that Cliff appears at some point to either give advice, lend a helping hand and wink at the dozen of us who remember the original.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I actually think this sounds promising. It seems that this could be treated more as a followup than a reboot, with the hero possibly even finding the missing original. In this sense, it makes a lot of sense and is less of an abrupt change while acknowledging the original in a way that's respectful.

 

[Ovation]

I love the original (as does my 10 year old son) and I'm happy to learn of this project (would have loved a sequel or two). Now that Disney owns Marvel, maybe Agent Carter can make an appearance? (Wishful thinking)

Anyway, looking forward to this if it comes to fruition.

 

[Harvey]

I don't get the sequel aspect. This is supposedly set six years after the original, but filming will be more than twenty-five years later, so it's not as if any cast members can believably re-appear.

 

[Tallguy]

Cliff has been stuck on the Grid since the last movie.

 

[Captaindemotion]

I don't get the sequel aspect. This is supposedly set six years after the original, but filming will be more than twenty-five years later, so it's not as if any cast members can believably re-appear.

Yeah, I'm quite pleased about this news but that's my only reservation about it. But, I suppose, realistically Billy Campbell doesn't put many bums on cinema seats these days, so it's not like the studio would've been headhunting him to reprise his role.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I don't get the sequel aspect. This is supposedly set six years after the original, but filming will be more than twenty-five years later, so it's not as if any cast members can believably re-appear.

Setting it ~25 years later could be interesting. You could have our diversely cast heroine in the era of the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War is starting with the Cuban Missile Crisis.

 

[Vendikarr]

I don't get the sequel aspect. This is supposedly set six years after the original, but filming will be more than twenty-five years later, so it's not as if any cast members can believably re-appear.

They could probably get away with Alan Arkin's Peevy showing up.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Setting it ~25 years later could be interesting. You could have our diversely cast heroine in the era of the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War is starting with the Cuban Missile Crisis.

I think they wanted the same art-deco look though which is what helped make it unique and setting it 25 years later would rob them of that.

 

[LJones41]

Why don't they just do another Rocketeer movie with Cliff Secord as the main character . . . and a NEW ACTOR in the role? It would be so simple.

 

[Tallguy]

I'm ecstatic about a Rocketeer movie. But they should recast everybody from the first one. Sorry. I'm OK with it not being Cliff, but he should be around somewhere.

If they can manage the new cast without saying that the US was just as bad as the Axis, that would be swell. (I don't have my hopes up.)

And bring in the Howling Commandos.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I think they wanted the same art-deco look though which is what helped make it unique and setting it 25 years later would rob them of that.

I guess I need to see it again, I don't really remember much of the Art Deco look you mention. That era gets played out quite a bit but I guess The Rocketeer was an intention throwback to two-fisted tales of that time.

I was curious about black female pilots around WWII and just read about Janet Harmon Waterford Bragg after Googling around. She was a black female pilot who tried to fly with the ironically named WASPs but was denied entry by her color but worked with the Tuskegees in a civilian capacity. A character like that could work well stumbling upon a rocket pack.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I guess I need to see it again, I don't really remember much of the Art Deco look you mention. That era gets played out quite a bit but I guess The Rocketeer was an intention throwback to two-fisted tales of that time.

Well, if anything, I think we need more of it. The entire suit was art-deco, especially the helmet. But yeah, you're right on the intention. I think, just like Indiana Jones, it was intended as a throwback to the period and the adventure stories of the period. I don't think it would be quite the same if they moved it to 25 years later. It loses something if it does.

 

[JD]

I recently watched the original on either Netflix or Amazon Prime, and I loved it. I'm really happy to hear about a new movie, but I was a little surprised they weren't going the Force Awakens route and giving us a real time difference between the old and new movies.
I do really like the idea of giving us a black female lead, that could make things a really interesting given the era this will be set in.

 

[Kor]

Meh. The movie is OK, but I've always thought Dave Stevens' comics were better.

a missing Cliff Secord

And Cliff will be the MacGuffin for this movie because he is needed to stop the villain's entourage from taking over the world, and the female rocketeer will finally find him at the very end of the movie on some remote island, and hand his rocket pack to him. The movie will end with her holding out the rocket pack and the two of them staring at each other.

Kor