What often happens when a streaming service cancels a project, it’s a series that has already been greenlit for the platform, one with at least a season under its belt. For Disney Plus, however, the studio made numerous announcements for shows and movies with many being canceled as the result of cost-saving measures and other corporate decisions. Now it looks like Disney Plus is canceling a sequel to a beloved 90s movie for the same reason.
This particular project was initially announced several years ago with several producers having already been attached to the film. While it seemed like Disney was moving the project in a positive direction, and that fans would finally get a follow-up to the studio’s 1991 film that never quite got its due, it looks like things were too good to be true.
This was confirmed by David Oyelowo who was putting the Disney Plus project together at his production company Yoruba Saxon. Here’s what Oyelowo shared while speaking with the Los Angeles Times, leading into the Disney news while speaking about the similar cancellation of his adaptation for Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun at Netflix:
“‘Onyeka’ is an absolute bull’s-eye for what we are looking to make, but it is also symptomatic of the challenge we have. We gained traction with that project in the wake of the George Floyd murder and in a moment where there was a cultural correction and people seemed to want to do better. But now we’re in a moment where it’s evident that a lot of that was performative and not bone-deep. Projects like that suddenly become challenged. ‘Onyeka’ being one, ‘Return of the Rocketeer’ at Disney being another.”
Whether or not those are the reasons behind the cancellation of this sequel by Disney Plus remain to be seen, as it’s possible they just don’t think it’s profitable to release a continuation of the 90s cult classic. One thing is for certain, however, and that’s that there will be fans disappointed by this news.
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates regarding Disney Plus as we have them. The Return of the Rocketeer would have followed a retired Tuskegee airman as the titular character.