Disney plans on creating a sequel to THE ROCKETEER

Walt Disney Studios plans on creating a sequel for THE ROCKETEER, which will be called THE ROCKETEERS.

The Rocketeer, created by Dave Stevens, was published by Pacific Comics in 1982.

The story takes place during World War II when Cliff Secord straps on a jetpack he found in a biplane. With his new rocket and flashy new gear, Cliff went off to save the day, becoming a superhero known as The Rocketeer. The Nazis then decide that they want the superhero on their side, putting Cliff and his loved one’s life in danger.

The original film for the comic book was released in 1991, and starred Jennifer Connelly, Billy Campbell, Timothy Dalton, and Alan Arkin. Unfortunately, it failed to live up to the studio’s expectations.

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So Disney decided to take a little spin on it, setting the story six years after the original Rocketeer. The new film will be called The Rocketeers. Below is the synopsis of the new film.

The new take keeps the story in a period setting and offers a fresh view on the characters. Set six years after the original Rocketeer and after Secord has vanished while fighting the 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.

It looks like Disney’s working on bringing in diversity in its movies by putting a young female POC in the lead role, and that’s exciting to know. With the casting for Marvel’s Black Panther to include several black actors and actresses in lead roles, and rightly so, it’s moving in the right direction.

The screenplay for the new film will be written by Max Winkler and Matt Spicer. While the film is set to be produced by Brigham Taylor, the producer of The Jungle Book. Taylor will surprisingly be working with Blake Griffin, forward for the L.A. Clippers, and Ryan Kalil, center for the Carolina Panthers. 

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