Like Scrooge McDuck diving into his swimming pool of money, so Disney is diving into theirs, by reviving the late 80s animated series DuckTales for a 2017 launch. According to the Disney XD press release, Scrooge and his grandnephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie, as well as Donald Duck (the trio's uncle, Scrooge's nephew -- to get the duck genealogy straight) will all reappear. (Although whether Donald joins the Navy this time remains to be seen).

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Back in 1987, Disney took a big risk with DuckTales by actually spending money on it (something that wasn't really done with animation at the time). It was a quality series that paved the way for Disney's animated series to become syndicated, like the later Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, TaleSpin, and Darkwing Duck. A huge part of my childhood animation rotation, basically. The series concluded in 1990 with a theatrical release: DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp.

Marc Buhaj, Disney XD's Senior Vice President, suggests the new series will be created in the same spirit:

DuckTales has a special place in Disney's TV animation history; it drew its inspiration from Disney Legend Carl Barks' comic books, and through its storytelling and artistic showmanship, set an enduring standard for animated entertainment that connects with both kids and adults. Our new series will bring that same energy and adventurous spirit to a new generation.

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Disney also confirms that in addition to the main cast, other regulars such as Duckworth, Gyro Gearloose, Launchpad McQuack, Flintheart Glomgold, Magica DeSpell & Poe, Ma Beagle and the Beagle Boys (Burger Beagle, Bouncer Beagle), as well as Mrs. Beakley will also return.

I can't help but be skeptical on several fronts regarding any reboot of a classic series, especially since I'm curious what kind of animation style will be used, and how (and if) the characters will be updated with their references (which always flowed freely). The references in the original series tended to be, to my vague recollection, largely literary, so we'll see if that sticks.

The new DuckTales will launch in 2017. The original series is currently available on the WATCH Disney Channel app.

DuckTales, Ooo-ooh! (Oh Lawd, I can still sing this entire thing …)