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SYFY WIRE Bryce Dallas Howard

Grab your ticket! Disney+ taps Bryce Dallas Howard to direct female-led 'Flight of the Navigator' reboot

By Josh Weiss

Disney is officially moving forward with a female-led reboot of Flight of the Navigator with Bryce Dallas Howard attached as both director and producer, Variety confirmed Wednesday. Justin Springer and John Swartz will also serve as producers. No word on who will be penning the screenplay.

The project, which is slated to debut on Disney+, will mark the Jurassic World star's feature-length debut (the daughter of Oscar-winner Ron Howard, she previously helmed episodes of Jon Favreau's live-action Star Wars show, The Mandalorian).

This is the first update on the film since late September of 2017 when it was reported that Lucifer co-showrunner Joe Henderson would be penning the script on behalf of Lionsgate and the Jim Henson Company.

Disney started mulling over the idea of a remake back in 2009 when Spies in Disguise screenwriter, Brad Copeland, was hired to pen a script. At the time, David Hoberman (Shrunk) and Todd Lieberman (Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers) of Mandeville Films were on board as producers. Three years later, another Jurassic World alum, Colin Trevorrow, took a stab at rebooting the '80s-era property alongside his usual writing partner, Derek Connolly. Needless to say, none of those efforts panned out.

Written by the duo of Michael Burton, and Matt MacManus and directed by Randal Kleiser, Flight of the Navigator was released in early August of 1986. The movie (based on a story by Mark H. Baker) starred Joey Cramer as David Freeman, a young boy who is abducted by a spaceship that transports him eight years into the future. 

Despite positive reviews, the film didn't make a ton of money at the box office, but has since become a cult classic in the eyes of those who grew up watching it.