Jim Cummings Reports Disney Recast Darkwing Duck in Long-Gestating Reboot of the 90s Favorite

Legendary Voice Actor Jim Cummings has revealed that the still in-development reboot of Darkwing Duck will not feature him reprising the role of the titular hero.

What's Happening:

• While on the red carpet for the recent premiere of Coyote Vs. ACME, legendary voice actor Jim Cummings revealed a bit of news regarding a long-awaited reboot of Disney's Darkwing Duck.
• Fans may recall that Cummings himself voiced the titular hero and his alter ego, Drake Mallard, in the iconic 90s animated series during its initial run which was - technically - only from 1991 to 1992 across three seasons and 91 episodes, though it ran in reruns and continued prominently as part of The Disney Afternoon for years.
• While discussing the new Coyote Vs. ACME, Cummings told Collider on the red carpet that he has been recast in a reboot of the hit series.
• This isn't an entirely new concept though. Fans may recall that Darkwing Duck was introduced into the reboot of DuckTales that hit Disney Channel back in 2017. In the new series, Darkwing Duck initially appears as a fictional character on an old TV show, which Scrooge McDuck plans to turn into a dark, blockbuster reboot. The fictitious hero was played by Jim Starling, who goes insane after losing the role and tries to destroy the studio, later transforming into the villainous Negaduck. In turn, the young and optimistic fan and actor Drake Mallard gets cast, and will later become a real version of Darkwing Duck.
• Drake Mallard/Darkwing Duck in that iteration was performed by Chris Diamantopoulos, who fans may recognize as the voice of Mickey Mouse in the acclaimed Mickey Mouse, and Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse shorts.
• Many fans saw this - in a similar way to how the original DuckTales and Darkwing Duck were connected - as a backdoor to a reboot of the popular character and series in the same style as the 2017 reboot of DuckTales.
• A reboot was, in fact, planned and announced back in 2020 with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg attached.
• It is unclear if Cummings or Diamantopoulos (or someone else altogether) was in mind for the titular hero, though Cummings did share more at the Coyote Vs. ACME premiere, saying: "I did a pilot for it several years ago, to see the viability of it coming back, and everybody went nuts. And they are bringing it back, and they are hiring somebody else to do Terry McGovern's role of Launchpad [McQuack], and they're hiring someone else to be Darkwing Duck. I hope they get...everything they deserve. Crazy, I don't know what to tell you."
• Cummings, a veteran voice actor and singer who has appeared in over 600 roles beyond Darkwing Duck, including a number of other Disney roles - namely, Winnie The Pooh and Tigger, too (no, really). He also lent his voice to Ray in The Princess and the Frog, Ed the Hyena in The Lion King, Pete in Goof Troop and A Goofy Movie (and other instances of the character), Bonkers, and many others. All featured in film, tv, and even the theme parks.

Legendary Voices:

• While Cummings can be heard as the Tasmanian Devil (AKA Taz) in the new Coyote Vs. ACME, a role he has filled since the early 90s, he has also been on a bit of a campaign about becoming a Disney Legend.
• This recasting reveal in a red carpet interview comes after the recent D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, which saw the induction of a new class of Disney Legends - who are selected by an official selection committee that is appointed and chaired by senior Disney leadership. Not by a public vote, and not by D23 Members.
• This year was unique in particular, as after the class of 2026 inductees were revealed, a massive fan campaign was started and later embraced by Cummings himself to be awarded the honor. This also includes appearances by his wife at WonderCon in Anaheim asking fans to sign a petition to make him a Disney Legend - the highest honor in the Disney company - that again, is not voted for by petition or fan campaigns.
• Cummings certainly fits into the official standards for becoming a Disney Legend, but petitions, campaigns, and social media outcries are subjectively not a good look to be bestowed with the honor.