D3: The Mighty Ducks
| D3: The Mighty Ducks | |
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Promotional film poster
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| Directed by | Robert Lieberman |
| Produced by |
Jordan Kerner Jon Avnet |
| Written by |
Steven Brill Jim Burnstein Kenneth Johnson |
| Starring |
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| Music by | J. A. C. Redford |
| Edited by | Patrick Lussier |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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104 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $22.9 million |
D3: The Mighty Ducks (also known as The Mighty Ducks 3) is a 1996 American sports comedy-drama film directed by Robert Lieberman. It is the third and final installment in The Mighty Ducks trilogy and was produced by Walt Disney Pictures and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.
The film opens as the Ducks are being awarded junior varsity hockey scholarships to Eden Hall Academy, a prestigious prep school that coach Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez) attended, following their winning at the Junior Goodwill Games in Los Angeles, California. Bombay announces that he will be leaving his position as coach to take a job with the Junior Goodwill Games, much to Charlie's dismay. Bombay's spot is filled by former Minnesota North Stars player Ted Orion (Jeffrey Nordling). Initially the Ducks clash with Orion's disciplinary coaching tactics and his focus on defense over scoring. Orion abandons several Duck traditions and strips Charlie Conway (Joshua Jackson) of his Captain's 'C', stating that the tricks and tactics the team used in the Pee Wee league won't work at this level. He is proven right when, in their first game of the season, the Ducks take an embarrassing tie after losing a 9-goal lead, due to their cockiness after their initial dominance. Orion is livid, but makes a valid point (about hockey and life) when he states that the Ducks won't be able to dominate every game and have to learn how to play "two-way hockey," not choking when the game is going their way. Charlie's only consolation is meeting Linda (Margot Finley), a young student petitioning to change the school's team name (The Warriors) as it perpetuates an offensive Native American stereotype. Though she initially writes him off as a mindless jock, the two start to hit it off.
The team's difficulties are further compounded by the attitude towards the Ducks on the part of most of the students and parents at Eden Hall, particularly the Varsity hockey team, which Adam Banks has been recruited into. The two teams engage in an escalating prank war, culminating in an unofficial match in the school's ice rink, in which the Ducks are badly beaten. When Coach Orion forbids the old Ducks name and uniforms, declaring "The Ducks are dead", Charlie decides to leave the team, and Fulton follows. Greg Goldberg is made a defenseman to replace Fulton. After a day spent skipping school at the Mall of America and Charlie proposing going to public schools before pursuing hockey careers, Fulton realizes he might not want to follow Charlie or play hockey for the rest of his life, and reverts to his old life before he was even a Duck. He also tries to suggest Charlie rejoin the Ducks. Chagrined at that suggestion and Fulton's abandonment, Charlie is still struggling with what to do when he learns that Hans, the Ducks' friend and mentor, has died.
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