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Duck Dynasty is back – eight years after it was canceled and ended up in the middle of a legal battle.
A&E is bringing the series back with Duck Dynasty: The Revival with a two-season order of 20 episodes in total. It will premiere in the summer.
The new season will focus on Willie and Korie Robertson and their growing family of adult children and grandchildren, the next generation of Robertsons living on the family homestead in Louisiana.
It will not, however, feature Phil Robertson, the controversial patriarch of the family, who has said some things in the past that have been homophobic and was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
The show also has a new production company; it will be produced by Wheelhouse’s Spoke Studios and Willie and Korie Robertson’s Tread Lively Productions.
This comes after legal trouble at Gurney Productions, the ITV-owned company that originally produced the series. In 2016, ITV America put Gurney Productions founders Scott and Deirdre Gurney on a “short, temporary leave of absence”. They were subsequently fired and sued by their owners for fraud and breach of contract. The pair responded by filing a $100M countersuit against ITV alleging intimidation and extortion. Three months later, a judge reinstated them as “day-to-day” executives running Gurney Productions. Two and a half years later, all parties settled.
In the middle of all of this, ITV America CEO Brent Montgomery left the company (in 2018) to set up his new production company, Wheelhouse, which will now produce the series.
The new season will feature Willie and Korie Robertson, Miss Kay, Uncle Si and other favorite family members from the original as well as kids including John Luke, Sadie, Will, Bella and Rebecca and their growing families.
Duck Dynasty: The Revival will also have a streaming partner with episodes streaming after the conclusion of each season, A&E said.
Montgomery, Jeff Conroy, Courtney White, Will Nothacker and Gardner Reed will executive produce for Spoke Studios, Korie Robertson, Willie Robertson, John Luke Robertson and Zach Dasher will executive produce for Tread Lively, Elaine Frontain Bryant, Sean Gottlieb and Jonathan Partridge will executive produce for A&E.
“The Robertsons earned a seat in homes across the country with their unique brand of downhome practicality, southern charm and relatable humor,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, EVP & Head of Programming, A&E and Lifetime. “Duck Dynasty played a huge part of the success of A&E for many years, and we look forward to reuniting with the Robertsons on the revival.”
“Going back on A&E feels a little like going back home. We’re thankful for all who have followed along as our family has grown and expanded and can’t wait to get cameras rolling again on all our new adventures, or perhaps misadventures,” added Willie and Korie Robertson.
Wheelhouse CEO Montgomery said, “I was a huge fan of the original Duck Dynasty and thought it was the best reality sitcom of all time, so I jumped at the chance to work with Willie and Korie. The Robertsons live by a motto of ‘faith, family and fun’ and that will be the heartbeat of what we bring to viewers.”
The Robertson Family and Tread Lively are represented by Gersh, and Skrzyniarz & Mallean.
