David Oyelowo to produce The Rocketeer reboot The Return of the Rocketeer for Disney

The Hollywood Reporter has details on The Return of the Rocketeer, which is in the early stages of being produced by David Oyelowo for Disney.

The original Rocketeer (1991) had a mixed reception (Rotten Tomatoes has it around 66% for both critic and audience reaction) but enough time has passed for audiences to give it another shot, at least that’s what Disney appears to believe.

If you don’t remember, the original film involved Nazis, mobsters, Howard Hughes, the FBI and a power suit with rocket attachment. Think original Saturday morning cinema, thought the film is an adaptation of a 1980s indie comic by Dave Stevens. The film starred Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Timothy Dalton and Alan Arkin.

As to the new film, it’s being written by Ed Ricourt, and Brigham Taylor is also producing. It’s suggested Oyelowo may also appear in the film, but there’s no evidence either way at this point.

From what we’ve read, this project is in the very early stages of development, so don’t expect to hear much before 2022, with a release possibly 2023. As ever we’ll keep you in the loop on all the news.