After reprising his role as hockey coach Gordon Bombay from the original movies in The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, Emilio Estevez will not be returning for the second season of the Disney+ spinoff, Deadline reports.
Production on Season 2 is set to begin early next year, and Disney Television Studio’s ABC Signature reportedly chose not to renew the actor’s options after several discussions regarding his COVID-19 vaccination status.
Several Hollywood productions have adopted the Zone A vaccination mandates for cast and crew members, underneath the Return-to-Work agreement between unions and big-name studios. Netflix made the Zone A policies mandatory, with Disney+ following suit with new and returning series going into production.
After the actor and his team allegedly declined to assure his compliance with the vaccine policy, the studio decided to adjust the new season’s scripts without the character of Gordon. However, sources close to The Breakfast Club star have cited creative differences as part of his exit from the series.
The series follows the titular ‘90s franchise hockey team in the present day after they’ve grown into one of the best youth hockey teams in Minnesota. Evan (Brady Noon) and his mother Alex (Lauren Graham) set out to form their own rag-tag team after the former is cut from the now-prestigious Ducks. With the help of original team coach Gordon, they rediscover the joy of playing the game as they take on the competition.
Returning for Season 2 with Noon and Graham are cast members Maxwell Simkins, Swayam Bhatia, Luke Islam, Kiefer O’Reilly, Taegen Burns, Bella Higginbotham, and DJ Watts.
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, Season 2, TBA, Disney+
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