Walt Disney has decided to make a sequel-reboot of its 1991 superhero action-adventure film "The Rocketeer." Titled "The Rocketeers," the new project will be scripted by Max Winkler and Matt Spicer, who have already been hired by the studio. However, the female lead, who will play the titular role, is yet to be announced.
As of now, the work is in initial stages of development and will have an African American black female character as the lead role, The Hollywood Reporter reported. Brigham Taylor, co-producer of "The Jungle Book," was tapped to produce the film with Blake Griffin and Ryan Kalil, who went up to him with the idea of the reboot.
Though the cast has not been decided yet, speculations have begun doing the rounds and a few names are floating around on who can do justice to the lead character's role. Nathalie Emmanuel, aka Missandei from "Game of Thrones," could be the fearless pilot as she is not only a fabulous actress but she has also expressed a desire to play a superhero in a Disney movie at the recently concluded San Diego Comic-Con.
Emmanuel has shown her acting prowess in "Maze Runner" as Harriet, the leader of the female group who made a successful escape from the Maze B. With that said, it is said that Emmanuel would definitely nail the superhero role, Creators reported.
Kat Graham, better known as the badass and powerful witch Bonnie Bennette on the CW's "The Vampire Diaries," would also fit the bill as she is supremely talented.
Last but not the least, Gugu Mbatha-Raw could also essay the character with conviction. Her breakout performance in "Beyond the Lights" as Noni Jean and real life portrayal of the strong and mature Prema Mutiso in "Concussion" are enough evidence of her acting skills. What is more, she is already in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast."
Notably, "The Rocketeer" is a cult classic of the 90s that failed to perform well at the box office but over the years has grown its own following. When Disney hosted its twentieth screening anniversary in 2011, many fans turned up wearing Rocketeer costumes, a pointer to the popularity of the movie. The warm response motivated Disney to think about a reboot and now here they are, with the project.
