Get ready to quack and form the flying V once again!
In early 2018, The Hollywood Reporter had announced sources confirming a series based on the youth hockey team franchise, The Mighty Ducks, was in the early development stages with ABC Signature Studios. Along with all the other content coming to Disney+ like The Mandalorian, Lizzie Mcguire, and Lady and the Tramp live-action remake, it looks like that is where The Mighty Ducks reboot series will be heading.
Although the first 3 feature films are not on the initial Disney+ release list when it begins November 12th, streaming services always strive for original content, and this might have been the exact opportunity Disney and ABC Signature Studios were waiting for. (Our guess is they will add the movies later when more details for the series are announced.)
Discussing Film reported that production for the newest series will begin in Vancouver in February 2020, and the proposed storyline will follow a 13 year-old boy who gets kicked off the Mighty Ducks team, prompting him and his mom to assemble an entirely new squad. Original Mighty Ducks screenwriter Steven Brill will join Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa, George Heller, Brad Petrigala as executive producers.
The Mighty Ducks (1992) was released by Walt Disney Pictures on a budget of only $10 million dollars. Despite initial critic negativity surrounding the first film, audiences fell in love with Gordon Bombay and his loveable team of boisterous youngsters, raking in over $50 million at the box office. Based on the success of the film, two more sequels were released – D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994) making $45.6 million, and D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996). The success of the film franchise even led to a professional hockey team in Anaheim, CA. (For the 2006-07 season, the team shortened the name, changed the logo, and traded in the purple and teal for orange and black, but will still wear the originals as their alternate uniforms.)
There was a short-lived Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series that was on ABC in 1996 with 26 episodes, but this new series will not be anything like that, considering the cartoon was about humanoid ducks fighting crime and playing hockey. No word if this animated series will be on Disney+ yet. (Fun fact: Brad Garrett was the voice for the character “Grin,” although we all know him now as “Hook Hand Thug” who shares his dreams in Tangled!)
There is no word yet if any original The Mighty Duck stars like Emilio Estevez of Joshua Jackson will be returning, but we’d definitely tip our cap for a cameo if possible.
Are you ready to chant “Quack, quack, QUACK” again? Tell us in the comments and join us over on social media!