Fans of 1988's "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" will be disappointed to learn that a sequel will not be happening. Director Robert Zemeckis has leveled that he does not think the follow-up will ever be made and explained exactly why.
In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Zemeckis touched up his unmade "Roger Rabbit 2" script. He describes the script as magnificent, adding that it is more of a continuation than a sequel.
If the "Roger Rabbit" sequel happens, it will most likely follow Roger and Jessica Rabbit in the next few years of period film, moving on from film noir to the world of the 1950s. Also involved is the ghost of Eddie Valliant (Bob Hoskins).
While the director went ahead to stress that the script is breathtaking and the film would still utilize hand-drawn animation, Zemeckis said the chances of Disney green-lighting "Roger Rabbit 2" are slim. He explained that the current corporate Disney culture has no interest in Roger and certainly do not like Jessica.
Zemeckis is also aware of the fact that making a sequel to a popular hit is tricky. When the audiences clamor for a sequel, what they are really doing is expressing their enthusiasm for the movie they just saw, he added.
"That means they'll have a love-hate relationship with whatever comes next because they want it to be the same movie, but different," Zemeckis explained. "If it's too similar, they don't like it. And if it's too different, they really don't like it. There's nothing more difficult."
Set in Hollywood during the late 1940s, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" follows a private detective, Eddie Valiant, who must exonerate Roger Rabbit after being accused of murdering a wealthy businessman. The film has grossed $329.8 million out of its $58 million budget, as per Box Office Mojo.
Check out 1988's "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" here: