Could a Fourth Mighty Ducks Film Actually Happen?

5 minute read

Jordan Kerner, producer of the Mighty Ducks trilogy made a splash in TIME’s oral history of the franchise when he revealed that Disney is interested in producing a fourth installment of the beloved hockey series, assuming that a compelling new story line materializes. While we published 12,000 words and several galleries on the films, some material wound up on the editing room floor, including what former cast members thought about the possibility of a fourth film. For those hungry for a hint at whether it’ll ever happen, here’s what they had to say:

ELDEN HENSON (Fulton Reed): You know, it’s not something I’ve really thought about, but I would absolutely do it. I owe a lot to Jordan [Kerner] and Steve Brill, who wrote the movies. I mean, they really sort of kickstarted my career and allowed me to do a lot of things. And these movies allowed me to pay for my own college. So I’m extremely thankful and would always go back.

MATT DOHERTY (Les Averman): I have a feeling that that would be well-received and it would make a lot of sense. I could totally see a full circle on that — somebody maturing into a Gordon Bombay-like role themselves. I could see it making sense from every point of view. I have a feeling that people would probably really receive it well because it’s still around.

MARGUERITE MOREAU (Connie Moreau): Well, I think if they were to do another one, you know, whether it was us playing or our kids playing, you just couldn’t lose the underdog story. That whole idea of “struggle is a part of life but it’s also the most rewarding part,” kind of keeping that working class feel to it that I think is the real heart of the first movie would be so cool. That’s the thing I think a lot of people respond to, plus the amazing, amazing hockey plays, like the Flying V. The Flying V still gets a lot of love on Instagram.

SCOTT WHYTE (Gunnar Stahl): Oh, I’ve thought about it, and I would be there in a heart beat if I was ever asked. In a perfect world, I would love to see a fourth movie like all these years later now. I mean it’s kind of like what can we do? What would be a cool concept? And I’m not even thinking with me being part of it, though of course I would love to be part of it. I was taking a shower in the morning, going, “Man, what if Gunnar came back? The kids hadn’t played hockey in years, and all of a sudden — for some reason, for a charity event — I don’t know what. But some of them went pro and others didn’t. I don’t know. But they got the old team back together. Then all of a sudden maybe they bring the foreign exchange student kids. You know, somehow I get involved.” It would be actually so great to see all these years later, to see the whole family back together and to do this again. And to get on the ice again one more time. There would have to be a good storyline obviously and would have to make sense for them to do it. But I would also think that for nostalgic reasons and just to be able to go out there and do it again, I think it would be an amazing experience. Because you never know. Actually there was talk during Ducks 3, they had said, there’s a chance we’re going to be doing Ducks 3 and Ducks 4. A TV series was a concept for awhile that was being thrown around. And they ended up creating the Mighty Ducks animated series, which obviously wasn’t related to the movies, but I think what I had heard was that it was either going to be Ducks 3 and Ducks 4 movies that were going to be kind of back-to-back or it was going to be Ducks 3 and then go into a TV series. And then when the cartoon came out, I just thought, “Okay, they probably just did Ducks 3 and then the animated show and that fulfilled the Mighty Ducks package or the prophecy or whatever they needed.” But man, Ducks 4 — I would totally be there in a heart beat.

CARSTEN NORGAARD (Wolf “The Dentist” Stansson): Over the years, I’ve heard rumors of it. And it’s kind of interesting, with the impact that it has had on so many kids, that a fourth hasn’t been made — or a TV series hasn’t been made of it. But it’s a good trilogy as it is. But other than rumors, I don’t know any more about it. I can tell you that when I left the Ducks, I got all my gear and my skates and everything in a big, beautiful ice hockey bag, and it still sits in one of my closets ready to go.

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