There are certain characters whose smallest appearance on screen gets them trending on social media, and one such critter is Roger Rabbit, the star of the much-loved, ground-breaking Robert Zemekis movieWho Framed Roger Rabbit?.When Disney dropped its first trailer for the revival of theChip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangersfranchise, it very quickly became clear that this is not a reboot but a fully meta experience that sees the two chipmunks being rendered in the real world in a self-knowing movie that could well have taken much of its inspiration from Roger Rabbit’s big screen outing.
With many predominantly 80s franchises such asThe Smurfs, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and others returning to screens in a big way, 1988’sWho Framed Roger Rabbit?is a movie that fans have wanted a sequel to for a long time, and seeing the character return for a brief moment in theRescue Rangerstrailer was enough to have the character trending on Twitter, with calls for Roger to be brought back in a more prominent role.
With theChip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangersmovie seeming to poke fun at excessive CGI use and the rebooting of franchises, of the cartoon cameos seen in the trailer, Roger’s is probably the most ironic and knowing of them all. Back whenWho Framed Roger Rabbit?was released, long beforeSpider-Man: No Way Homesaw studio crossovers become big business, the appearance of Warner Bros.‘Looney Tunescharacters such as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck appearing in the same movie as Mickey Mouse and Dumbo was mind-blowing, and no mean feat to pull off. Having Roger Rabbit appear in this project is a knowing call back to the type of hybrid movie it is set to be a successor to.
Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers May Have Set Up Too Much Nostalgia in Its Trailer
While nostalgia is a big seller at the moment, with many 30-year-old franchises and characters making unexpected comebacks,Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangersis seemingly tapping into that trend in a big way, beyond even just its main characters. However, the trailer shows fleeting glimpses of many other toons and toon-crossovers of the past, from The Three Little Pigs, toMy Little Pony,and even Paula Abdul and MC Skat Kat, but that leads to the question of whether these cameos are something that is a big part of the movie, or simply one scene encompassing them all which has now been pretty much shown in its entirety? Watch the trailer below, courtesy ofWalt Disney Studios.
The appearance of Roger Rabbit, who is seen on a dance-floor showing off the kind of moves that won over Jessica Rabbit, seems to happen in a flashback moment that incorporates most of these cameos, however the trailer also showcases scenes featuring Disney’s own version ofAladdin, as well as a homage toJurassic Park’s finale at the end of the trailer. Whether this super-nostalgic amalgamated creation can satisfy those who know what any of these references are as well a much younger audience who won’t have a clue what any of this means is something that we will find out when the movie arrives on Disney+ on May 20th.
