Ask Judge Doom: no toon can resist the old “Shave-and-a-Haircut” gag. But when plans went around Hollywood for a sequel to the 1988 classic “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” a lot of powerful people suddenly realized it would take more than the promise of “Two-bits” for Roger to come busting through the door.
Now, nearly twenty years after “Roger Rabbit” first exploded onto the big screen, producer Frank Marshall told MTV News that he’s still “open” to the possibility of another film, derailed in the mid-90s because of what would have then been cost-prohibitive special effects.
But don’t hate Roger for the fact that the movie didn’t get made in the first place. He’s not expensive…he’s just drawn that way.
“It came pretty close. We shot a test. We had a script. But unfortunately, we didn’t have computer generated animation quite yet - it was just too expensive,” Marshall explained of the untitled sequel project, “Roger Rabbit 2.” “If you think about it, in the original movie there’s really only 48 minutes of animation and in the new movie - or in that movie - he was in everything. So it went from 48 minutes of animation to over 100 minutes of animation.
“I remember we shot the test to try and see how much we could do with digital props - We weren’t even into digital characters yet,” Marshall continued. “The idea was to see what we could do with digital props as opposed to what we did in the original movie where everything was puppeted - all the props were puppeted by strings and wires and poles.”
For the first time ever, Marshall also revealed details of the plot of “Roger Rabbit 2,” and if you thought Toontown was a trip, you should have seen where they were sending Roger next.
“New York!” Marshall enthused of the setting for the second film. “Roger was a song and dance man in New York City [when he] discovered that he wanted to be in the movies and so he came across the country. I remember there being a big dance number. He came out with a troupe of sort of Busby Berkeley dancers on a train and they got to Hollywood and he and Baby Herman moved in together. And that’s when he met Eddie Valiant.”
Sounds too good to pass up, especially now that studios like Pixar exist (and under Disney no less), to help with Computer Animation. So ok, Mr. Marshall, what if we say “P-p-p-p-p-please!”
“Definitely,” Marshall playfully responded. “I’ll put in a call to [Pixar chief John] Lasseter after I hang up.”
Why do we love Roger? Because he makes us laugh. Let’s get this project moving. Show your support for a “Roger Rabbit” sequel below.
December 11th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
a roger rabbit sequel could be interesting. although it could also suck bigtime.
December 12th, 2007 at 8:28 am
I had no idea they were ever entertaining ideas of a sequel. I don’t think it’ll happen, though.
December 12th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
they should do it only this time have more modern cartoon characters ie scooby doo, perhaps beavis and butt head, the simpsons, family guy, king of the hill, south park, aqua teen, etc
December 12th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Intresting But this probly will A.suck or B.Will never happen
December 12th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
Wow way to support Roger Rabbit. Come on now i think a second movie would be great, but it should take place after the second movie ends with perhaps judge doom comming back to life like they did in this comic sequal to the movie. but a prequal could be good to. but Roger sure does need to get back into the limelight cause he was quite a funny toon and never really got his just desserts. BRING ROGER RABBIT BACK P-P-P-P-PLEASE!!!! and Frank Marshall don’t listen to these bozos who are agaist you making a second Roger Rabbit movie. But please make it hand draw like the first one. don’t ruin it with CGI!!!
December 12th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Bring on that sequel!!!. It is about time.
December 12th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
I love this blended animation film.
Can’t wait for the sequel.
December 12th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
I’m way supportive of the Idea of a Roger Rabbit prequel. But…CG? Roger is a ‘Toon’ and really should stay that way…
But, Pixar, if its going to be CG I know you guys will make it great.
GO CHARLES FLEISCHER!
December 13th, 2007 at 8:36 am
Actually, Marshall is being a bit evasive here. Cost is a factor, but it also has something to do with battling egos between former Disney studio head Michael Eisner and his former partner Jeffrey Katzenberg, now one of the principals at Dreamworks. Read about it here- http://tinyurl.com/24t4×6
Also, the first version of a Roger Rabbit sequel actually had Roger and some other toons enlisting to fight in World War II. http://tinyurl.com/yq7bxw
December 16th, 2007 at 11:01 am
They need to bring back Roger Rabbit to a whole new generation. There are a bunch of guys and gals that are discovering “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” even when they hadn’t born yet when the movie premiered worldwide.
What worries me is the script. As long as I can read, they’re using the last draft from the unfilmed prequel “Who Discovered Roger Rabbit” that’s great and even can bring us a more suitable movie for the politically correct culture that we’re living today (compared with the original one), but things can still change for adapting the movie to current times and, doing so, they could shatter to pieces the nostalgic feeling of the script.
Roger deserves another chance. P-p-p-p-p-please!!
December 17th, 2007 at 5:07 am
As a child of the 80’s, I’ve been a fan of Roger Rabbit since the movie came out, for nearly twenty years or so. I remember wanting to watch “Honey I shrunk the kids” for the sole reason that I knew there was Roger cartoon in it. SO needless to say, I would LOVE to see him make a comeback. It would be great if Disney could try and re-introduce the character to today’s kids. And IF this movie should prove to once again to be impossible to make, then at least try to come up with some more short cartoons like Tummy Trouble, Rollercoaster Rabbit and Trail Mix-up. Or make more toys or comics of him, so that we at least get to see the character again in some other form.
December 17th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Actually, Lasseter is now chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. The boss of all animation basically.
December 19th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
A Roger Rabbit movie in 2008 or 09? Will Warner Brothers or Universal Studios ever allow this? Sorry, but is not 1988. I believe that Disney will use their own material, but will not use outside sources if that ever happens. Perhaps Roger Rabbit will do good with Stitch from “Lilo & Stitch”.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Maybe there is no need of using all those characters from Warner Bros, MGM or Universal since the last script is more centered about Roger Rabbit‘s origins. But it would be interesting (and perhaps very lucrative for all those studios) getting all those vintage characters into this movie again… Of course, if plans go ahead.
Stitch? I doubt that since the script don‘t takes place on current times.
December 19th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
yes to this movie, I love roger.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
A prequel, might work.
December 24th, 2007 at 9:01 am
Actually Roger and the whole Toontown gang already have a younger fan base. The kids who saw it in the late ’80’s when it premiered bought it on video and later on DVD. They’ve shown that to their kids who have now become fans. As the creator of Roger Rabbit, I frequently appear at collector and autograph shows. Fifty percent of the people who ask for my autograph are under the age of twenty. The prequel script was and still is great. Lots of humor, plenty of good songs. It would certainly work today. I’ve also heard rumblings about a possible Lethal Weapon style buddy movie co-starring Roger and Bugs. That would be a certified hoot. Keep your fingers, toes, and ears crossed!
December 24th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
>>I’ve also heard rumblings about a possible Lethal Weapon style buddy movie co-starring Roger and Bugs. That would be a certified hoot.
That sounds like a very funny idea! Although the ones that have been following the ups and downs of this unfilmed RR prequel thru all those years (including me), know that Roger and Bugs are very, very, VERY related =3
December 31st, 2007 at 1:24 pm
I think that, if done properly, this could be a rather successful sequel/prequel. Although, don’t go overboard on the digital effects. In fact, if you keep things puppeted, it will give the film a feel much closer to the original one and the fans would love that. Personally, I would love to see a second RR film
January 5th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I think a sequel/prequel has definite potential. I’m a huge fan of the original movie and short films and would love to see the characters revisited, so long as it was done in a proper way. If CG is going to be used instead of traditional animation, I hope they’d go for a cel-shaded look to replicate the superior 2D animation of the first film. I’d rather just not see the movie happen at all if the characters were rendered in the 3D computer style.
Cautiously I find myself wishing this project would take place…
January 14th, 2008 at 12:14 am
I want “Roger Rabbit 2″ to follow the same formula as 1988’s “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and featuring wonderfully traditional animation like 2007’s “Enchanted”. After this new film gets popular like the first picture I hope Amblin Entertainment and Disney will stop their fighting, think about the fans and start dishing out new Roger Rabbit stuff.
January 14th, 2008 at 3:21 am
I absolutely LOVE the original and a sequel is certainly a promising thing! So long as they stick to the original feel and all. A new modern kind of sense of humor would be refreshing but I don’t think steering too far from the original formula would go well with the fans.
In saying that, bring on the sequel!
January 14th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
A Roger Rabbit sequel? Excellent! I hope it happens.
January 15th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
WOAH! this sounds aewsome!! i can’t wait for this to happen. i sure hope this happens its BOUND to happen.
January 22nd, 2008 at 7:47 pm
The first “Roger Rabbit” film is at least partly responsible for the blossoming of my bizarre imagination. I’m overjoyed at the possibility of seeing these characters again. Traditional animation would be best, of course, but CGI is better than nothing. And considering the nature of this project, I think I’d handle “nothing” about as well as Roger handles alcohol.
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Well I would love to see roger rabbit return because when I first saw him in the big screens I thought that he looked colourful and bright like I’m a bright man and with good backgrounds of storyboards. so hope for the best as a return
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Well I loved it when I saw roger rabbit the first time in big screens because it was colourful and he looked bright like I’m a bright man plus the backgrounds were good as a storyboard too. So I think it would be good for a roger rabbit return. wish for the best
February 2nd, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Finally! It took them twenty years, but it seems like they’re finally gonna doit! There’s one thing I ask, above all others:
J. R. Lots of her.
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Hmmm…
It would be cool with a sequel, but a digital Roger?
I don’t think so…
February 4th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Again: the fact that Pixar might get involved on this proposed prequel doesn’t necesarily means that Roger Rabbit and the rest of the characters would be portrayed on 3D CGI.
Just think about the endless posibilities of CGI animation, that could bring us amazing and realistic worlds like in Ratatouille, but also can mimic in a very accurate way traditional animation like the used on the original Roger Rabbit movie, just with less effort and expenses.
My point is: maybe the props and enviroment would be 3D animated, but Roger and his fellow friends would look exactly like we remember =3
February 21st, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Roger deserves a comeback, all the other classics have already gotten their’s, like Cinderella, she got two!
February 27th, 2008 at 6:57 am
They gotta have Richard Williams (original animator and all round badman)in charge if they do this new movie. and i thought it was gonna be called the ressurection of doom after the novel? u gotta keep the 2d alive show the new generation its still alive! peace dont mess this one up like star wars!
March 12th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Roger Rocks !
March 20th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I’d love to see a sequel, but I wish it were animated than CG. Disney relies too much on Pixar, we need to get back into animation!!
May 5th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
I agree with alot of the people here commenting on how this should be executed…
The whole point of the toons, was that they were CLASSIC CARTOONS, NOT COMPUTER GENERATED!
Isnt the cost of that old style so much CHEAPER than it WAS?!?! IF SO, then they need to HANG UP ON PIXAR, wich they DO use as a cruch, and get their poor ignored 2D animators back together…and get them off those CRAPPY princess sequals!!!
May 30th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Thanks to all who support me!!! I have been ready to go on whenever you are Raul!!!
P-p-p-p-please save my career!!!
May 31st, 2008 at 5:13 pm
This Prequel DOES sound interesting…i hope they add how Roger Meets Jessica…that would be interesting. PLEASE begin production SOON!
May 31st, 2008 at 11:56 pm
@ Chris: in fact, how Roger met Jessica is one of the key subplots (being the other one the search of Roger’s long lost parents).
I’m still waiting…
June 13th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
I really want Iger and Spielberg to not only make Roger Rabbit Part Deux but to bring the the Roger Rabbit character back into the Disney empire so we can see more of him.