Disney+’s new show, Turner & Hooch, is based on the 1989 movie of the same name, which starred Tom Hanks and a Bordeaux Mastiff. The new series sees Drake & Josh alum Josh Peck taking on the role of Hanks’ character’s son, and the pilot episode reveals that Hanks’ Scott Turner has since passed away. Recently, ComicBook.com had the chance to chat with Reginald VelJohnson, who is reprising his role as David Sutton from the original film in the new show. VelJohnson admitted that it “feels kind of weird” doing the show without Hanks, but our latest interview with Peck doesn’t rule out the possibility of a Hanks cameo in the future.
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“When you have someone like Tom Hanks, and everything I’ve done since I started acting is basically an attempt to try to steal from him, but you go, ‘Well, it would be lightning in a bottle if he ever decided to come play and be in an episode.’ And so I think in an effort to free that idea that that might not ever come, we’ll just allow him to not be walking the earth,” Peck explained of the decision to kill Hanks’ character.
When we brought up the idea of Hanks appearing in a flashback, Peck had a hilarious reason for why that could work.
“Oh my gosh, listen. If Mr. Hanks is down to clown, we could shoot an entire season that takes place in 2007. We all know I can pass for 20,” Peck joked.
We also asked Peck about working with VelJohnson, and if the iconic actor had any advice or stories to share about his time on the original Turner & Hooch.
“Working with Reginald was a dream. And honestly, I was basically just pestering him for stories about Family Matters. Yeah, he was funny. He really doesn’t have much interaction with the dog, which is… So he had a laissez-faire attitude about it. Any time we would lament, ‘Oh, this breed is a little bit challenging to train.’ He’d be like, ‘Just like 30 years ago.’ And I’m like, ‘Thanks Reginald.’”
In addition to Peck as young Scott Turner and VelJohnson as David Sutton, the Turner & Hooch cast will feature Carra Patterson as Jessica Baxter, Scott’s brave, street-smart partner; Brandon Jay McLaren as Xavier Wilson, a cool, enigmatic marine-turned-US Marshal; Anthony Ruivivar as Chief James Mendez, Scott’s boss with a secret soft spot for Scott’s new dog, Hooch; Lyndsy Fonseca as Laura Turner, Scott’s sweet, animal-loving sister; Jeremy Maguire as Matthew Garland, Laura’s dog-loving son; and Vanessa Lengies as Erica Mouniere, the quirky head of the US Marshals dog training program.
Stay tuned for more from our interview with Josh Peck or watch the full video at the top of the page.
Turner & Hooch releases new episodes on Disney+ on Wednesday.
