Trailer: Live-Action Lucky Luke TV Series

A new live-action Lucky Luke TV series is currently in production by Federation Studio France and Un Pour Tous Productions for Disney+ France and France Télévisions, with filming that began in late 2024 and a planned Disney+ debut on March 23, 2026. The series stars Alban Lenoir (Lost Bullet) as Lucky Luke and is directed by Benjamin Rocher, featuring a supporting cast including Alice Taglioni, Camille Chamoux, Jérôme Niel as Joe Dalton, and Victor Le Blond. This eight-episode adventure-comedy brings the classic Franco-Belgian comic to life in a live-action format. As of February 2026, it remains a French original production, and while an English-language version has not yet been officially confirmed, international distribution is expected, with Disney+ likely offering dubbed versions for other regions.

For decades, Lucky Luke has captured the imagination of fans across Europe and Canada. Created in 1946 by Belgian cartoonist Maurice De Bevere, known as Morris, Lucky Luke is the cowboy who shoots faster than his own shadow. He wanders the Old West with his intelligent horse, Jolly Jumper, and the comically dim-witted dog Rantanplan, facing legendary figures such as Billy the Kid and the bumbling Dalton brothers while helping townsfolk, building railroads, and keeping the peace. One of the most iconic images is Luke riding into the sunset at the end of each story, singing “I’m a poor lonesome cowboy, and a long way from home,” capturing his wandering, solitary spirit. Originally a heavy smoker, Lucky Luke swapped his cigarette for a blade of grass in 1983, making him more timeless and suitable for younger readers.

While Morris created Lucky Luke and managed both the artwork and storytelling during the early years, the series truly reached its “golden age” when he began a long-term collaboration with French writer René Goscinny, best known for being the co-creator of Asterix, who took over scripting the stories in 1955. Together, Morris and Goscinny combined sharp humor, clever plots, and engaging characters, elevating Lucky Luke from a popular comic into a European cultural icon whose adventures continue to captivate readers decades later.

Lucky Luke also represents a unique European perspective on the mythology of the American West. While the series predates the Spaghetti Western genre, it may have even inspired elements of it. Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars, in 1964, influenced by Japanese samurai cinema such as Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo, introduced gritty anti-heroes, operatic tension, and moral ambiguity, a stark contrast to Lucky Luke’s humor and lighthearted style. It is fun to imagine that Leone may have read a few Lucky Luke albums before creating the Man with No Name.

Despite his legendary status in Europe, Lucky Luke never achieved widespread popularity in the United States. The US cartoon market was dominated by giants like Disney, Hanna-Barbera, and Looney Tunes, and Lucky Luke’s European parody of the American West, satirical humor, and Franco-Belgian “BD” storytelling style did not always translate to American audiences. Yet Lucky Luke remains a cornerstone of European comics with over 300 million copies sold and 83 albums produced as of 2024. For fans who grew up with him, Lucky Luke is more than a comic character. He is a companion of childhood, a lesson in cleverness and justice, and proof that even a lone cowboy can leave a lasting mark on the world.