Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is one of the most infamous animated movies within the wider Disney catalog, and director Robert Zemeckis revealed the film is likely never going to get a sequel because the “current Disney” would never likely make a film with Jessica Rabbit these days. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? originally released in a unique time within Walt Disney Pictures’ history, and has since reached a whole new level of popularity among fans thanks to Jessica Rabbit. More so than the film itself, this character has since become an icon thanks to the dramatically different way she looked from other animated characters at the time.
Robert Zemeckis has been fairly open over the years about development on a potential Who Framed Roger Rabbit? sequel and noted how it’s not on Disney’s radar multiple times. When recently asked about it in an interview for the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Zemeckis once again confirmed that a sequel is unlikely. It’s a bit different this time, however, as while Zemeckis notes that while there’s actually a script for the sequel, it’s probably not going to happen because as he states, “They can’t make a movie with Jessica in it.” So it seems Jessica Rabbit’s just too hot for current Disney.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Is Jessica Rabbit The Problem?
“Here’s what you have to know: The current Disney would never make ‘Roger Rabbit’ today,” Zemeckis states when asked about the Who Framed Roger Rabbit? sequel. “They can’t make a movie with Jessica in it. The sequel script isn’t ever going to see the light of day as good as it is.” Zemeckis then pointed to a rather notable change to Jessica Rabbit’s design that Disney made that caused a huge reaction among fans when it happened a few years ago as well, “I mean look what they did to Jessica at the theme park. They trussed her up in a trench coach.”
Back in 2021, Disneyland made some changes to the The Roger Rabbit Car Toon Spin ride. The ride had initially featured Jessica Rabbit as a damsel in distress that was kidnapped and needed to be saved, but was then changed to feature her in more of a detective like role. These changes came with a pretty radical redesign as well that saw her put on a hat and trench coat to cover her original, more revealing (and now iconic) outfit as famously seen in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
It’s Pretty Much Impossible to Make Roger Rabbit Again
It’s unfortunate, but ultimately not surprising that Who Framed Roger Rabbit? has been having trouble getting a sequel off the ground. It’s very much a right place, right time situation as the film was created during a period of change for Disney themselves. There were big changes as per who was in charge, and it actually went beyond its early development stages. Originally purchasing the license to a film adaptation of Gary K. Wolf’s very different original novel, Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, back in 1981, it wasn’t until Michael Eisner took over as CEO a few years later that the film was greenlit and moved forward.
It was then a collaborative effort between Disney, Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg and Amblin Entertainment, animation director Richard Williams and many more people behind the scenes to put the film together the way it was. It’s what Zemeckis also noted in the interview as well stating, “We were able to make it right at the time when Disney was ready to rebuilt itself,” Zemeckis began. “We were there when a new regime came in and they were full of energy. I kept saying, and I sincerely say this, ‘I am making ‘Roger Rabbit’ the way I believe Walt Disney would’ve made it.’ I say that because Walt never made any of his movie for children. He always made them for adults. That’s what I decided to do with ‘Roger Rabbit.’”
“One time we did a test preview with just moms and kids. I was terrified,” Zemeckis noted about the production process. “These kids were five and six years old. They were riveted by the movie. I realized that kids get everything. They understand. They get it. The thing that Walt Disney never did was he never talked down to the children in his movies. He treated the kids like the adults.” It’s pretty much impossible for everything to work as well together as it did back then, and would likely be much more expensive to pull off.
Even if we did eventually get a sequel, and that script is perfect, it’s everything that goes into Who Framed Roger Rabbit? that makes it impossible to replicate. Because while it’s hilarious thinking that Jessica Rabbit’s design alone makes it easy for Disney to pass, it’s likely for a much less attractive, more money focused reason. Doing a sequel to a classic like this would simply just cost too much and not really yield the return Disney expects from its animated films these days to keep them from being labeled as a failure.
