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A “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” review video pointed out how though the movie was very popular when it was first released as it is today, Disney never did much with the franchise afterwards when it came to animation. Sure there were 3 shorts, a scrapped sequel, and a reference in Aladdin 3 (I’m not counting that Chip and Dale movie as everything was referenced in that) but I still think they gave up on it pretty quickly. That’s why it was a surprise when I realized that their rival Warner Bros. has done more stuff with the Who Framed Roger Rabbit franchise by parodying and referencing it in shows like Animaniacs, Tiny Toons, and even Superman: The Animated Series.

It does make sense as along with WB liking their bunny characters while Disney cartoons (especially back then) are more aimed at children and families, Warner Bros. cartoons like Looney Tunes are more aimed at everyone to enjoy to a point they are more mature in comparison. This got me thinking of what things would have been like if Warner Bros. had owned the rights to Roger Rabbit and co. the whole time and made the characters a part of the Looney Tunes franchise. Long text warning.

Roger would likely have had a Goofy like role as though not dumb, his habit of being clumsy and not paying attention can lead to trouble, like he will lose an important item by making it fall into a mail truck and would spend the who episode trying to retrieve it from the very dedicated mailman. I could picture him being a protégé of Bugs Bunny as from time to time the latter would teach Roger his ways of Looniness. Roger also could have been the bane of Bugs, as Roger would accidently cause Bugs pain, good for when there are moments when Bugs goes too far with something or when Bugs has to be the target of slapstick for the episode.

Roger’s inclusion could also have been a way to bring a twist to some of the franchises most popular stories. I could picture one where Roger gets involved in a rabbit season/duck season debate and while Daffy would still get shot, somehow Roger would get Bugs shot as well and similar to Daffy maybe Bug’s tail would fly off and do things like form a toupee or beard/mustache on Bugs, Elmer, or another animal. In another, similar episode I could see Roger having a gag where he constantly mentions his wife and in the end Jessica would arrive revealing she is the Park Ranger of the local area. She then clarifies that it’s neither rabbit or duck season as hunting season ended a week ago and Elmer is technically breaking the law, so she takes him away to be fined. Bugs and Daffy then bring up why Roger never mentioned his wife was the Park Ranger and he just simply says they never asked.

Another cartoon idea is that the rabbit community wants another rematch with the turtles. The turtles choose Cecil to represent them and while Bugs is confidant he would be the one to race, the others choose Roger given Bug’s past with Cecil. Roger states that though he will try his best, he’s going to have fun as he states winning isn’t everything. This of course makes the other rabbits nervous so they force Bugs to help Roger win the race no matter what or they will take out their anger about losing on him. Throughout the episode Bugs tries to aid Roger but his actions always lead to Roger falling behind and make Cecil mock Bugs which annoys the bunny. Bugs eventually gives up near the finish line but this causes Cecil to take a moment to mock Bugs which causes Roger to catch up and win the race surprising the two. Bugs then mocks Cecil for losing but sadly his fun is short lived as footage of the race makes it look like Bugs was trying to make Roger lose, causing an angry mob to form alongside another mob of turtles who are mad at Cecil for losing in a manner like in the fable. The episode ends with Cecil and Bugs teaming up to escape the mobs while Roger enjoys his win with Jessica.

Maybe Roger could have played the main role of a “Peter Rabbit” parody episode, as maybe he is challenged to get a rare vegetable or lost ball from a highly secured garden.

Jessica Rabbit could have been a nice addition as along with being another female character, it would have been interesting to have a human cartoon character play a role that isn’t as antagonist or always a side character. Sure she would still have been the eye candy but along with how that didn’t stop WB from doing that in other shows for many years, she would still be as clever as she was beautiful and use that cleverness to clearly stop the antagonist of the episode she is in.

I could see her having episodes where a just as talented female character always gets jealous of Jessica being chosen for something (like up for a promotion or will be the opening act of someone) and the rival always tries to ruin Jessica’s gig but Jessica always seems to get out scott free unlike the rival. Ironically Jessica would always treat the rival like a friend the whole time and maybe in some cases gives the thing to the rival, getting a win from time to time. Obviously she and Roger would have many episodes together, like where they go on dates but some guys always try to flirt with Jessica so she uses her wits to make them go away in funny ways before Roger finds out. These kinds of episode would end the same way as Roger would always see one of these guys with Jessica and we discover that Jessica was doing these things to “protect them” as Roger would go all chivalrous and uses his toon powers to make the guy go flying away from them, which Jessica doesn’t like as she hates it when her sweet husband gets all tough though she is quick to forgive him since he always goes back to his normal self.

Just like with Roger interacting with other Looney Tunes characters, I like the idea of making her the owner of the cat character from the Pepe Le Pew cartoons, where she would use her wits to prevent Pepe from getting to her cat. I could see her doing things like give Pepe a heavy anvil to hold while he is climbing up a ladder or she just so happens to have a anti skunk collar for the cat to wear, making Pepe flee every time he got close to the cat. Course she isn’t always like this as I can picture one scenario where in an episode where she is a vet, she does a surgery that gets rid of Pepe’s stink which instantly makes all the female animals attracted to him. Another is that she pairs Pepe up with a raccoon that loves smelly things thus giving Pepe a happily ever after ending.

There could be an episode where Yosemite Sam, after realizing he is the only criminal to not tie a lady to some train tracks, decides to do it on Jessica but she keeps outsmarting him causing Sam to be the one to get hit by trains. The episode ends with Sam giving up but surprised that everyone is cheering for him, as apparently other criminals have tried the same thing with Jessica but they all ended up dying, so the fact that he survived makes him a legend.

Another possible episode is one where Jessica gets turned into an actual toon rabbit like Roger. We see her react and use the new form to handle a threat but the vast differences between species starts causing her to act abnormal (in this case sillier) as a side effect, so Roger has to try and change her back before it's too late.

The Toon Patrol, which I can see being renamed “The Weasel Gang” could have been an upgraded version of that cartoon crime duo of the small boss and the big, dumb henchman. They would be the troublemakers would commit crimes only to get stopped by another toon. I could picture a few episodes where Bugs messes with them such as after the gang steals all the carrots in the area so people would have to buy from them or when he discovers the weasels are going to dig a tunnel going through his house in order to rob a bank.

They likely would have gone through the most changes, especially when it comes to some of the characters names and designs such as having Smartass just be called Smarty or Boss, Psycho would likely be given an outfit that matches his crazy personality like wearing a tutu with swim shorts and a Christmas sweater, and Wheezy would be replaced with someone else like a weasel with a sugar or screen addiction.

Baby Herman would have been made a man who looked like a baby. His main gag (which I think Looney Tunes did before) would be that he is a criminal or escaped convict that would disguise himself as a baby or in later episodes a boy in order to lose the cops. However while in the disguise he would suffer either cause the adults that adopted him were very stupid and irresponsible or he would get in trouble while trying to escape the school he is pretending to attend. Later on I could see him getting a redesign where he looks like an fully grown man but with a baby like head, picture that Babyface villain from Batman: The Brave and the Bold. His new gags would be that people try not to laugh at his appearance and that occasionally he will act like a baby such as crying when he gets caught by the police.

This also makes me wonder how their inclusion in Looney Tunes shows and movies would have changed them.

In Space Jam since Jessica would be in it, that version of Lola Bunny would likely have had a different personality which in turn could have been a better step in the right direction to giving us her Looney Tune Show version. That or maybe Jessica would have been a cheerleader that distracts everyone XD

In Looney Tunes: Back in Action, after it is pointed out that without Daffy, Bugs doesn’t have someone to argue with someone gets Roger to fill in the role which leads to Bugs being shot by Elmer in that alternate rabbit season skit I talked about earlier. Though this team up is well received it makes the company a bit less money than what they are used to, so the VP that fired Daffy goes out to get him with Bugs following. Jessica Rabbit could have been the toon partner of the spy at Yosemite Sam’s casino and helps Daffy and the others escape town.

For Animaniacs, maybe its implied that Hello Nurse was Jessica’s cousin or niece.

I could have seen the characters have a big impact in Tiny Toons as that show was full of references and shout outs to Who Framed Roger Rabbit. One would be that Roger would be the founder/principal of Looniversity, something that was actually joked about in one episode, but again fits with the idea of him being a protege of Bugs as I brought up before. Maybe the show could have had a character/characters that were the kid of offspring of Roger and Jessica.

Tiny Toons did have an episode where Babs Bunny wishes there was a female cartoon role model she could look up to so maybe it leads her to meeting Jessica who then introduces Babs to the other female Looney Tunes characters like Granny and that witch character, maybe even Dot from Animaniacs. Either way the episode would end with Babs going from zero role models to several role models and realizing that if she works hard enough could be a female cartoon character for future female toons to look up to.

Ignoring all the bad shows we get to The Looney Tunes show. Roger and Jessica are new neighbors in Bugs and Daffy’s neighborhood. At this point I would see Roger and Jessica wearing normal clothes but more on that in a bit. Roger would be a rising comedian as he is known for using all kinds of props in his routine, some that even parodies some old Looney Tunes gags like a projector will show stars and birds in one of his skits when he gets hit by “heavy” objects or his show will end with a hollowed out prop shaped like a anvil falling on him. Jessica would be someone that works at city hall and would be a great way for the characters to find out what is going on in the city. When working I could see Jessica wearing a business suit but outside of it would wear something casual, and her iconic dress would be worn on date nights or special/fancy occasions.

One episode could have Bugs being jealous of everyone liking Roger’s jokes and after fearing that he could be the new funny guy tries to out funny him. Another could have Jessica being in charge of keeping an eye on Daffy and Lola after the latter are forced to help out at City Hall. In one episode where the Rabbits celebrate their wedding anniversary not only does this make Daffy wonder what his wedding would be like (even going out to wear wedding dresses) but this gives Lola the idea of becoming a wedding planner and being surprisingly good at it.

You know with Warner Bros. being in a Looney Tunes making role lately what with making short Looney Tunes shorts again and making at Tiny Toons reboot, and that Disney has been losing a lot money, I bet WB could easily buy the rights to those characters and implement them in future works, but that’s just a fun idea in the end.

What are your thoughts about all of this?

Roger Rabbit is owned by Disney
Warner Bros logo is owned by such company
base by HopetectiveR35

Description
A “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” review video pointed out how though the movie was very popular when it was first released as it is today, Disney never did much with the franchise afterwards when it came to animation. Sure there were 3 shorts, a scrapped sequel, and a reference in Aladdin 3 (I’m not counting that Chip and Dale movie as everything was referenced in that) but I still think they gave up on it pretty quickly. That’s why it was a surprise when I realized that their rival Warner Bros. has done more stuff with the Who Framed Roger Rabbit franchise by parodying and referencing it in shows like Animaniacs, Tiny Toons, and even Superman: The Animated Series.

It does make sense as along with WB liking their bunny characters while Disney cartoons (especially back then) are more aimed at children and families, Warner Bros. cartoons like Looney Tunes are more aimed at everyone to enjoy to a point they are more mature in comparison. This got me thinking of what things would have been like if Warner Bros. had owned the rights to Roger Rabbit and co. the whole time and made the characters a part of the Looney Tunes franchise. Long text warning.

Roger would likely have had a Goofy like role as though not dumb, his habit of being clumsy and not paying attention can lead to trouble, like he will lose an important item by making it fall into a mail truck and would spend the who episode trying to retrieve it from the very dedicated mailman. I could picture him being a protégé of Bugs Bunny as from time to time the latter would teach Roger his ways of Looniness. Roger also could have been the bane of Bugs, as Roger would accidently cause Bugs pain, good for when there are moments when Bugs goes too far with something or when Bugs has to be the target of slapstick for the episode.

Roger’s inclusion could also have been a way to bring a twist to some of the franchises most popular stories. I could picture one where Roger gets involved in a rabbit season/duck season debate and while Daffy would still get shot, somehow Roger would get Bugs shot as well and similar to Daffy maybe Bug’s tail would fly off and do things like form a toupee or beard/mustache on Bugs, Elmer, or another animal. In another, similar episode I could see Roger having a gag where he constantly mentions his wife and in the end Jessica would arrive revealing she is the Park Ranger of the local area. She then clarifies that it’s neither rabbit or duck season as hunting season ended a week ago and Elmer is technically breaking the law, so she takes him away to be fined. Bugs and Daffy then bring up why Roger never mentioned his wife was the Park Ranger and he just simply says they never asked.

Another cartoon idea is that the rabbit community wants another rematch with the turtles. The turtles choose Cecil to represent them and while Bugs is confidant he would be the one to race, the others choose Roger given Bug’s past with Cecil. Roger states that though he will try his best, he’s going to have fun as he states winning isn’t everything. This of course makes the other rabbits nervous so they force Bugs to help Roger win the race no matter what or they will take out their anger about losing on him. Throughout the episode Bugs tries to aid Roger but his actions always lead to Roger falling behind and make Cecil mock Bugs which annoys the bunny. Bugs eventually gives up near the finish line but this causes Cecil to take a moment to mock Bugs which causes Roger to catch up and win the race surprising the two. Bugs then mocks Cecil for losing but sadly his fun is short lived as footage of the race makes it look like Bugs was trying to make Roger lose, causing an angry mob to form alongside another mob of turtles who are mad at Cecil for losing in a manner like in the fable. The episode ends with Cecil and Bugs teaming up to escape the mobs while Roger enjoys his win with Jessica.

Maybe Roger could have played the main role of a “Peter Rabbit” parody episode, as maybe he is challenged to get a rare vegetable or lost ball from a highly secured garden.

Jessica Rabbit could have been a nice addition as along with being another female character, it would have been interesting to have a human cartoon character play a role that isn’t as antagonist or always a side character. Sure she would still have been the eye candy but along with how that didn’t stop WB from doing that in other shows for many years, she would still be as clever as she was beautiful and use that cleverness to clearly stop the antagonist of the episode she is in.

I could see her having episodes where a just as talented female character always gets jealous of Jessica being chosen for something (like up for a promotion or will be the opening act of someone) and the rival always tries to ruin Jessica’s gig but Jessica always seems to get out scott free unlike the rival. Ironically Jessica would always treat the rival like a friend the whole time and maybe in some cases gives the thing to the rival, getting a win from time to time. Obviously she and Roger would have many episodes together, like where they go on dates but some guys always try to flirt with Jessica so she uses her wits to make them go away in funny ways before Roger finds out. These kinds of episode would end the same way as Roger would always see one of these guys with Jessica and we discover that Jessica was doing these things to “protect them” as Roger would go all chivalrous and uses his toon powers to make the guy go flying away from them, which Jessica doesn’t like as she hates it when her sweet husband gets all tough though she is quick to forgive him since he always goes back to his normal self.

Just like with Roger interacting with other Looney Tunes characters, I like the idea of making her the owner of the cat character from the Pepe Le Pew cartoons, where she would use her wits to prevent Pepe from getting to her cat. I could see her doing things like give Pepe a heavy anvil to hold while he is climbing up a ladder or she just so happens to have a anti skunk collar for the cat to wear, making Pepe flee every time he got close to the cat. Course she isn’t always like this as I can picture one scenario where in an episode where she is a vet, she does a surgery that gets rid of Pepe’s stink which instantly makes all the female animals attracted to him. Another is that she pairs Pepe up with a raccoon that loves smelly things thus giving Pepe a happily ever after ending.

There could be an episode where Yosemite Sam, after realizing he is the only criminal to not tie a lady to some train tracks, decides to do it on Jessica but she keeps outsmarting him causing Sam to be the one to get hit by trains. The episode ends with Sam giving up but surprised that everyone is cheering for him, as apparently other criminals have tried the same thing with Jessica but they all ended up dying, so the fact that he survived makes him a legend.

Another possible episode is one where Jessica gets turned into an actual toon rabbit like Roger. We see her react and use the new form to handle a threat but the vast differences between species starts causing her to act abnormal (in this case sillier) as a side effect, so Roger has to try and change her back before it's too late.

The Toon Patrol, which I can see being renamed “The Weasel Gang” could have been an upgraded version of that cartoon crime duo of the small boss and the big, dumb henchman. They would be the troublemakers would commit crimes only to get stopped by another toon. I could picture a few episodes where Bugs messes with them such as after the gang steals all the carrots in the area so people would have to buy from them or when he discovers the weasels are going to dig a tunnel going through his house in order to rob a bank.

They likely would have gone through the most changes, especially when it comes to some of the characters names and designs such as having Smartass just be called Smarty or Boss, Psycho would likely be given an outfit that matches his crazy personality like wearing a tutu with swim shorts and a Christmas sweater, and Wheezy would be replaced with someone else like a weasel with a sugar or screen addiction.

Baby Herman would have been made a man who looked like a baby. His main gag (which I think Looney Tunes did before) would be that he is a criminal or escaped convict that would disguise himself as a baby or in later episodes a boy in order to lose the cops. However while in the disguise he would suffer either cause the adults that adopted him were very stupid and irresponsible or he would get in trouble while trying to escape the school he is pretending to attend. Later on I could see him getting a redesign where he looks like an fully grown man but with a baby like head, picture that Babyface villain from Batman: The Brave and the Bold. His new gags would be that people try not to laugh at his appearance and that occasionally he will act like a baby such as crying when he gets caught by the police.

This also makes me wonder how their inclusion in Looney Tunes shows and movies would have changed them.

In Space Jam since Jessica would be in it, that version of Lola Bunny would likely have had a different personality which in turn could have been a better step in the right direction to giving us her Looney Tune Show version. That or maybe Jessica would have been a cheerleader that distracts everyone XD

In Looney Tunes: Back in Action, after it is pointed out that without Daffy, Bugs doesn’t have someone to argue with someone gets Roger to fill in the role which leads to Bugs being shot by Elmer in that alternate rabbit season skit I talked about earlier. Though this team up is well received it makes the company a bit less money than what they are used to, so the VP that fired Daffy goes out to get him with Bugs following. Jessica Rabbit could have been the toon partner of the spy at Yosemite Sam’s casino and helps Daffy and the others escape town.

For Animaniacs, maybe its implied that Hello Nurse was Jessica’s cousin or niece.

I could have seen the characters have a big impact in Tiny Toons as that show was full of references and shout outs to Who Framed Roger Rabbit. One would be that Roger would be the founder/principal of Looniversity, something that was actually joked about in one episode, but again fits with the idea of him being a protege of Bugs as I brought up before. Maybe the show could have had a character/characters that were the kid of offspring of Roger and Jessica.

Tiny Toons did have an episode where Babs Bunny wishes there was a female cartoon role model she could look up to so maybe it leads her to meeting Jessica who then introduces Babs to the other female Looney Tunes characters like Granny and that witch character, maybe even Dot from Animaniacs. Either way the episode would end with Babs going from zero role models to several role models and realizing that if she works hard enough could be a female cartoon character for future female toons to look up to.

Ignoring all the bad shows we get to The Looney Tunes show. Roger and Jessica are new neighbors in Bugs and Daffy’s neighborhood. At this point I would see Roger and Jessica wearing normal clothes but more on that in a bit. Roger would be a rising comedian as he is known for using all kinds of props in his routine, some that even parodies some old Looney Tunes gags like a projector will show stars and birds in one of his skits when he gets hit by “heavy” objects or his show will end with a hollowed out prop shaped like a anvil falling on him. Jessica would be someone that works at city hall and would be a great way for the characters to find out what is going on in the city. When working I could see Jessica wearing a business suit but outside of it would wear something casual, and her iconic dress would be worn on date nights or special/fancy occasions.

One episode could have Bugs being jealous of everyone liking Roger’s jokes and after fearing that he could be the new funny guy tries to out funny him. Another could have Jessica being in charge of keeping an eye on Daffy and Lola after the latter are forced to help out at City Hall. In one episode where the Rabbits celebrate their wedding anniversary not only does this make Daffy wonder what his wedding would be like (even going out to wear wedding dresses) but this gives Lola the idea of becoming a wedding planner and being surprisingly good at it.

You know with Warner Bros. being in a Looney Tunes making role lately what with making short Looney Tunes shorts again and making at Tiny Toons reboot, and that Disney has been losing a lot money, I bet WB could easily buy the rights to those characters and implement them in future works, but that’s just a fun idea in the end.

What are your thoughts about all of this?

Roger Rabbit is owned by Disney
Warner Bros logo is owned by such company
base by HopetectiveR35