Nearly six years after the project was first reported to be in development, Darkwing Duck is officially heading back to television.
Disney+ has ordered the reboot series, with Mark Hamill set to voice Drake Mallard, aka Darkwing Duck, and Seth Rogen taking on the role of Launchpad McQuack. Variety reported the series order, which confirms a project that has been in the works since 2020.
The new series will introduce a different starting point for the crime-fighting duck. According to the official logline, Darkwing has spent 35 years trapped in an alternate world where no one knows about his superhero past. His return to action begins when Duckie, a rebellious teenager who knows his history, arrives and pulls him back into the fight.
The story will bring back familiar characters including Gosalyn Mallard and Launchpad, while introducing a new group of characters and villains. Negaduck and Megavolt are among the returning enemies named in the series description.
The voice cast also includes Lizzy Caplan as Gosalyn Mallard, Lilimar as Duckie, Dan Stevens as Glade McTowers, Tiffany Shepis as Rosa, Kathryn Newton as Firecracker, Teo Briones as Timb, Tyler Dean Flores as Pondsy, Katie Rich as Officer Shanks and Nat Faxon as Officer Webb.
The reboot is being written and executive produced by Sean Tretta and Borja Peña Gorostegui. Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Alex McAtee and Gabby Grantham will produce through Point Grey Pictures. Tad Stones, who created the original series, has also consulted on the new version.
The original Darkwing Duck ran for three seasons and 91 episodes between 1991 and 1992. Jim Cummings provided the voice of Darkwing in the original series, with Christine Cavanaugh as Gosalyn and Terry McGovern as Launchpad.
The character has remained part of Disney’s animated universe in the years since. Darkwing Duck and Gosalyn appeared in the DuckTales reboot, which also brought Launchpad back as a central character.
In that series, Darkwing began as a fictional superhero before eventually becoming the real crime-fighter he had been portraying.
Currently, Disney+ has not announced a release date for the reboot.
