The Rocketeer Sequel/Requel

[MadVillainy]

Ignore the Collider headline, this is a "requel" rather than a reboot.

Back in 2012, a couple of months before it was announced that Disney was purchasing Lucasfilm and moving ahead with new Star Wars movies, the studio set its sights on a different kind of franchise reboot: The Rocketeer. We heard that the Mouse House was in the early stages of rebooting the swell 1930s-set adventure film, but then the Luacasfilm deal happened and Disney became very busy with building out a whole new Star Wars universe.

Now, however, it appears the Rocketeer reboot is heating back up, as THR reports that the studio has hired Max Winkler and Matt Spicer to pen the script for a redo called The Rocketeers. The film is envisioned as a “sequel-reboot” with a “modern-day twist”, whatever that means. The big news, however, is that The Rocketeers will be led by a black female character.

That’s certainly a marked change from the original, which was based on a popular 1980s comic that followed a stunt pilot who discovers a rocket pack and suit and subsequently becomes embroiled with Nazis and mobsters. Joe Johnston—who would go on to helm Jurassic Park III and Captain America: The First Avenger—directed The Rocketeer with a swell cast led by Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, and Timothy Dalton as an Errol Flynn-esque villain.

The story of The Rocketeers will maintain the period setting of the original film, as it picks up six years after the events of that movie with Campbell’s Secord having vanished fighting 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 jetpack technology in what could prove to be a turning point in the Cold War.


Given that The Rocketeer drew heavily from 1930s serials, it’ll be interesting to see what this “modern day twist” does to alter the tone and feel of the franchise. Moreover, given that drones are ever-present and audiences have become accustomed to superheroes flying any and everywhere (particularly the Rocketeer-esque Iron Man), one imagines the central conceit of a jet pack and suit will be updated to make it more…impressive.

However, I like the idea of handing the reigns of the franchise over to a black female lead. It’s a solid way of not trying to “replace” Campbell’s original character, and I appreciate the fact that it’ll continue the story where Johnston’s film left off.

This is just now in the scripting stage and could very well further evolve during development, but as a big fan of Johnston’s original film I have to say I’m oddly excited about this news. What about you, folks? Are you interested in seeing a new Rocketeer story? Have we all learned our lesson that just because someone reboots a beloved film, that doesn’t mean the original loses any of its luster/ceases to exist?

http://collider.com/the-rocketeer-reboot-disney/

But I mean all I can think of is :"But why though?"

Rocketeer is decently loved cult film, but I hardly think making a sequel to it will draw in a big audience.
Also live-action period piece films don't seem to do that well. Wonder Woman will probably be the exception

I think the media will incorrectly label it a sequel and then it'll become a whole nother Ghosbusters fiasco.
There are only writers attached so far and it might go nowhere.
I mean if it's good, then cool. But this just seems like a stupid idea all around

EDIT: and I haven't seen all of the original, been meaning to but havent. Isn't his main thing that he has a jet pack? In a world where Iron Man flies arounnd in a movie damn near every other year will The Rocketeer stand out action wise?

 

[TheComicbookKid]

As long as they budget it correctly it should be fine. The Cold War setting with an AA woman could pull a decent amount cause we don't see non-white characters as heroes in that era.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Booooooooring.

Christ, you're scraping the bottom of the barrel here. The Rocketeer was a flop when it came out and it's just about a cult film now at best. Where's the brand recognition? If not, it's just another reboot but this just doesn't make much sense to reboot because usually reboots have box office potential. This has none.

This just reads as another Ghostbusters like situation. Except this might be good. Despite Disney's brands, they at least turn out good brands. But this is just boring.

 

[scifiwolf]

That early into the Cold War, it would take a pretty ridiculous suspension of disbelief regarding an African-American female pilot. The only scenario I can fathom off the top of my head would be the daughter of a Tuskegee airman or something. An African-American male or a Caucasian female I think I could buy, but I feel like Disney's reaching by doubling up the demographics with the lead. More so given the recent shakeup in their Marvel brand with Iron Man. I'm not against it, but it reads like a pretty hard sell to me.

Director-wise, who you guys pegging for this? I wouldn't mind seeing Johnston return, seeing as he has such a solid handle on period pulp. I'd love to see what he could do with Cold War subterfuge and intrigue.

 

[Lighthouse]

...........oh sorry, I was just thinking about Jennifer Connelly in the original.

 

[Octoberist]

I'm good with a new sequel/requel.

 

[Loki882]

So how long until the whining about "PC/SJW ruining everything" starts? And as for the "it's unrealistic" part, the original movie wasn't "realistic."

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

I LOVE the original and the premise to this just does not sound like a film that I would want to see.

 

[Loki882]

Funny because it sounds exactly like the type of story that I'd like to see.

 

[Octoberist]

This was my idea for a sequel, so I'm down.

 

[MadVillainy]

So how long until the whining about "PC/SJW ruining everything" starts? And as for the "it's unrealistic" part, the original movie wasn't "realistic."

How long until people who don't like this are called sexist or racist"

 

[Lighthouse]

I think the Rocketeer has one of the best costumes of all time.

 

[Loki882]

When they come up with an actual reason WHY it's a bad idea.

 

[Octoberist]

In Hollywood, pre-60's, it was all mostly white in movies and that projection of American society. Its as if Hispanics and Blacks magically appeared in the 60's in movies, all the way to present day.

I'm a okay with it.

 

[MadVillainy]

When they come up with an actual reason WHY it's a bad idea.

Well I haven't heard many if any people complaining about this at all. So you might be jumped the gun on the PC/SJW complainier complaining

 

[Octoberist]

I'm sure it will happen since it's the Internet.

 

[MadVillainy]

In Hollywood, pre-60's, it was all mostly white in movies and that projection of American society. Its as if Hispanics and Blacks magically appeared in the 60's in movies, all the way to present day.

I'm a okay with it.

It's still mostly white in movies, so...

 

[Octoberist]

Yeah but it's worst back then for obvious reasons. Not even background actors can be colored until later on besides the one token character.

Even me as a minority, I have a hard time picturing minoritys just doing their thing pre-60's in American society. Just working, raising their family, etc. And it's because movies don't really show that side of early 20th America.

 

[Lighthouse]

So how long until the whining about "PC/SJW ruining everything" starts? And as for the "it's unrealistic" part, the original movie wasn't "realistic."

If the movie were realistic, the lower half of the Rocketeer's body would be incinerated.

 

[MadVillainy]

I don't think enough people care about The Rocketeer to make a big fuss about a new movie

 

[Doctor Jones]

I stated it's a bad idea. It's just more corporate driven rehashing of ****. A black female lead really doesn't take that bad idea away. It pretty much overrides anything. It feels even weirder though since this has no brand recognition. Ghostbusters I could see why but here what is their goal? To create a new story out of something that didn't take off in the first place? Doesn't that mean to not do it again? I just don't understand Disney's intentions here at all. It's all mangled.

Anyway, this won't gain attention/controversy like Ghostbusters because nobody besides people on the internet and film geeks knows what the hell the Rocketeer is. They'll just think it's an original film. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Disney ignores the last film's existed and will market this as a brand new type of thing.

 

[MadVillainy]

Yeah but it's worst back then for obvious reasons. Not even background actors can be colored until later on besides the one token character.

OK that's well known. I don't get what that has to do with this movie

 

[MadVillainy]

I stated it's a bad idea. It's just more corporate driven rehashing of ****. A black female lead really doesn't take that bad idea away. It pretty much overrides anything. It feels even weirder though since this has no brand recognition. Ghostbusters I could see why but here what is their goal? To create a new story out of something that didn't take off in the first place? Doesn't that mean to not do it again? I just don't understand Disney's intentions here at all. It's all mangled.

Anyway, this won't gain attention/controversy like Ghostbusters because nobody besides people on the internet and film geeks knows what the hell the Rocketeer is. They'll just think it's an original film.

Nail on damn head

 

[Octoberist]

We're just having a conversation, and the lead is reportedly written to be a black character.

 

[Octoberist]

Doctor Jones isn't wrong though, to be fair. Though I remember Doctor Jones a lot more optimistic and wide-eyed. Did the world wear you out, dude?? JK