The New Rocketeer Movie Gets an Encouraging Update

After two years on the ground, a new version of The Rocketeer is hopefully ready to blast off once again.

Back in 2021, news broke that David Oyelowo (Selma, Star Wars Rebels) was set to produce and star in a legacy sequel to Joe Johnston’s 1991 cult classic for Disney+. However, since then, there hasn’t been much news on what’s happening with the project (certainly in part due to the writers’ strike). Now though, the Wrap reports the film has new life with the hiring of Eugene Ashe, the filmmaker behind the indie films Homecoming (no, not that one) and 2020’s Sylvie’s Love with Tessa Thompson.

When news of this project, then referred to as The Return of the Rocketeer though it seems that’s now out, first broke, the film was being written by Ed Ricourt (Now You See Me, Wayward Pines). There’s no word on if Ashe is coming on just to retool that or start from scratch but any movement is positive movement at this stage.

Last year, Oyelowo gave the Wrap an update on the film that seemed both enthusiastic and cautious. “I was a big fan of the first one. Actually had the poster up in my bedroom as a teenager,” the actor said. “It’s a beloved property over [at Disney], so to be trusted with it is a real privilege. We’re going to take care of the fans of the original and hopefully bring in a whole new fanbase. In our film, he’s going to be an ex-Tuskegee airman, so it’s still in that 1940s milieu. We know we have to adhere to the things that people loved about the first one. But that was 30 years ago, so we want to make a film that’s going to resonate for the next 30 years and especially for the now. That’s the needle we have to thread and we’re working hard to do so.”

Hopefully, Ashe’s addition will give that rocket pack the fuel it needs to get flying once again.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.