DuckTales’ Return, What Could Be Ahead For Scrooge and Company?

Life is truly a hurricane now with the classic Disney Afternoon series, DuckTales’ return slated for 2017 on Disney XD. Incidentally, 2017 also marks the series’ thirty-year anniversary; and a return is seemingly the perfect way to celebrate. It has been a few months since news of this cult classic series’ reboot has announced and the Internet is abuzz about it.

After all this it is DuckTales we are talking about here, how can you not be excited? The adventure, mystery and chance to return to Duckburg and all the fantastic characters that we know and love.

For anyone who might not already be battling the urge to get that catchy theme song out of the heads, you may be asking what pray tell is DuckTales? The series, un-surprisingly, centers on Scrooge McDuck and his three nephews- Huey, Dewey and Louie- as they travel the world seeking out adventure- that sometimes (more often than not) goes off course.  This series pacts a great deal of heart and a strong, diverse cast of supporting characters that quickly become favorites.

Outside of Scrooge, Huey, Dewey, and Louie other familiar faces from the classic series have already been confirmed to appear on screens in 2017; everyone’s favorite short-tempered Disney duck Donald, Duckworth the loyal butler slash chauffeur, Mrs. Beakley the boy’s nanny, sweet and kind Webbigal “Webby” Vanderquack,  brilliant inventor Gyro Gearlosse, and Launchpad McQuack, a pilot with a crash tendency.  Flintheart Golmgold, Magica DeSpell and Poe, Ma Beagle and the Beagle Boys, has all also been noted to be a part of this new series.

At this time outside of what we have seen in the press releases from February twenty-fifth, there is little known to both fans new and old alike what is to come in this reboot. Except the voice cast. On March twenty-third in a post on Facebook by Terry McGovern (voice of Launchpad McQuack in DuckTales and Darkwing Duck), Terry shared that he, along with the rest of the original voice cast, will not be reprise their roles in this new series. That there will be a new cast in place. Later a tweet by Aaron Sparrow (writer of the new Darkwing Duck comics) alerted fans of this fact. An announcement that left fans with mixed feelings.

2017 is still well over a year away and from the looks of things we might have a wait ahead of us before anymore news about this upcoming reboot surfaced.  But that does not mean that we cannot look onward and ponder what we hope to see in this new spin on DuckTales.

One of the most common things fans of the Disney Afternoon have been asking for it to see the return of other series such as Tailspin, Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers, and –a personal favorite of mine- Darkwing Duck. Not only does a crossover with any of these series hold such great potential story wise, but it also provides the chance for Disney, in a manner of speaking, to test the waters and see how well they are received. Even if we do not see a crossover it there would almost have to have some mention of Darkwing due to Launchpad’s connection with the masked mallard at some point in the series.

For any series one of the hardest things is to be able to stand up against the test of time. To be able to look back on anything after years, of in this case decades, and for it to succeed in such a feat is an achievement in itself. And DuckTales has. Sure there are amity some cheesy instances, but nothing is truly ever perfect. But nevertheless time has been kind. Depending on who you might ask the answer of why that is will vary. However when it comes down to it I believe it boils down to the storytelling and the characters.

DuckTales is often categorizes under adventure, comedy and action genres. The characters go on adventures, face danger and have their share of laugher along the way. But it isn’t just limited to that, DuckTales tended to shake up the series. Sometimes we would see science fiction elements with the use of time travel, and sometimes things took more of a slice-of-life aspect to them showing the viewers what might be counted as normal by the prospective character(s). DuckTales took chances, and sometimes they work and other times not as much. It is always worth that trying chance.

And as it should be. Even though the main focus of the series was on Scrooge and his nephews, there were times when other characters found themselves at the center of the tale allowing us to get to know them better and what them undertake some development. Mrs. Beakley, Webby, Launchpad, and Gyro all has episodes centric to them. Even minor characters such as Doofus received chances to shine.

More likely than not this new reboot will be set in modern day, and with that there will be chances to update aspects of the series. Time changes all. Characters, just like us, are products of the lives they lead. Even minor changes, can affect them and their world. Despite it all I see long to see the same characters I have grown to love retain to their roots. For their endeavors to bare storytelling at their finest.

I realize that my hopes probably are set too high. I know the DuckTales that awaits will differ from the version I have watched for as long as I can remember. But that is okay. Sometimes things need to change. To be very honest, I have learnt over the years to be wary l when I hear the word ‘reboot’. Yet somehow I cannot help myself from being almost stupidly optimistic about the return of DuckTales. I love the characters and the stories that have come out of it. Naturally I only want the best for the series and hope that it does not fail.

Regardless I will be cheering this reboot on.

What do you think about the new reboot? And moreover DuckTales in general? Join the conversation and tag any tweets with #DuckTalesReturns and show Disney how much you love DuckTales. 2017 is still off in the distance, but a new legacy is starting now.