Filmmaker Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, Contact) has publicly criticized The Walt Disney Company and Disneyland specifically for their recent treatment of the Jessica Rabbit character from his 1988 hit Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
What’s happening:
- In an interview on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, filmmaker Robert Zemeckis has commented on the recent changes made to the Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin attraction at Disneyland in Southern California.
- Answering a question from host Josh Horowitz, Zemeckis (who is currently promoting his new film Here starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright) expressed doubt that a sequel to Who Framed Roger Rabbit would ever get made because Walt Disney Studios would not put the character of Jessica Rabbit in a movie these days.
- In late 2021, Disneyland made some significant alterations to Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, recasting Jessica Rabbit from a sultry starlet to a detective helping her husband Roger Rabbit solve the mystery from the film. And instead of her usual revealing red gown, the animatronic figures of Jessica throughout the ride were permanently dressed in yellow trench coats and fedoras.
What they’re saying:
- Robert Zemeckis: “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. I mean look what they did to Jessica at the theme park. They trussed her up in a trench coach.”
- “We were able to make [the movie] right at the time when Disney was ready to rebuild itself. 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 movies for children. He always made them for adults. That’s what I decided to do with Roger Rabbit.”
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin is open daily at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is available to stream on Disney+.
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