- Simpler times. In those days, you could be a super successful lawyer (How successful? How’s winning 30 straight cases sound, champ?), then get busted for drunk driving, and be sentenced to community service coaching the local pee-wee hockey team. Yeah that was the actual premise for the surprising pop culture hit,The Mighty Ducks. The original film, which featuredEmilio Estevezas the lawyer/coach-whose-heart-grew-two-sizes Gordon Bombay, was but the first of what would become a trilogy withD2: The Mighty DucksandD3: The Mighty Ducksfollowing in 1994 and 1996. (There was even an animated series loosely inspired by the property that only lasted about 26 episodes.)
Why am I talking aboutMighty Ducks26 years later? Because a new TV series is in the works from original screenwriterSteven Brilland producerJordan Kerner. AsTHRreports, the project is in very early stages with Brill and Kerner developing after approachingTracy Underwoodof ABC Signature Studios with the idea; the ABC Studios' arm focuses on cable and streaming projects. Expect this to be a streaming series, though Brill writing and ABC Signature Studios are packaging it for broadcast and cable networks, and streaming-content providers later this year, if all goes well. Perhaps Disney’s own streaming service will be a strong contender? IfMighty Duckscomes to be, Brillstein Entertainment’sGeorge HellerandBrad Petrigalawill also be credited as executive producers.
If you’re not familiar with the original tale(s) of theMighty Ducks, the story centered on the title team, a bunch of hockey-playing kids who ended up at the bottom of their league’s standings every year. With Bombay’s grudging guidance, the team manages to pull it together, recruit a strong player, and even make the playoffs. Do they win the whole thing? I’ll leave it up to you to find out, butMighty Ducksremains one of thosegreat kids sports movies that just don’t seem to be around today. It’s not clear if this new project is designed as a reboot or a sequel; the logline is being kept quiet, as is the format (ie whether it’ll be a half-hour or hour series). But if the series reawakens some interest in hockey (and triple-dekes … and flying Vs), I’m all for the return ofThe Mighty Ducks. What about you? Let us know in the comments!
Oh and definitely don’t watch this scene if you haven’t seen the original movie:
