Gary K. Wolf, the author of the novels that formed the basis for Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, is planning a new live-action movie centered around Jessica Rabbit. However, some believe this misses the spirit of the original. Wolf recently told ImNotBad.com that he’s regained the rights to his characters and is developing new projects for them. His first focus is a Jessica Rabbit story inspired by his original novel, Jessica Rabbit: XERIOUS Business.
Released in 2022, Jessica Rabbit: XERIOUS Business tells the story of Jessica’s life before she became the famous character we all know. The story explores the origins of Toontown and is set in a more contemporary world than the original film’s classic noir style. While the creator hopes to turn this into a new movie, a live-action adaptation might lose what fans loved most about the original: the presence of cartoon characters.
Will a Jessica Rabbit Movie Even Work?
According to Wolf, a live-action movie based on the book Jessica Rabbit: XERIOUS Business is currently his most promising project. It was the first idea he and his team explored and is the furthest along in development. The project appears promising because it focuses on a popular character from the original film and tells her origin story – a popular trend with updated versions of classic tales.
The story has potential, especially exploring Jessica Rabbit’s life before the events of the original film. Seeing Jessica Krupnick, an everyday woman in a world without Toons, finally share her backstory could be compelling. Uncovering the origins of Toontown would also be an interesting angle for a new take on the concept. However, despite sounding good in theory, it’s unlikely to live up to expectations.
Jessica Rabbit’s appeal in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? largely comes from her mysteriousness. The film intentionally focuses on her, creating a captivating aura. She felt both familiar, recalling classic cartoon stars like Betty Boop, and strikingly unique within Disney’s style – so much so that some believe her complexity contributed to why a sequel was never made. Her impact relied on how she contrasted with the other, more traditional cartoons in the film, and without that contrast, her character wouldn’t have been as special.
Roger Rabbit Fans Would Expect…Roger Rabbit
As a huge fan of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, I think the biggest challenge with making a sequel isn’t the technical side of things, it’s meeting expectations. People love that blend of live-action and animation, and if a new movie, especially one focusing on Jessica Rabbit, drastically changes that formula – less cartoon zaniness, more serious tone – I worry it won’t resonate with the original fanbase. We all want another movie that feels like Roger Rabbit, and moving too far away from that unique style could be a real problem.
Beyond its detective story style, the original Who Framed Roger Rabbit? became a hit because it brought together characters from different cartoon franchises. Seeing icons like Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny together, even briefly in a single scene, was a major draw for fans – and it’s something that hasn’t been repeated since. This unique combination helped make the film a classic, but today, with even more complex ownership of these characters, recreating that moment would be nearly impossible.
Reimagining the character with a live-action version, especially one that doesn’t fully become Jessica Rabbit until later, feels like a misstep. The challenge of following up the original Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was a major reason a sequel never materialized, and even the author of the source material is struggling to develop a new story. While the idea might sound interesting, it’s unlikely even Jessica Rabbit fans would be excited about this approach.
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2025-11-17 03:40