DuckTales (2017)

DuckTales is an American animated television series, developed by Matt Youngberg and Francisco Angones, and produced by Disney Television Animation. The series is a reboot of the original 1987 series of the same name, which focused on the lives of Scrooge McDuck and his family as they engaged in a variety of adventures around the world, as well as in the fictional city of Duckburg. The reboot itself focuses on newer elements and deeper character stories, including a greater involvement of Donald Duck. The series premiered on August 12, 2017, with a 44-minute long pilot episode on Disney XD, before the first season was green-lit for broadcast from September 23 that year on Disney XD; between May 2018 to September 2019, the series was moved to Disney Channel for the second half of the first season and the duration of the second season, then back on Disney XD for its third season.

Since its release, the reboot has generated positive reviews from critics and audiences, as well as a comic book series and several online episodes. On December 2, 2020, it was announced that the third season would be the last season of the series, with the show concluding in 2021.

## Voice cast

The show's main voice cast includes:

* David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck
* Danny Pudi as Huey Duck
* Ben Schwartz as Dewey Duck
* Bobby Moynihan as Louie Duck
* Kate Micucci as Webby Vanderquack
* Beck Bennett as Launchpad McQuack
* Toks Olagundoye as Mrs. Beakley
* Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck
* Paget Brewster as Della Duck (main season 3, recurring season 2, guest season 1)

## Production

Matt Youngberg and Francisco Angones grew up watching the original series and had always wanted to develop an updated version for a newer generation. Youngberg said, "We're hoping that in thirty years, the kids who watch our show will then be bringing back the next version of *DuckTales* because they loved what we did so much."

In May 2015, Terry McGovern, the original voice of Launchpad McQuack, stated in an interview that the entire voice cast from the original series would not be returning for the reboot, which made him "heartsick" at the news. The new voice cast for the series was revealed on December 16, 2016 in a video where they sing an a cappella version of the original theme song in promotion of the news. The following May, Lin-Manuel Miranda was announced as the voice of Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera / Gizmoduck. The character was changed to being Latino due to Lin-Manuel's heritage and because Angones felt that there were not enough positive Latino superheroes. In June, more cast members, including Tony Anselmo reprising his role as Donald Duck, were announced, and during the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con, Disney announced that Darkwing Duck would also make an appearance in the TV series.

At the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, several characters from other Disney Television Animation cartoons were revealed to appear in the show's third season; the Rescue Rangers from *Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers*; Kit Cloudkicker and Molly Cunningham from *TaleSpin*; Rhinokey and Butterbear from *The Wuzzles*, and Gosalyn Mallard and Taurus Bulba from *Darkwing Duck*, as well as Chip 'n Dale (based on their *Rescue Rangers* incarnations), Goofy (based on his *Goof Troop* incarnation), and Daisy Duck.

The art style of the show is heavily influenced not just by Carl Barks' original *Uncle Scrooge* comics, but also some of Barks' paintings. The theme song, written by Mark Mueller for the 1987 series, was re-recorded for the 2017 reboot. It was arranged by Michael "Smidi" Smithand and TJ Stafford and sung by Felicia Barton.

Donald Duck has a larger role in this version compared to the 1980s version. The earlier version had been restricted by an edict from The Walt Disney Company stating that the television studio could not use Donald or any of the other stars from Disney's Golden Age shorts, only allowing Donald to make short cameos to set up storylines; this restriction was lifted shortly after the original version of *DuckTales* ended.

## Critical reception

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 100% based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 9.0/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Highly energetic, distinctively designed, and attuned to its nostalgia, this update to a Disney animated classic is far bolder than its predecessor." IGN's Chris Hayner gave the series premiere, "Woo-oo!", a score of 8.5 out of 10, stating that the reboot "may be aimed at modern young audiences but there's no denying the heart and adventurous spirit it gets from the original series."

In 2018, the pilot episode was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Special Class Animated Program category, but lost to *A StoryBots Christmas*. The following year saw the season one finale, "The Shadow War", nominated in the same category, but lost to *Watership Down*. In 2019, *DuckTales* was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy in the Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series or Special category, but lost to fellow Disney series *Elena of Avalor*.

In 2018, at the Behind the Voice Actors Awards Ceremony, the cast was awarded the People's Choice Voice Acting Award in the Best Vocal Ensemble in a New Television Series category. Individual cast members David Tennant (Scrooge McDuck), Kate Micucci (Webby Vanderquack), Keith Ferguson (Flintheart Glomgold), Kimiko Glenn (Lena De Spell) and Margo Martindale (Ma Beagle) were all nominated, but none of the nominations resulted in any award.

In 2019, the episode "Who is Gizmoduck?" was nominated for two Imagen Awards.

Disney comics creator Don Rosa, primarily known for his Uncle Scrooge comic sub-series *The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck*, has criticized the *DuckTales* reboot series, claiming that it bears "virtually no resemblance whatsoever" to Barks' original comics.

1. ↑ Disney's New "DuckTales" Takes Flight with TV Movie and Series Premiering Saturday, August 12, and Saturday, September 23, Respectively, on Disney XD. The Futon Critic. Retrieved on October 15, 2017.
2. ↑ Disney’s ‘DuckTales’ Season 3 to Arrive Early This April with Guest Stars Aplenty (10 March 2020). Retrieved on March 20, 2020.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mason, Heather (July 22, 2017). SDCC 2017: DuckTales Creators Talk Gizmoduck and Casting Lin-Manuel Miranda. Archived from the original on September 17, 2017. Retrieved on September 16, 2017.
4. ↑ Ducktales Cast Not Returning for Reboot. OptimusSolo. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved on May 19, 2015.
5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `Deadline121616`
6. ↑ 'DuckTales' Exclusive: Meet the New Faces of Duckburg (June 8, 2017). Archived from the original on June 11, 2017.
7. ↑ A52A2A, Tracy (June 14, 2017). Watch the new 'DuckTales' opening title sequence, woo-ooo!. Archived from the original on June 21, 2017.
8. ↑ Template:Cite news
9. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
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11. ↑ Snetiker, Marc (July 20, 2019). DuckTales surprises Comic-Con with Rescue Rangers, Daisy Duck, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Meredith Corporation.
12. ↑ Disney XD (August 12, 2017). XD video about DuckTales art style. Facebook. Retrieved on August 14, 2017.
13. ↑ Speelman, Tom (August 12, 2017). DuckTales: The Disney Comics That Inspired The Cartoon Classic. Valnet, Inc.. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017.
14. ↑ Nordyke, Kimberly (June 14, 2017). 'DuckTales' Theme Song Gets an Update for Disney XD Reboot. *The Hollywood Reporter*. Valence Media. Archived from the original on June 14, 2017. Retrieved on June 14, 2017.
15. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
16. ↑ Template:Cite news
17. ↑ DuckTales: Season 1 (2018). *Rotten Tomatoes*. Fandango. Archived from the original on December 2, 2017. Retrieved on February 23, 2018.
18. ↑ Hayner, Chris (August 9, 2017). DuckTales: Season 1 Premiere "Woo-oo!" Review. Archived from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved on February 6, 2018.
19. ↑ Daytime Emmys Nominees (Program - Non-Drama). The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved on April 23, 2019.
20. ↑ Daytime Emmys Nominees (Craft - Non-Drama). The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved on May 8, 2019.
21. ↑ Daytime Emmys Nominees (Children's / Animation). The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved on May 13, 2019.
22. ↑ 7th Annual BTVA Voice Acting Award, 2017. Behind the Voice Actors. Retrieved on April 23, 2019.
23. ↑ Foundation, Imagen. Nominations Announced for the 34th Annual Imagen Awards.
24. ↑ Fourhman, Joe (September 23, 2017). Don Rosa ain't messing aroundpic.twitter.com/ai4S1ZVC3f.