Let's try this again.
In 1991, Disney made a big deal about “The Rocketeer,” an action movie based on a comic book about a 1930s pilot who discovers a secret jet pack prototype, tries it out, and becomes a fast-flying-without-a-plane hero who has to fight bad guy Timothy Dalton. I think the buzz was that this was going to be a great return to action movies for the whole family, Disney’s step towards live action dominance, it would make Billy Campbell a star, etc., etc. Then the movie was panned and flopped.
In the years since, the movie has acquired a “not as bad as you thought” reputation and in fact, has a following of people who really love it. So there may be mixed feelings about the announcement from Vulture that Disney may have a “Rocketeer” remake in the offing. Word is that the studio is meeting with writers.
I’m not against the idea. I always say that it’s idiotic to remake a classic and that the ideal remake is a movie that had a good idea, but just didn’t pull it off. “The Rocketeer” would seem to fit that description exactly. Of course it would also have to compete with another jet pack powered flying hero at Disney, Marvel’s “Iron Man…”
