The terror that flaps in the night is returning to television. Disney has officially ordered a new Darkwing Duck animated series for Disney+, with Mark Hamill set to voice the titular superhero and Seth Rogen taking on the role of his trusted sidekick, Launchpad McQuack.
The announcement comes nearly six years after the project was first reported to be in development. Rather than completely rebooting the 1991 animated series, the new show will serve as a continuation of the original, bringing back familiar characters while introducing a new generation of heroes and villains.
According to Disney’s official synopsis, Darkwing Duck has spent the last 35 years trapped in an alternate world where nobody remembers his superhero exploits. His circumstances change when Duckie, a rebellious teenager who knows all about his heroic past, arrives to bring him back into action. Together, they must confront familiar enemies, including Negaduck and Megavolt, and reunite with Launchpad, Gosalyn and Morgana to save the universe.
Hamill, whose extensive voice-acting career includes his portrayal of the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, takes over the role of Drake Mallard from Jim Cummings, who voiced the character in the original series. Rogen replaces Terry McGovern as Launchpad McQuack and will also serve as an executive producer through his Point Grey Pictures production company.
The supporting voice cast includes Lizzy Caplan as Gosalyn Mallard, Lilimar as Duckie, Dan Stevens as Glade McTowers, Tiffany Shepis as Rosa and Kathryn Newton as Firecracker. Teo Briones, Tyler Dean Flores, Katie Rich and Nat Faxon round out the announced cast.
Original Creator Tad Stones Returns as Consultant
The new series is executive produced by Sean Tretta (Star Trek: Picard) and Borja Peña Gorostegui (Lost & Crowned). Rogen is producing alongside Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Alex McAtee and Gabby Grantham for Point Grey Pictures. Original series creator Tad Stones also consulted on the development of the project.
Stones expressed his enthusiasm for the revival, explaining that the creative team has expanded the show’s action and comedy while retaining the qualities that defined the original series. He also compared Darkwing Duck to characters such as Robin Hood, Zorro and Sherlock Holmes, whose stories have been reinterpreted by different generations of creators.
The announcement follows recent comments from Cummings, who revealed that he would not be returning to voice Darkwing Duck. The actor said he had recorded a pilot for the revival several years earlier but subsequently learned that Disney intended to recast both Darkwing and Launchpad.
Created by Stones, the original Darkwing Duck premiered in 1991 and ran for 91 episodes. The series followed Drake Mallard, a crime-fighting superhero whose attempts to protect St. Canard frequently clashed with his enormous ego and responsibilities as an adoptive father. The character later returned in Disney’s 2017 DuckTales revival, which introduced its own interpretation of Darkwing Duck.
Although Disney has confirmed the new series is moving forward, a premiere date has not yet been announced. The original Darkwing Duck is currently available to stream on Disney+