The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers arrives through Disney+ on March 26, the latest revival series in the vein of Cobra Kai. Picking up decades after the original Mighty Ducks trilogy, the iconic hockey team actually become the antagonists for the new kids on the block.
After hitting his peak as a sports superstar, Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez, reprising his classic role) has given up the ghost and is ready to live out his life in anonymity. But young Evan (Brady Noon) and his mother Alex (Lauren Graham, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist) won't let that happen, as they need his Ice Palace to practice hockey and are busy recruiting a new team to help them do it.
Aside from Noon, members of the new crew include Maxwell Simkins and Swayam Bhatia. All three spoke to Screen Rant about practicing their hockey skills, and shared what each other their characters bring to the game.
Brady, obviously Evan loves his mom, but how does he feel about her starting this whole new team?
Brady Noon: At first, I feel like Evan is a little unsure. Also, because I feel like Evan's afraid of change, because he's had a set routine with the Ducks his whole life since he was three.
So, I feel like at first, he's not really sure and he gets pretty discouraged when he finds out that his players aren't the best. But through perseverance and drive and the encouragement from his other teammates, he eventually pulls out on the other end and is in it for the long run.
Maxwell, Nick is adorable. Even though he thinks that he's maybe more suited to podcasting, what do you think he brings to the team?
Maxwell Simkins: He brings a lot of motivation. He can get you going; if you're down in the dumps, he'll get you up back on the ice. He's like the team motivators, the team hype man, getting everyone ready for the game and getting everyone in the moment. [Getting them to] live their best for every moment that they're in the game, and he brings a lot of positivity energy.
Also, you'll find out later on... He's not that bad, honestly.
Sofi is so smart, and she's caring and warm too. But something's holding her back from being part of the new team at first. Can you talk about the two worlds she's torn between?
Swayam Bhatia: Yeah, she has these Harvard parents that want her to do everything and be the best. They're really stuck on this Mighty Ducks team. They're like, "You're here to win. Losing is for losers," and they're like, "You only win win win. And then you have to get all the A pluses." If she gets a B, she's grounded for the rest of her life - even if it's a B plus.
She knows her parents are really tough on her, so she's almost afraid of her parents. So, when Evan asks her to join the team, she's like, "Are you nuts? You know who my parents are, right?" I think she's a little afraid of her parents, and I think she wants to come out of her shell, but she just doesn't know what's going to happen. She doesn't find that confidence to do it. But you'll see: maybe she does, maybe she doesn't. We don't know yet.
How long did it take you guys to figure out hockey? Did you have to learn any tricks, and who taught them to you?
Brady Noon: We had two weeks in the beginning of February to start our hockey training before we started filming the pilot. We had great coaches, we had NHL players coach us, and all of us learned a little bit from each other.
Then when we came back after we took a six month break because of COVID. So, we came back in early August, and we started after quarantine process and had another two weeks of training. Everyone was a lot better; everyone was a lot quicker to pick up things because they already knew the fundamentals of hockey due to the pilot.
It was pretty awesome. We all became really good strong skaters.
Do you guys have any embarrassing or triumphant stories about your hockey playing?
Maxwell Simkins: Yeah, a lot. I remember that there was a bunch of times when either you'd be trying to show off in front of somebody, or you try to do that new cool trick you just learned, and you slip and break your ankle. Not really, but you'd get hurt. You'd fall, and you'd be crying in front of everyone. It was embarrassing. It was really embarrassing.
Swayam Bhatia: Definitely. Yeah, lots of laughs, lots and lots of falls. I fall a lot. I've hurt myself many times, but not anything really bad. One time, I twisted my rib and hit my head. Yeah, that happened. It wasn't helpful at all.
But one time Emilio was on the ice, and he fell on me. I was so afraid. I thought he hated me and all, because we were new friends and whatnot. I was really, really nervous. But he was making sure I was okay, because he's so sweet.
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers premieres on March 26 through Disney+.