Bild: Federation Studios
Review
The iconic cowboy Lucky Luke is back, but the new series unfortunately doesn’t live up to the beloved comics that shaped a generation.
March 25, 2026, 8:47 PMMarch 25, 2026, 8:47 PM
My parents’ home holds a large box filled to the brim with “Lucky Luke” comics. As a child, I read them over and over again, along with the “Asterix” comics. These books shaped me and I look back on them with a lot of nostalgia.
So I was surprised to learn that a live-action adaptation of the cowboy who shoots faster than his shadow is now available on Disney+. It’s not the first of its kind, but it *is* the first series.
There’s plenty of source material for a film adaptation. Since 1946, over 100 volumes of the Belgian comic series have been published by the artist duo Morris and René Goscinny. Which volume the new series is based on? Well, the French series itself doesn’t seem to know. Because it’s forging its own path – a concept that sounds excellent in theory, but doesn’t quite operate in practice.
Lucky Luke is back – in a new French series, the Wild West hero must find a missing woman.bild: Federation Studios
Let’s start at the beginning: Lucky Luke (played by Alban Lenoir) is once again involved in a duel. But because he’s been bitten by a snake, his shooting skills aren’t what they used to be and he constantly misses his target.
He gets help, though: A young woman named Louise secretly shoots and hits Luke’s opponent. She’s here because she needs Luke’s help, and she gives him an ultimatum. As thanks for saving his life, he must help her find her mysteriously missing mother.
After some back and forth, they set off together. And discover: They need the help of Joe Dalton for the rescue mission. But he’s suffering from amnesia and can’t remember anything. Not even that he’s actually a villain who robs people and blows things up.
So they do the only logical thing: a therapy session in the middle of the Wild West to restore his memory.
These are supposed to be the Daltons.Bild: Federation Studios
And that’s one of the problems with the series: Because even though they’re in the Wild West, the characters retain making jokes and allusions to rather modern things like therapy and eating more legumes.
Interestingly, Lucky Luke in this new series isn’t the infallible Wild West hero, but has flaws.
Charm, wit, and tension – the “Lucky Luke” series lacks it all
Sure, some moments from the comics are present, but the series lacks everything that made them so great.
The conversations are flat, Lucky Luke is much older than fans know him from the comics, and there’s a serious lack of tension. Plus, the plot jumps around way too quickly, at least in the first episode.
There’s nothing in this series that I, as a viewer, can get excited about. Lucky Luke doesn’t even have his iconic straw (it used to be a cigarette). And we don’t even want to talk about the portrayal of the Dalton brothers.
A few allusions to the comic template are still present. In addition to the Daltons, Billy the Kid, Calamity Jane, and journalist Elizabeth Zee also appear. And of course, Luke’s horse Jolly Jumper can’t be missing.
As a viewer, I really ask myself: Why should I be interested in the characters and the story? Absolutely nothing about this live-action adaptation is captivating. Which is a shame, because they had plenty of iconic templates.
“Lucky Luke” is available on Disney Plus from March 23, 2026.
