MovieChat Forums > The Rocketeer (1991) Discussion > Was this film a financial disappointment...

Was this film a financial disappointment ?


I thought this was a big budget film that had a massive publicity campaign, but then did not generate the ticket sales that were hoped for.

I'm sure over time it has made back money...but wasn't it a bit of a bomb when first released?
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Yep, it was released at the same time as Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves and City Slickers, and I think Terminator 2 opened a week later, so not the best time.

Great movie though! Still holds up today and this remake/sequel/reboot will suck and be predictably P.C.

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Just about all I remember about the original is that Jennifer Connelly was INCREDIBLY beautiful in it.

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Just about all I remember about the original is that Jennifer Connelly was INCREDIBLY beautiful in it.


Yeah, it was before she lost too much weight... and her whoa-man-ly curves with it. She still had a stunning face though.

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http://www.polygon.com/2016/8/1/12340992/disney-rocketeer-reboot-marvel

Disney released The Rocketeer in 1991 and the audience yawned. It made a reported $46 million on a $35 million budget while trying to capitalize on a comic book character that had been introduced in 1982 and never seemed to break through to the mainstream. The film died a rather undignified death ... at first. "The Rocketeer lacked stars, lacked known source material, had a budget that limited what audiences came to see (a hero with a rocket pack flying around), and merely promised more 1930’s-era heroics with fedoras, Tommy guns, and the like," Forbes reported. "Tim Burton’s Batman was a trendsetting blockbuster in the summer of 1989. The Rocketeer (along with the delightful The Phantom which

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I'm shocked that Polygon's Ben Kuchera didn't use this as a platform for his social/political beliefs, like just about every other thing he writes. I'm sure that will come in time...

None the less, it's nice to see someone positive about the original movie.

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Just about all I remember about the original is that Jennifer Connelly was INCREDIBLY beautiful in it.



^Co-signed.

Also, yes this film was a financial disappointment for Di$ney considering it was released in that crucial point of the summer season. As a result though, despite the film gaining many fans since it's release; simply because it didnt make Di$ney much money, the studio treats it like a bad memory or a dark secret they don't want to let others in on which is why there hasnt been any talk of a sequel, remake or anything to revive the potential franchise. Shame too. The Rocketeer is one of the most underrated super hero based movies ever made.


When there's no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.

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Its reputation as one of Disney's biggest failures at the time is no secret. Admittedly, as a fan of the film I get why it wasn't a success; it probably didn’t have the best marketing, the reviews it received weren’t the strongest, and I think that, above all, the appeal simply wasn’t there. To most audiences this maybe lacked freshness and excitement. Ultimately, it went on to become a cult classic.

Anyway, ‘far as I'm concerned this is one of the best Disney films of the decade. No matter how many times I watch it, it never loses its charm and wonder. It’s a fun ride and a real visual delight (yes, the latter mostly has to do with Jennifer Connelly but the whole thing really does look gorgeous lol.) Pleasing film.

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It was like the Tron of the 90's. A Disney live action sci-fi adventure that was a financial failure but still has a massive cult following. I loved it btw.

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I thought Tron had a successful run.

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As I understand it, it didn't make enough money to be considered a success. I think they were going for a Star Wars like franchise, but it didn't earn enough to make a sequel (initially).

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Do you think it was a marketing misfire; i. e. similar to Disney's later treatment of John Carter?

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Rocketeer? I dunno. I thought it looked awesome, seeing the poster and trailer as a kid. Maybe they needed more merch tie-ins or something? Outside of the comic adaptation and a NES game, I don't recall much else.

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It's certainly strange. You would think they had a hit on their hands. Heck, they even had an official movie storybook adapted from the film:

https://www.amazon.com/Disney-Pictures-Presents-Rocketeer-Storybook/dp/0307158624/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=ISBN+0-307-15862-4&qid=1588560129&sr=8-1

There must have been stiff competition in the theaters at the time. That's the only thing I can think of. Maybe it was too similar to Superman.

~~/o/

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Yes.

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I happened to see The Rocketeer on Disney+ and from what I saw of it I think Disney took inspiration from Iron Man and Marvel character Star Lord because they both wear masks and fly and I also found out that The Rocketeer is based on a comic book so I think Marvel got inspired by The Rocketeer's design to create Star Lord in 1976. I remember when The Rocketeer debuted The Disney Channel had so many previews and commercials for it I couldn't figure out how they would guess it would be a hit. But I think Disney had a lot of hope on The Rocketeer and prayed it would be a hit and it proved to be a smash success indeed

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