Roger Rabbit II: The Toon Platoon

Roger Rabbit II: The Toon Platoon is the un-produced prequel to the critically acclaimed 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It follows Roger Rabbit, learning that he is adopted, going out to search for his birth mother. The script takes place from 1941 to 1943. Steven Spielberg refused to sign on to the film due to its cartoonish depiction of Nazis.
==Script==
The first draft of the script was completed on May 22, 1989. It is unknown if there was a later draft.
It has been recently discovered that there is a second draft, dated October 30, 1990. The title has been revised to Roger Rabbit II: Who Discovered Roger Rabbit. Nat Mauldin, Tony Sheehan, and Jeff Stein are all listed as writers.
==Plot==
The film is set during World War II. Roger Rabbit, a Toon rabbit living with a human family, the Randalls, learns that they are not his real family; his mother had left him on their doorstep as a baby. So he decides to head out into the world to find his birth mother. Along the way, he runs into another human, Richie Davenport, who is heading out to Hollywood to make it big as an actor, since he has a fear of heights that keeps him from joining the Air Force like his father before him. Once in Hollywood, Richie and Roger meet two women, a human named Wendy Rowan and a Toon named Jessica Krupnick, who work as radio performers.
They go on their separate quests, Roger to find his mother and Richie to become an actor, but neither find any luck. When Richie finally does land a part in a movie, Roger, in searching for his mother, accidentally stumbles onto the movie set and disrupts shooting. The director and a studio executive think Roger has what it takes to be a star, but Richie is upset at Roger for ruining his big break. At that moment, however, they learn that Pearl Harbor had been bombed, triggering America's entry into World War II. To make matters worse, Jessica and Wendy learn that their boss at the radio station, Otto Green, is in fact in league with the Nazis, who kidnaps them and takes them to Germany, where he enslaves Jessica as a Tokyo Rose-type propagandist, using Wendy as a bargaining chip.
Eighteen months later, the Allies having gotten a foothold on the European continent, the U.S. government decides to use the indestructibility of Toons (they cannot be harmed by enemy attacks) to their advantage in the war. Unfortunately, however, when the Toons actually do arrive on the battlefield, they are more inclined to entertain than actually attack, and so they are reassigned to a supply base. Meanwhile, Richie had enlisted in the Army in Europe, but his fear of heights threatens his platoon, so he is removed to, much his dismay, the same supply base as the Toons. To add insult to his injury, he is to share his barracks with Roger, whom he had been trying for the last eighteen months to avoid.
==Characters==
===Main characters (human)===
*Richard "Richie" Davenport - (Dick Dunne - Stage Name) "Twenty Four, good-looking. Human." Aspiring actor, former pilot in the "Air Force Flight School". He is the main protagonist in this film. It is revealed that he is afraid of heights and he "washed out" of flight school, yet wants to follow in his father's footsteps. His father was a fighter pilot in World War I, who shot down nineteen German fighters. Marrying a nurse stationed in England, Richie was born on base. His father died in battle, went down over France. He came out to Hollywood to pursue a career in the movies, since if he couldn't be a real hero, he could at least play one on the screen. He is this film's equivalent of Eddie Valiant, as he takes little interest in Roger and any other Toons at first, but grows to like them eventually. He gets a role in a movie at Paramount, but Roger ruins it. He eventually joins the armed forces. But when his fear of heights threatens his platoon during a particular dangerous mission, he is sent to the Toon Platoon as punishment and is forced to work with the Toons. In trying to protect the Toons from the taunts of human G.I.s, as well as his own cowardice, he is imprisoned in a stockade, but is broken out by Roger when they go to save Jessica from the Nazis.
*Otto Green - "The station manager. Mid-fifties, rotund, jolly-looking, with a shock of red, curly hair." He is the main antagonist in this film, as he is revealed to be in league with the Nazis; his actual name is Otto Gruenwald, and his hair is actually a hairpiece. His radio program "Life With Gramps" is full of antiwar sentiments, and he has a hobby of building model planes, which comes to the fore when he uses his hobby to build bombs to kill people. When the war breaks out, he forces Jessica into a life of slavery as a Tokyo Rose-type propagandist. In his youth, he had studied radio guidance technology at Cal Tech and now has applied it to his nefarious deeds to launch a V2 rocket and blow up the Allied leaders at their conference in Malta.
*Wendy Rowan - "Twenty two and pretty. Actress. Human." Jessica's apartment roommate, she bandages Richie's wounds after he is beat up by members of the Air Force. She is an aspiring actress, like Richie. While she waits to land a role in the movies, Jessica decides to let her perform on the radio, since she is good at screaming. She ends being enslaved as a Nazi propagandist like Jessica.
===Main characters (Toon)===
*Roger Rabbit - The lovable cartoon rabbit from the first film. He learns that the Randalls are not his real family, and that his real mother, unable to care for him, left him on the Randalls' doorstop as a baby, which his adopted family tells him on his birthday. He vows to set out into the world to find his mother. The Randalls give him his red overalls and blue-and-yellow-spotted bow tie as a present, telling him he should look his best when he heads out. He carries with him a photo of his mother as he goes. On the way, he literally runs into Richie Davenport, who reluctantly takes him with him to Hollywood. He spends the first act trying to find his mother, but finds Jessica Krupnick instead and becomes smitten. He later joins the Army, after he "starred in a few movies".
*Jessica Krupnick - Radio actress, first on various radio shows for Mutual Broadcasting Studios, such as "Mr. Keene, Tracer of Lost Persons" and "Life With Gramps", and then as an unwilling Tokyo Rose-style propagandist for the Nazis, known as Axis Annie. She is as sexy and sultry as ever, but she tends to dress more conservatively at this early time. She is also rather oblivious to her own charms.
*Pee Wee the Biplane - "A polite and extremely timid Toon biplane". He was brought over to the Toon Platoon in the supply truck caravan with the other Toons.
*Swifty Turtle - One of Roger and Richie's bunkmates in Barracks Seven. He is "pleasant but a bit slow on the uptake, with a voice and demeanor reminiscent of Mortimer Snerd".
*Blackie F. Cat - One of Roger and Richie's bunkmates in Barracks Seven. He is a "roguish Brooklyn Toon feline" who speaks "with a pronounced Brooklyn accent" and who causes bad luck to anyone whose path he crosses, always nonchalantly.
*Bambi and Thumper - A pair of "jet-black Toon panther[s]", pets of Otto, who gave them those names because he "did love that movie".
===Secondary characters===
*Wilbur Fitch - "Fiftyish, a cheerful sort".
*Michael Randall - Roger Rabbit's younger brother, who is described as "Corn-fed country youth".
*Ryan Randall - Roger Rabbit's younger teen brother, he is described as a smaller version of 'Michael'.
*Dora Randall - Roger Rabbit's adoptive human mother. "Old fashioned and cheerful... late forties."
*Earl Randall - Roger Rabbit's adoptive human father.
*Timothy Randall - Roger Rabbit's youngest brother. He is eight years old.
*Elderly Man - Neighbor of the Randalls, and is use to the high-jinks of Roger Rabbit.
*Radio Announcer - Introducing a radio show, when Roger passes by, discussing Mr. Keene.
*Barber - The proprietor of a barber shop where Roger comes running in trying to find information on how to find Mr. Keene, a radio psychologist who can, "locate the missing, and bring loved ones together." The barber doesn't know and orders Roger out.
*Eddie Valiant - Eddie is getting his hair cut at the barber shop when Roger bursts in, and tells him where he can find the studio where Mr. Keene is. Eddie's reaction to Roger kissing him in gratitude is a hint that he is already dismissive towards Toons.
*Radio Actor - Playing the part of a private investigator, Mr. Keene, much like Eddie in the first film.
*Receptionist - "Thirtyish", tries to block Roger from interrupting the radio show.
*Agent - A ruthless rude talent agent.
*Sgt. Bolinski - "A burly guy in his forties", tries to recruit Richie to join the Air Force.
*Doris - "The cashier... a pleasant middle-aged woman", she complains about Toons invading the area.
*Radio Actor #2 - A man performing as a wise grandfather on "Life With Gramps".
*Guard - At the Paramount gate, "fiftyish".
*Little Girl - "A ten-year-old girl", actress.
*Yang - A boyish, cool, and wild person who never gives up, full of courage, doing whatever it takes, and wearing a black wig.
*Yin - a sexily cute type of person with the power of hand motional power, curiousity, and a white wig.
*Ginger - a prideful, confidential, and proud person who protects both Yang and Yin from dangers. She wears a reddish orange wig.
*Mother - "A woman of forty", following her young daughter.
*First Man - A large man that scared Richie while on the stairs.
*Casting Director - "...in his late forties." He is looking for someone who can play fear on a Father Feeny movie and chooses Richie when he gives him a believable performance.
*Mom - Male restauranteur of Mom's Coffee Shop; has a tattoo and wears "a greasy apron over his tee-shirt"; throws out Roger when he goes in to look for his mother.
*Director - Of the Father Feeny movie Richie is starring in, but when Roger ruins the take, the Director likes him more, because he has the makings of a star. He tells Richie that his scene will probably be cut.
*Mr. Greenblatt - Studio executive, "an imposing-looking man in his fifties". He takes a liking to Roger when he ruins Richie's take, telling him he has the makings of a great cartoon star.
*Actor - Playing Father Feeny.
*Radio News Announcer - Announces the news about the Pearl Harbor attack.
*Newsreel Announcer - Details the progress of the war eighteen months after the war started.
*Radio Man - Speaks into a field phone, he alerts Colonel Dewitt about the Toons' antics.
*Colonel Dewitt - "Fiftyish and all business". He first discovers that the Toons don't actually want to hurt anyone. He decides that the Toons were not working out as hoped.
*Lieut. Mahaffey - "...in his thirties", he first discovers that the Toons don't actually want to hurt anyone.
*Artillery Officer - "...looking out at the valley through the binoculars". He first discovers that the Toons don't actually want to hurt anyone.
*Sgt. Dungan - "A burly guy about forty". He is in charge of Richie Davenport's platoon. When the Toon Platoon messes up "royal", they have to change their battle plan to take the mountain instead of the valley. But when Richie's fear of heights endangers his company, Dungan has him sent to the Toon Platoon.
*Corporal Chapin - "...thirtyish". He is the lead driver in a caravan of covered supply trucks that are full of Toons that have failed. Sgt. Dungan has him take Richie to the Toon Platoon with the others.
*Drabinsky - A G.I. seeing Richie leave for the Toon Platoon and listening to a demoralizing song on the radio by Jessica, AKA Axis Annie, and is chided by Sgt. Dungan for listening to "that Nazi crap".
*Corporal Dewey - "...about twenty". At the Toon Platoon in Naples, he helps the Toons out of the supply truck. He was in charge until Richie arrives, after which Dewey relays responsibilities to him and sarcastically appoints him General.
*Menin - A human soldier who, along with Marks, picks on Pee Wee for his fear of flying, then taunts Richie for his fear of heights.
*Marks - A human soldier who, along with Menin, picks on Pee Wee for his fear of flying, then taunts Richie for his fear of heights.
*Guard - Sitting in the gatehouse, catches Roger, Blackie and Swifty going AWOL.
*Nazi Driver - "A young driver", driving a staff car to Gotteburg. He is discreetly replaced as driver by Richie.
*Nazi Lieutenant - Sleeping in the back of the staff car, he informs the driver to wake him if they win the war.
*Corporal Gottfried - Otto's aide-de-camp in the German chateau. He is seen feeding the panthers and gets scratched up for his efforts.
*Technician - "In a white jacket", he announces ready to "test the frequency" of radio controls to Otto.
*Motorcycle Driver - Arrives at the chateau to deliver papers to Otto.
*Storm Troopers - Guarding the entrance to the chateau, Richie tricks them into standing in such a way that they will be knocked out by a sofa, dropped by Blackie, so they can steal their clothes.
*Cook - In the chateau kitchen, he is checking off the food deliveries there, including of rabbit; actually, Richie is trying to pass off Roger as food to gain access.
*Second Cook - He is splitting beef in two with a huge cleaver. Roger is aghast at this, but Richie sneaks him past.
*Private Koenig - Soldier who escorts Wendy inside her cell later in the movie. He allows her one of his cigarettes to smoke.
===Toon cameos===
NOTE: This list of Toons is only those who are referred to by name in the script.
*Wile E. Coyote - One of the first Toons seen, he is seen "glanc[ing] at a shopping list in his hand" and going to ACME Corporation. He is later seen as one of the many Toons at the Toon Platoon in Naples.
*Road Runner - A customer in the market, he buys "two boxes of bird seed" and uses the express lane to check out.
*Hyacinth Hippo - "...an enormous matronly hippo". Another customer in the market, she is looking for the "Diet section".
*Foghorn Leghorn - The proprietor of a Toon men's department store, he dresses Richie in a gaudy Toon suit.
*Droopy Dog - Foghorn's assistant in the men's department store, wearing "a little tailor's coat, pinning [Richie's] cuffs."
*Tweety Bird - Acts as a bird in Richie's cuckoo clock, he tries several times to wake up Richie when it's time: hammer on bell, "a one-man band playing a John Philip Sousa march", and finally, when Richie never stirs from the noise, a lit stick of dynamite on the bedpost. The explosion finally wakes Richie up.
*Goofy - During the newsreel, he is seen at "a remote field in Quantico, Virginia[,] wearing fatigues" and used as the test subject for soldiers' weapons. He gets shot by various weapons, but remains intact, proof of "Toon power".
*Chip and Dale - During the newsreel, they are seen at the Pentagon in "an Endurance Test booth", where they run "inside a giant exercise wheel."
*Pluto - During the newsreel, he is seen at the Pentagon in "an Intelligence Test booth", where he "struggles to fit pegs into holes".
*The Seven Dwarfs - During the newsreel, Sneezy is seen at the Pentagon in "an Allergy Test booth", where "a doctor holds up various objects, which all make him sneeze". At the Toon Platoon in Naples, they are all among the many Toons brought over in the supply truck after they failed. They are referred to as: "Dwarf, S." (either Sleepy or Sneezy), "Dwarf, G.", "Dwarf, D." (either Doc or Dopey) and "Dwarf, B.", before Richie, listing them off their barracks, gives up on the tedious job of listing them all.
*Donald Duck - During the newsreel, he is seen at the Pentagon in "a Stress Test booth", where, "in a rage, [he] scream[s] and sputter[s] at more doctors from inside a plastic cubicle". He is also seen climbing the ramp with the other Toons as they ship out, the last one to board.
*Mickey Mouse - During the newsreel, he is seen at a Toon Induction Center "still wearing [his] civvies" and saying goodbye to Minnie. At the Toon Platoon in Naples, he is among the many Toons brought over in the supply truck after he failed. He is referred to as "Mouse, M." as Corporal Dewey calls him out and puts him in Barracks Six.
*Minnie Mouse - During the newsreel, she is seen at the Toon Induction Center, giving Mickey a kiss.
*Porky Pig - During the newsreel, he is seen at the Toon Induction Center "still wearing [his] civvies" and saying goodbye to Petunia. At the Toon Platoon in Naples, he is among the many Toons brought over in the supply truck after he failed. He is referred to as "Pig, P." as Corporal Dewey calls him out and puts him in Barracks Six.
*Petunia Pig - During the newsreel, she is seen at the Toon Induction Center, "bus[sing]" Porky.
*Daffy Duck - In the Prossedi Valley, he is one of the many Toons of the 61st Division, the Toon Platoon, "darting about the open field in a ridiculously haphazard fashion". He goads the Nazis into attacking, then takes out a grenade to attack them, only to realize that, after removing the pin with his toothy beak, he threw the pin instead of the grenade. With a weak exclamation of "Mother," he is then blown up by the grenade.
*Yosemite Sam - In the Prossedi Valley, he is one of the many Toons of the 61st Division, the Toon Platoon, "darting about the open field in a ridiculously haphazard fashion". He "wav[es] his blazing six-shooters over his head, shooting at everything and everybody" while yelling that he is "the rootinest-tootinest outlaw these shnitzel-stuffin' polecats ever laid eyes on".
*Tasmanian Devil - In the Prossedi Valley, he is one of the many Toons of the 61st Division, the Toon Platoon, "darting about the open field in a ridiculously haphazard fashion". He catches several German shells in his mouth and eats them, where they suddenly explode inside him, briefly expanding his body many times its size. "Pardon," he says, putting his hand to his mouth with embarrassment. At the Toon Platoon in Naples, he is seen painting a tank in camouflage colors, using his tornado technique to get the job done fast.
*Woody Woodpecker - At the Toon Platoon in Naples, he is among the many Toons brought over in the supply truck after he failed. He is referred to as "Woodpecker, W." as Corporal Dewey calls him out and puts him in Barracks Six.
*Bullwinkle J. Moose - At the Toon Platoon in Naples, he is among the many Toons brought over in the supply truck after he failed. He is referred to as "Moose, B." as Corporal Dewey and then Richie calls him out and assigns him a barracks.
*Huckleberry Hound - At the Toon Platoon in Naples, he is among the many Toons brought over in the supply truck after he failed. He is referred to as "Hound, H." as Corporal Dewey and then Richie calls him out and assigns him a barracks.
*Dumbo - At the Toon Platoon in Naples, his trunk is used as a hose to wash grime off of a plane.
*Pepé Le Pew - He is seen as one of the many Toons at the Toon Platoon in Naples.
*Speedy Gonzales - He is seen as one of the many Toons at the Toon Platoon in Naples.
*Hector the Bulldog - Cook at the Toon Platoon mess hall, he serves the Toons' meals by slinging the food at them and they hold the trays up like catchers' mitts to get them.
==Video==
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==References==
Category:Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Category:Live-action films
Category:Scripts
Category:Hybrid films
Category:World War II films
Category:Cancelled projects
Category:Touchstone Pictures films
Category:Unused concepts
Category:Prequel films