Disney Likely to Lose Rights to 'The Rocketeer' After 35 Years The Rocketeer Trust has filed to reclaim the rights to the iconic superhero character from Disney, invoking a 35-year copyright term. While the 1991 film remains with Disney, future sequels or reboots will require a new agreement, signaling a potential shift in the character's control. Disney looks like it's about to lose the rights to one of its most beloved superhero films. The Rocketeer Trust has filed notice to reclaim from Disney, according to Boardwalk Times. The trust, represented by Jennifer Bawcum, sister of the late Dave Stevens, creator of the character, is invoking a clause in federal copyright law that allows creators and their heirs to reclaim properties that were licensed 35 years ago. The notice was reportedly served on June 11, 2026, and the termination is to take effect June 12, 2028. The filing names several Disney subsidiaries and six original Rocketeer copyright registrations.Disney Derivative Rights RestrictionsThe derivative-works exception means Disney can still distribute its existing productions, but any new sequels or reboots after the termination would require Disney to obtain the rights. Still, Disney could strike a new deal with the trust. The 1991 film directed by Joe Johnston starred Billy Campbell as stunt pilot Cliff Secord, who discovers an experimental jetpack stolen from Howard Hughes.In 1938 Hollywood, Cliff (Leonardo DiCaprio) saves his girlfriend Jenny (Jennifer Connelly) from a Nazi spy masquerading as a movie star (Timothy Dalton) and becomes a masked hero. The movie was the opening film for Disney's El Capitan Theater in Hollywood. It failed to take flight at the box office but became a cult hit on video and DVD. Disney has been trying to get a Rocketeer sequel off the ground for much of the last decade.In 2016, the studio began developing a rebooted franchise, which later became a TV series concept. Director Ava DuVernay and screenwriter Mattson Tomlin revealed that they and Dillard pitched Disney a real-time sequel featuring 100 minutes of a Rocketeer fighting fascists. Disney passed, leaving another potential revival grounded. The character has seen more action in comics via IDW Publishing, with the Rocketeer Trust already handling that side of Stevens' creation.The filing for termination does not jeopardize the character's ongoing comic book publication. It's similar to a recent case involving another iconic character. In 2025, creator Gary K. Wolf invoked the same copyright provision to reclaim the rights to his characters. Wolf has since looked at new projects, including a possible live-action Jessica Rabbit movie.Legal Precedents And Future OptionsSimilar copyright termination efforts complicated the production of 'Wonder Woman 1984' over the use of the classic Wonder Woman television theme. The studio could reach another agreement, or the character could search for a new home elsewhere. There is also the possibility, albeit remote, that Disney will rush another project into production before the 2028 deadline, allowing it to retain distribution rights under the derivative-works exception.After 35 years and several failed revivals, the Rocketeer's next flight may finally be out of Disney's hands. An Impossible to Stream 80s Series That Was Canceled After Just 6 Episodes for the Dumbest Reason Is Finally Coming to Netflix.