New ‘The Rocketeer’ Movie In The Works For Disney+, David Oyelowo Possibly To Suit Up

Considering how beloved 1991’s The Rocketeer continues to be, it’s pretty amazing it took 30 years for Disney to finally bring it back. That’s what’s happening now as a new Rocketeer film is in the works and it will be exclusive to Disney+.

According to Deadline, David Oyelowo is set to produce, alongside his wife Jessica Oyelowo, and possibly star in an updated The Rocketeer movie, titled The Return of the Rocketeer. The character is based on the 1982 comic book about a 1930s stunt pilot who discovers a jet pack which he uses to become a costumed hero, gaining the attention of the FBI, Howard Hughes, and the Nazis.

This new version seems suited for Oyelowo to star in, as it will follow a retired Tuskegee airman who becomes the new Rocketeer. He played a member of the Tuskegee airmen in the 2012 film Red Tails. Ed Ricourt, best known for writing Now You See Me and episodes of Jessica Jones, is on the screenplay.

The Rocketeer didn’t do big numbers at the box office, but it has lived on as a cult favorite. Joe Johnston, who would go on to direct Captain America: The First Avenger, another movie steeped in nostalgia for the 1930s/40s era, was director with Billy Campbell and Jennifer Connelly starring.

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.