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Disney Releases First Look At New ‘DuckTales’ Series Set To Air In 2017

By Andrew Galbreath
Published on: 10:29 PST, Mar 7, 2016

Looks like life will be like a hurricane in Duckberg once more. Not only is Disney’s DuckTales set to return with an all-new animated series in 2017, but Disney has just given us our first official look at Scrooge McDuck’s team.

Like its predecessor, the new DuckTales series will follow the exploits of Scrooge, his grandnephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, the boys’ uncle Donald, and Webbigail “Webby” Vanderquack, all of which appear in the first official photo (below), as they embark on high-flying adventures across the world.

The Emmy Award-winning Disney animated series, which aired 100 episodes between 1987 and 1990, is a cartoon with an impressive legacy and a source of many fond memories for a lot of people. Based on the Uncle Scrooge comic books by Carl Barks, it dominated The Disney Afternoon daily syndicated cartoon block and became immensely popular, winning two Daytime Emmy awards and being nominated for two more, inspiring two series of comic books, an extensive toy and merchandise line, a number of Nintendo and computer games, and even a movie in 1990.

DuckTales received widespread critical acclaim and commercial success, which was recognized even years after it went off the air. In 2009, IGN listed DuckTales as No. 18 on its list of Top 100 Best Animated TV Shows, and in 2013 the YouTube channel for WatchMojo rated DuckTales as the No. 1 Disney animated series.

DuckTales is also well-known for having what is easily the most infectious theme song of any cartoon in history, which you can watch below in case you’ve somehow forgotten it.

According to the blog Oh My Disney, the company has promised that the revived series will feature the classic original cast of iconic main and supporting characters.

“The new series will star the same beloved characters as the old: Scrooge McDuck, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Launchpad McQuack, Donald Duck, Duckworth, Gyro Gearloose, Flintheart Glomgold, Magica DeSpell, Poe, Ma Beagle, the Beagle Boys, Mrs. Beakley, and Webbigail Vanderquack.”

The first released image above hints at a new and fresh streamlined graphic animation that’s not too radical a change from the classic style, with no CGI or 3D rendering. It also suggests that the new series will continue the treasure-hunting and world-traveling misadventures the original was known for, along with a healthy dose of comedy.

The new DuckTales was first announced in February of 2015 in a statement by Marc Buhaj, Senior Vice President and Programming and General Manager for Disney XD, published by Oh My Disney.

“DuckTales has a special place in Disney’s TV animation history, it drew its inspiration from Disney Legend Carl Barks’ comic books and through its storytelling and artistic showmanship, set an enduring standard for animated entertainment that connects with both kids and adults. Our new series will bring that same energy and adventurous spirit to a new generation.”

DuckTales became a standard for entertainment after its initial premiere, alongside other Disney cartoons now considered classics, such as Darkwing Duck, TaleSpin, Goof Troop, Aladdin, Gargoyles, and many others that aired as part of The Disney Afternoon’s two-hour animated programming block, which ran from 1990 to 1997.

The show still has enough fans that references to it are culturally ubiquitous when it comes to afternoon cartoons. A recent music video of its theme song (with real ducks) uploaded to YouTube managed to get over 7 million views.

The new DuckTales animated series is set to premiere in 2017 on the Disney-owned television channel Disney XD.

[Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]

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