A series reboot of the cult classic The Mighty Ducks franchise is in the works at Disney Plus. Certain stars from the original trilogy are slated to reunite for the sixth episode of Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.
The Mighty Ducks franchise spanned over four years and was created by Steven Brill. The first film was released in 1992 and saw Minneapolis-based attorney Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez) coach a youth hockey team after being sentenced to community service. Bombay is first reluctant to coach the team because he suffered an embarrassing championship loss in the same league when he was a child. The large ensemble included Dawson’s Creek’s Joshua Jackson as Charlie, Shaun Wiss as Golding, and Elden Henson as Fulton Reed.
Despite earning negative reviews from critics, The Mighty Ducks grossed $50 million domestically on a $10 million budget. Due to the film’s success, Disney made two sequels and a short-lived animated series. In 2018, it was reported that a series reboot titled, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers was green-lit. The series serves as a follow-up to the trilogy and centers around a 12-year-old kid who creates his own hockey team after he’s cut from the Mighty Ducks junior hockey team. The highly anticipated series stars Parenthood’s Lauren Graham, Brady Noon, and Swayam Bhatia. Estevez is reprising his role from the trilogy and serving as the executive producer.
The ten-part series concluded filming in Vancouver last year. Estevez stated that he was excited to re-team with Disney and play Coach Bombay after once again. He believes the series will satisfy fans of the original Mighty Ducks trilogy and will lean into reality more than one would expect. According to Entertainment Weekly, many of the stars from the movies will return in the sixth episode. The reunion will include former Daredevil star Henson as Fulton, Matt Doherty as Averman, Vinny La Russo as Adam Banks, Marguerite Moreau as Connie, Garret Henson as Guy, and Justin Wong as Kenny Wu. Creator Steven Brill noted that in the episode, Henson’s Fulton invites Coach Bombay to a Ducks reunion at a pizza parlor.
Estevez stated that the special reunion episode will take a dark turn when Bombay reveals to his former players that he doesn’t represent what the Ducks stand for now. “He splits from the gang because of a miscommunication,” said Estevez to EW. “So the beginning of the sequence is super positive and super exciting, but subsequently, it goes off the rails."
Brill stated that Jackson wasn’t able to be a part of the reunion episode because of his busy schedule. The first season will also be without SNL's Kenan Thompson, who played Russ "Knuckle Puck" Tyler in the second and third films. Estevez revealed that more reunions could occur if The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers is renewed for future seasons.
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers debuts on Disney Plus on March 26, 2021.
Source: Entertainment Weekly