The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers on Disney+ - Premier Date, Cast, Plot

The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers will be released on March 26. Photo: HITC

It seems that just about every franchise under the sun is getting a reboot at the moment – and one of the slightly more surprising revivals is one for The Mighty Ducks.

A new series based on the ’90s film trilogy is making its way to streaming service Disney+ later this year, taking us back to Minnesota as we catch up on the underdog hockey team.

Read on for everything you need to know about The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, including which major star is returning and when it will be released, said Radio Times.

The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers Premier date

The series will premiere on the streamer on Friday 26th March 2021 – it’s not clear at this stage if all 10 episodes will arrive at once or if they will be released weekly as has been the case for other Disney+ series.

The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers Cast

Photo: Screen Rant

Only one cast member from the original film series returns – but it’s a big one, with Emilio Estevez (The Breakfast Club) reprising his role as Gordon Bombay.

Speaking after his casting was confirmed, Estevez announced: “Once a Duck, always a Duck! And after 25 years, I am delighted to lace up my skates, put on Coach Bombay’s jacket and return to play the iconic character for this new chapter in ‘The Mighty Ducks’ franchise.

“Likewise, I am thrilled to return to my old stomping grounds with my friends at Disney and Steve Brill, the original creator of the franchise, to join them on their exciting new platform, Disney+.”

Other main cast members include former Boardwalk Empire cast member Brady Noon as Exan, and Gilmore Girls star Lauren Graham as his mother Alex, while there are supporting turns from Maxwell Simkins, Swayam Bhatia, Luke Islam, Kiefer O’Reilly, Taegen Burns, Bella Higginbotham and DJ Watts.

What is The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers about?

The series will catch up with the Mighty Ducks junior hockey team, which has risen above their previous underdog status to become one of the most competitive teams in its division.

The team is now very selective about who gets to play for it, with 12-year-old boy Evan kicked out for not being good enough.

And so after being persuaded by his mother, Evan sets out to form a new team – relying on support from former Ducks’ coach, Gordon Bombay – aiming to challenge the ultra-serious mentality of his former team.

The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers Plot

The 10-episode first season will take viewers to present-day Minnesota, establishing a brand new host of characters. Excitingly, everyone’s favorite Stars Hollow matriarch, Gilmore Girls actor Lauren Graham, will play Alex.

Budding actor Brady Noon will star as Alex’s 12-year-old son named Evan. Per Deadline, the Mighty Ducks have grown from their humble beginnings in the movies to an “ultra-competitive, powerhouse youth hockey team." Unfortunately, Evan gets kicked out of the squad, resulting in him and Alex creating their own team, just as Coach Bombay did with the Ducks in the original movies, Bustle cited.

The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers Trailer

Photo: Youtube

On Jan. 28, Disney+ dropped the "date announce" teaser for the show, and it features Graham telling her character's son to encourage his peers to pursue their favorite sport no matter what others may have told them before.

The full-length official trailer for The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers came a month later and was added to the Disney+ YouTube channel on Feb. 24. Nearly two minutes longer than the first trailer, this clip provides more context behind Evan and his teammates. “The Ducks don't get to take hockey away from you," says Evan’s mom, Alex, encouraging him to form a new team.

Along with this morning’s date announcement, Disney+ also shared a first look at the new series, which stars original Mighty Ducks actor Emilio Estevez back in his role as Coach Gordon Bombay, along with Lauren Graham and Brady Noon. The 10-episode series picks up in modern-day Minnesota, where the Mighty Ducks team has left their underdog reputation in the past after a string of victories. Now a top-ranked crew of hockey stars, the team cuts 12-year-old Evan Morrow (Noon), who finds his own way to play with the help of his mom, Alex (Graham), noted Decider.

“I want you to think about all of the other kids who have been told that they’re too small or too slow,” Alex tells her son in today’s first look footage. “They just want to get out there and play. Let’s start our own team. All we need is an ice rink.”

So, Evan and Alex enlist in the help of Gordon and the Ice Palace, recruiting other young athletes to learn, train and play the sport they all love. With the help of an inspiring coach, the players create a better team than they ever could have imagined. “You’ve got to make this happen for yourself,” Gordon tells Alex.