Disney To Bring Back Older Animated Favorites For New Cartoon Series Including ‘Big Hero 6’ And ‘DuckTales’
In the age of reboots and re-imaginings, Disney is currently working on creating five new cartoon TV series based on familiar properties for Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD. Three are based on fairly recent released animated movies (Tangled, Frozen and Big Hero 6) and two others are based on older TV series, DuckTales and Muppet Babies. Here is what you can expect in the coming months according to recent press releases.
DuckTales
The original DuckTales cartoon show was part of the syndicated “Disney Afternoon” that aired from 1987-1990 followed by a theatrical film, DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp. Though the cartoon series has been off the air for some time now, fans are still crazy about it. A new a capella cover of the theme song was recently uploaded on YouTube just days ago by The Warp Zone and Jimmy Wong.
The new version of DuckTales is set to air on Disney XD sometime in 2017 and will include all the same likely suspects: Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck and Huey, Dewey and Louie. However, the animation style will be decidedly different and if promo art shown here is any indication, it will reflect more closely to the Donald Duck comic strips. The new series is also said to include other favorite comic book characters, Duckworth, Gyro Gearloose, Launchpad McQuack, Flintheart Glomgold, Magica DeSpell & Poe, Ma Beagle and the Beagle Boys (Burger Beagle, Bouncer Beagle), Mrs. Beakley and Webbigail Vanderquack.
For nostalgic viewers who can’t wait for the new series to begin, original DuckTales episodes are available for viewing on the WATCH Disney Channel app.
Muppet Babies
Another reboot in the works at Disney is Muppet Babies, an animated show based on “baby” versions of famous Muppet characters. The original show was a Saturday morning cartoon that aired from 1984-1991 where baby Kermit, Piggy, Gonzo, Rowlf, Fozzie and Animal pretended to have amazing adventures outside of their preschool. The new CG-animated series is said to be much of the same. The new show, aimed for children between the ages of 4 and 7 will appear with two 11-minute stories and air on Disney Junior beginning in early 2018. (Incidentally, did you know that the original cartoon featured Leave it to Beaver’s Barbara Billingsley as the voice of the nanny? Full House’s Dave Coulier and Howie Mandel took turns playing Animal as well.)
Tangled: Before Ever After
Based on Tangled, Disney’s 2010 animated adventure comedy, Tangled: Before Ever After is a new cartoon series that will take place between the time that Rapunzel is rescued from her tower and her wedding to Flynn Rider. Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi will reprise their roles of Rapunzel and Flynn and will be joined by Ashley Judd who will be playing Rapunzel’s mother Queen Arianna. The new show will feature some new characters as well including Cassandra, Rapunzel’s handmaiden and confidant (voiced by Eden Espinosa), Hook Foot (Hook Hand’s brother voiced by Jeff Ross) and Uncle Monty (voiced by Richard Kind). The series is said to have the same tone as the original movie, but will have a modified 2D look to it (check out the teaser trailer below.) The new show will premiere sometime in 2017 on Disney Channel.
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Frozen Northern Lights
While based on the award-winning movie Frozen, Frozen Northern Lights will be a series of cartoon shorts instead of a regular show and each short will be created by the LEGO Group. So essentially, it is all the characters you know and love from Frozen, but in LEGO form with the company’s sense of humor. The new series has companion books published by Random House as well. The new shorts will debut on December 9 on Disney Channel. Josh Gad recently posted some new images for the shorts online. Take a look.
.@JoshGad Shares First Look at Upcoming #Frozen Northern Lights Projectshttps://t.co/48POwhYdQP pic.twitter.com/LgzqFQWJFH
— BroadwayWorld (@BroadwayWorld) November 10, 2016
Big Hero 6
Most of the voice cast from last year’s Disney film, Big Hero 6, will be reprising their roles for the new animated cartoon series to air on Disney XD sometime in 2017. The tone and look of the show will be very similar to the original movie only with a flatter 2D look to it. The cast includes Maya Rudolph as Aunt Cass; Jamie Chung as no-nonsense, speed genius Go Go; Scott Adsit as huggable robot Baymax; Alan Tudyk as tech guru Alistair Krei; Ryan Potter as tech genius Hiro; Genesis Rodriguez as quirky scientist Honey Lemon; David Shaughnessy as the butler Heathcliff; and Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee as Fred’s dad. New to the cast are Khary Payton who will take over the voice for Wasabi and Brooks Wheelan will fill in for Fred. The show’s storyline will pick up right where the movie left off with the Big Hero 6 crew fighting new villains in new adventures.
[Featured Image by Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior]
