Rocketeer 2 Star Gives Fans Much-Needed Hope
The sequel to 1991’s The Rocketeer, aptly titled The Rocketeer 2, was announced years ago, after which all news regarding the project fell silent. Fortunately, this changed just recently after David Oyelowo provided the fandom with an optimistic update regarding the sequel, stating that the production team has momentum going forward.
The Rocketeer 2 was initially announced in 2021 as the sequel to the original 1991 cult classic. The movie is being produced by Oyelowo and his wife, Jessica Oyelowo, with the possibility of David also starring in the movie as well. The original film was based on the comic book character of the same name, set in pre-WWII Hollywood, and centered on a young pilot who discovered a top-secret jetpack that enables him to fly. According to Oyelowo, his movie will take place after the war and is centered around a Tuskegee airman who comes into possession of the Rocketeer suit.
Oyelowo also shared that the movie is still in the script development stage, with the writing team taking its time to ensure that the final result matches the quality of the original movie. The Rocketeer 2 is supposed to be a direct sequel to the 1991 live-action Disney movie, with the story specifically centered on a Tuskegee airman, which alleviates any mental gymnastics associated with him having the skillset and the bravery required to not just don and fly the pack but also play the role of a hero.
This is particularly interesting, considering that the protagonist of the original movie was a stunt pilot who got to play the hero, whereas The Rocketeer 2 will center on an actual airman who came out of World War II with rather transferrable skills in both flight and combat. The introduction of such a protagonist was actually a jumping board for the green light Disney subsequently gave for the film. Fortunately, this also means that Disney will distance itself from a classical teen-becomes-superhero trope, which admittedly only worked with Spider-Man.
As stated above, the first movie was based on a comic book written by Dave Stevens in 1982, and Disney acquired the movie rights in the late ‘80s as a potential franchise starter akin to Batman, which was already vastly popular at the time. The film was directed by Captain America: The First Avenger director Joe Johnston and followed the aforementioned stunt pilot who comes across as a stolen jetpack prototype. The Rocketer really is a classic, with the hero saving the damsel in distress while also protecting the technology he found from various covert organizations seeking to abuse it.
The original The Rocketeer movie wasn’t a financial success on its own, as it only managed to garner some $6 million over its original budget. But Disney did what Disney does best, and that’s milking their releases until they bleed; the media giant made various deals with Pizza Hut and M&M’s/ Mars candies, as well as video games, toys, posters, trading cards, and clothing companies to make the merchandise. This was primarily done to promote the movie, but it also contributed to the overall earnings of the franchise. The Rocketeer 2 is still in development and lacks a release date.
Source: TheWrap
