There are so many sports films featuring an underdog triumphing against tough odds and tougher opponents that people can have a variety of favorites. For single-athlete sports grownups might remember “Rocky” (boxing) while younger generations in the 1980s will have fond memories of “The Karate Kid.” For team sports, one movie series that is easily recalled is Disney’s “The Mighty Ducks,” about the youth hockey team from Minnesota that could and did. It was a surprise to learn that a distant sequel/soft reboot series has been planned for streaming on Disney+, and with lead star Emilio Estevez reprising his role.

That at least was gleaned from the short teaser put out for “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers” weeks ago. But as Rolling Stone reports a longer trailer was released just this Wednesday, February 24, that expands on the story beats already shown. From the look of things, the Mighty Ducks from the 1990s film trilogy by Disney, primarily a youth hockey league team in Minnesota’s Twin cities area, have undergone a full-circle revolution of sorts. That means the former plucky underdogs with a varied ragtag membership and occasional major sponsorship are now an established franchise with certain standards for players.

Yep, the young hockey aspirant accompanied by his mother for a hockey tryout in the teaser was hoping to join the Mighty Ducks. But as the seemingly-arrogant Ducks player put it, he does not make the cut. His supportive mom (Lauren Graham) however is disillusioned by the new attitude carried by the Ducks and encourages her son (Brady Noon) to find companions and form their own team. To qualify for competition however, this team needs a home rink and a coach. They find one rather easily, and the rink’s keeper turns out to be original Ducks coach Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez), but things have changed.

Where Gordon, as last seen in 1996’s “D3,” had become a major youth hockey official working with the junior division of the now-defunct Goodwill Games, he is reduced once again to menial work at an ice-skating facility. He also appears to have regained animosity for hockey from the original 1992 film, and it takes encouragement from Graham’s Alex, plus the endearing wacky earnestness of her son Evan (Noon) and his ad hoc teammates, to renew his hockey inspiration and take the fight to the now-bullying team he had once coached.

“The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers” will run 10 episodes, premiering on Disney+ this March 26.

Image: WDW News Today