Mickey Mouse/Roger Rabbit Film Called 'The Stooge' Has Been Proposed To Disney

By Germain LussierFeb. 19, 2013 5:00 pm EST

Marvel teamed up characters in The Avengers, DC is teaming up heroes for Justice League, and now Disney could have the option to team up two of their own iconic characters. Gary K. Wolf, creator of Roger Rabbit, is saying a proposal for a film called The Stooge is being prepared for Disney executives. The film would be a fully-animated buddy comedy starring Roger Rabbit and Mickey Mouse. Though the proposal shares a title with a 1952 film starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, it would likely be very different from that comedy.

According to Wolf, The Stooge is "a real development proposal" for a Disney/Pixar movie which has concept art and a producer, Erik von Wodtke, who is talking to screenwriters and directors about possibly getting the film made.

Ain't It Cool News first wrote about the news, which was posted on Wolf's official website. Thought its accuracy was questioned by many, Wolf then contacted AICN for an update to confirm, yes, The Stooge is a real thing.

The Stooge is a real development proposal for a Disney/Pixar movie. It has the same title as the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis film and some of the same plot elements, but it's not a remake. The storyline in this Stooge is quite different.

This movie, which will be all animated, has nothing to do with the sequel to Who Framed Roger Rabbit. They are totally different concepts and projects. It's not a case of making one instead of the other. In an ideal, rabbit-centric world, Disney will make both.

The Stooge development producer Erik von Wodtke came up with the story and wrote the treatment. He showed it to me hoping that I would see how special it was and would be interested in coming in on the project. With that, he did succeed. I love the idea of a Mickey Mouse and Roger Rabbit musical buddy comedy. This is a co-star pairing made in cartoon heaven. Two iconic cartoon characters playing off one another in a story that has the heart and emotional soul of films like Wall-E and Toy Story. What Disney fan wouldn't want to see that?

He can say that again. Mickey Mouse hasn't appeared in a new theatrical film for many years.

What's still a bit odd about this is that, in his update above, Wolf says the film will be "all-animated." But in his first post, it says the following:

The film incorporates five specific locations from the Disneyland park. It also introduces the Toon Train, an exciting and interesting way to travel through Toontown....The film features real-life people. Walt Disney costars. Orson Wells makes an appearance.

That suggests that the film is in very early development, could change radically over the next several years. (Or that the real characters such as Disney would be animated.) Either way, it's very cool to know someone out there is trying to bring not only Roger Rabbit back to the big screen, but the Mouse himself.

Here's the final word from Wolf:

Art director Doug A Sirois has been working on Stooge concept art. What I've seen so far is sensational. I will be involved in the project in a writing and creative capacity. Erik is currently talking to a number of top-flight screenwriters and directors. Watch my blog. I'll keep fans posted on Stooge developments.

Do you think a project like this could ever see the light of day?