Fan-Favorite 80s Patrick Swayze and Rob Lowe Classic Reboot Locks Release Date
Youngblood is skating back onto the big screen: Well Go USA Entertainment has secured U.S. rights to the reboot of the Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze 80s hockey favorite, set to hit theaters March 6, 2026.
Yep, that 80s hockey movie with Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze is getting a fresh coat of ice. Well Go USA Entertainment has picked up U.S. rights to a new take on 'Youngblood' and already circled March 6, 2026 for a theatrical release. Mark it down now, forget it by spring, then get pleasantly surprised when the trailer drops.
Who is making this thing
Academy Award nominee Hubert Davis (The Well) is directing, with Aircraft Pictures producing in association with Dolphin Entertainment and Photon Films and Media. The writing team is Josh Epstein, Kyle Rideout, Seneca Aaron, and the late Charles Officer. If you know Officer's work, that last credit adds some weight.
What story are they telling
The original 1986 film followed Dean Youngblood, a hotshot kid battling his way into Canadian junior hockey and clashing with the sport's dirtier side. The new version sticks with Dean, now traveling from Detroit to join the Hamilton Mustangs. He was raised on toughness by his dad, shows up talented and cocky, makes enemies quickly, and runs headfirst into toxic behavior on the ice and in himself. The point this time seems to be less 'can he throw a clean check' and more 'who does he become once the visor fogs up.'
"We're excited to introduce Youngblood to a new generation of viewers. Dean Youngblood's journey is more than a classic sports story; it is a powerful examination of courage, identity, and the pressures that shape us. The film blends electrifying on-ice action with heartfelt character heroism, taking the audience on an emotional ride. It's an inspiring, adrenaline-charged story that stays with you long after the final buzzer."
- Doris Pfardrescher, President and CEO, Well Go USA
Cast, crew, and the nuts and bolts
- Cast: Ashton James as Dean Youngblood, with Blair Underwood, Shawn Doyle, Alexandra McDonald, Henri Picard, Donald MacLean Jr., Olunike Adeliyi, Emidio Lopes, and Tamara Podemski
- Director: Hubert Davis (The Well)
- Writers: Josh Epstein, Kyle Rideout, Seneca Aaron, and the late Charles Officer
- Producers: Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen
- Executive producers: Bill O'Dowd, Emerson Davis, Allan Fung, Mark Slone, Zanne Devine
- U.S. distributor: Well Go USA Entertainment
- Production companies: Aircraft Pictures with Dolphin Entertainment and Photon Films and Media
- Release date (U.S. theaters): March 6, 2026
The hockey stuff that actually matters
The production teamed with the NHL's Los Angeles Kings for in-arena footage, which is a nice authenticity flex. They also brought in hockey technical advisor Christopher V. Nelson to choreograph the on-ice action, so expect the hits and set plays to look like something that would actually get you benched in the OHL.
Bottom line: it is a modern reboot of the Lowe/Swayze cult favorite with a sharper focus on identity and behavior, some real-world hockey muscle behind the camera, and a firm release date. If they nail the on-ice chaos, this could skate past nostalgia and actually earn the remake.