Although Disney has no shortage of exciting remakes on the cards, these projects don’t always see the light of day. The company has a habit of announcing projects that never get made, and while they’ve got a fairly good track record with quality, there’s always the possibility that their most exciting films don’t happen at all. The Flight of the Navigator remake could be an example of this. Following the announcement of Disney’s Flight of the Navigator remake several years ago, I’m starting to worry that it’s the latest to this group of ditched projects.

The decision to remake Flight of the Navigator was a fairly controversial one given the huge number of fans that respect the original, but I was hopeful that Disney would be able to provide something fresh and exciting to justify the project’s existence. The first film wasn’t perfect, and certain areas of the story easily could have been adapted for modern audiences - such as the sci-fi explanations and unrealistic depictions of the future. However, with few updates on the future of this exciting sequel, I’m beginning to lose hope.

News On Disney's Flight Of The Navigator Remake Has Gone Quiet & I'm Starting To Think It Won't Happen

The Future Doesn't Look Bright For The Project

The main reason for such skepticism surrounding the Flight of the Navigator remake is simply that Disney hasn’t provided an update on the project for a long, long time. While the company usually does a great job of keeping their audience up-to-date on their releases with teasers and trailers, Flight of the Navigator has been notably absent from all their marketing. There are many possible reasons for this: perhaps there are behind-the-stage challenges that have arisen, or maybe the actors are simply struggling to find time to shoot. But either way, I’m concerned.

The last update about Flight of the Navigator was shared by Bryce Dallas Howard, who signed on to direct the project in 2021. Understandably, the actress-turned-director likely has a very busy schedule with all the other projects that she’s got on her plate, so it’s not too surprising that the film has seemingly been postponed a little bit. Hopefully, the studio and the crew manage to work out the time to get the project underway before it gets buried under everything else that Disney is currently working on.

Disney's Flight Of The Navigator Remake Has Been In Development Hell Longer Than 3 Years

The Film Seems Destined Not To Happen

Unfortunately, the Flight of the Navigator remake has been struggling to get off the ground for much longer than three years. The concept for this project has been floating around for a long time - it’s one of the most obvious Disney movies to remake, because it deals with futuristic time-travel that’s quickly made the original appear somewhat outdated. An updated version would introduce the story to a new generation, and give the filmmakers an opportunity to make the sci-fi elements more era-appropriate and realistic.

But despite Disney’s continued attempts to make a Flight of the Navigator reboot work, luck hasn’t been on the company’s side. The first problem was updating the story for the 21st century: the original is so clearly an ‘80s movie, with a very distinct style and contemporary plot points that don’t translate easily to the modern day. Thankfully, this problem seems to have been overcome, and Bryce Dallas Howard’s version will imagine a slightly different narrative with a young, female protagonist at the helm. I’m curious to see how this change s for the major differences between eras, but hopeful nonetheless.

The Flight Of The Navigator's Modern Remake Has The Potential To Be Great

If The Stars Align, This New Version Could Sur The Original

There are plenty of live-action Disney remakes in development right now, but Flight of the Navigator might just be the one I’m most excited for. Given the original’s strict adherence to the ‘80s style, there’s so much that can be changed and updated for the new version. There are plenty of elements of the story that can be altered without losing the spirit of the narrative, and that’s essential for any good remake. The new film can’t merely retell the story of the original, but rather it must justify its own existence with plenty of stylistic changes and creative liberties.

If it’s scheduling conflicts that are halting progress on the remake, it’s surely worth holding off until the time is right - but canceling altogether would be a bad move.

With such talent as Bryce Dallas Howard behind the project, I’m confident that Flight of the Navigator’s remake could be something great. However, the lack of updates and production developments is a concerning detail that hints towards the movie’s eventual fate among Disney’s pile of great projects that never saw the light of day. If it’s scheduling conflicts that are halting progress on the remake, it’s surely worth holding off until the time is right - but canceling altogether would be a bad move.