A rights change set for 2028 looms as Disney's 35-year-old cult classic revival gets hope after director exit

Oyelowo remains hopeful

In an interview with The Playlist, David Oyelowo said the long-delayed sequel could still come to fruition. He compared its drawn-out development with his effort to bring Lawmen: Bass Reeves to television.

Oyelowo said he worked on that project for 10 years before it reached the screen. He did not confirm whether The Return of the Rocketeer is moving forward, and there is no confirmed schedule or release date.

A new Rocketeer mantle

Disney announced The Return of the Rocketeer in 2021, with Oyelowo attached as a producer and a possible star. The planned story would introduce a former Tuskegee Airman who takes on the Rocketeer identity rather than bringing back Billy Campbell’s Cliff Secord.

The original 1991 film, directed by Joe Johnston, starred Campbell as a stunt pilot who finds an experimental jetpack. Jennifer Connelly and Timothy Dalton also appeared. The movie earned approximately $46 million worldwide before later developing a cult following.

Setbacks and earlier plans

J.D. Dillard exited as director in 2022. Eugene Ashe was later hired to write the screenplay, and Oyelowo said in 2023 that script work was continuing, but the film has not entered production.

Disney previously developed another sequel, The Rocketeers, in 2016, centered on a new pilot; that version did not proceed. The franchise later reached a younger audience through a 2019 animated series.

Rights could become an obstacle

If the rights return to the trust, Disney would need to negotiate a new agreement before making another installment. The possible rights change adds uncertainty to a revival that already has no confirmed production timetable.