Disney is Rebooting 'The Rocketeer'
Disney is currently developing a new version of the 1991 action adventure movie.
Disney lately has been rebooting various classic films. The formula has been working. Now it looks like Disney is going to reboot an overlooked film in its vault. The film is currently in its early development stages. It's being touted as a sequel-reboot.
The reboot part is that it will be headlined by a African American female character. (It sounds very similar to the recent Iron Man news.) Walt Disney Studios hired Max Winkler and Matt Spicer to write the script. Tendo Nagenda and Chaz Salembier are overseeing the project for Disney.
Co-Producer of The Jungle Book Brigham Taylor was approached by NBA star Blake Griffin and NFL star Ryan Kalil with the idea of The Rocketeer reboot. Kalil and Griffin are partners in a new venture called Mortal Media.
The Rocketeer was based off on Dave Stevens popular indie comic. The film followed Cliff Secord, a cocky stunt pilot, and how he discovered a jet pack hidden in a biplane. Cliff becomes the hero known as The Rocketeer. All is good until the Nazi's want to use the rocket as a weapon. Cliff must save the day and also save his girl.
Joe Jonhson directed the original movie. It starred Billy Campbell as Secord, Jennifer Connely as a actress and Secord's lady, Timothy Dalton as a Nazi spy, and Alan Arkin as Secord's mechanic.
Despite being a disappointment at the box office and only grossing $46.6 million. Something unusual happened it created a cult fan base. The fans were in love with the character ,and they also loved the score by James Horner.
Disney started planning out a reboot of The Rocketeer after the success of the 20th Anniversary screening in 2011. Disney was hesitant at the time because they needed to make it different from Iron Man.
The new story will keep the story in the time period but offer unique new characters. It will be set six year after the first Rocketeer film. Secord, the original Rocketeer, has vanished while fighting the Nazi's. A new hero comes to the forefront and takes up The Rocketeer mantle. The young African American female pilot must stop an evil, corrupt Soviet scientist from stealing the jet pack technology. If she doesn't it could become the turning point in the Cold War.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
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