'Duck Dynasty's Reboot Features the Next Generation Years After the Show Faced Controversy

Toward the end of the original Duck Dynasty series on A&E, the reality show faced some controversy involving family patriarch Phil Robertson and his offensive language involving homophobic and racist comments. But even after that happened, the show remained on the air for a few more years. So why did Duck Dynasty end?

In January 2025, A&E announced plans for a Duck Dynasty reboot. This comes about seven years after the original series came to a close, and well after the Robertson family publicly shared that Phil was battling Alzheimer's. While he is not going to be part of the reboot, longtime fans might still be wondering why the OG series ended in the first place.

In 2017, after 11 seasons and more than one controversy among the cast members, Duck Dynasty ended. Maybe it had officially run its course as a long-running A&E unscripted series. But there are theories about why it ended and what actually led to its final season. In 2013, Phil's interview with GQ, in which he spoke out against the LGBTQ+ community and used Bible quotes to back up his comments, went viral.

It resulted in Phil being let go from Duck Dynasty, though only temporarily. However, after he returned to the show, the series had lost a significant amount of sponsors, at least according to him. In 2022, he admitted as much to Fox News.

"After nine days they reinstated me, but we had all kinds of sponsors that just took off," he shared at the time. "They had made a mockery of what I said."

It's possible that Duck Dynasty took such a hit in monetization on A&E that the network was forced to pull the plug on the show. But, according to A&E in a press release about the reboot, the Robertson family actually made the decision to end the series.

In the press release for the reboot, A&E shared that "the Robertsons decided to end the series to focus on other ventures." Now, many of them are back to share their lives with viewers once again.

A&E announced that the Robertsons are back for a reboot of the original series, now titled Duck Dynasty: the Revival. The series, which premieres in the summer of 2025, follows some of the already well-known members of the Robertson family, like Willie and Korie Robertson and Uncle Si, for starters. Korie Robertson, Willie Robertson, and John Luke Robertson are also executive producers this time around.

Wheelhouse CEO and Executive Producer Brent Montgomery shared in the press release why the Duck Dynasty works now.

"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," he said. "The Robertsons live by a motto of 'faith, family and fun' and that will be the heartbeat of what we bring to viewers."