Filmmaker Robert Zemeckis recently shared that a sequel to Who Framed Roger Rabbit will likely never happen, primarily due to Disney’s current views on Jessica Rabbit’s character. Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Zemeckis explained, “The current Disney would never make Roger Rabbit today. They can’t make a movie with Jessica in it.” Though a completed script exists—written by the original screenwriters Peter S. Seamen and Jeffrey Price—Zemeckis said it likely “isn’t ever going to see the light of day.”

Zemeckis highlighted the changing attitudes by pointing out how Jessica Rabbit’s appearance was toned down at Disney theme parks, where she was recently redesigned with a trench coat. This reluctance to showcase her more provocative style, he believes, reflects a shift from the bold approach Disney allowed in the 1980s. Despite a PG rating, the original film included risqué elements, which Disney supported at the time.

Reflecting on why the 1988 film succeeded, Zemeckis credited a unique timing when Disney was in a growth phase, open to innovation. He recalled, “I’m making Roger Rabbit the way I believe Walt Disney would have made it. Walt Disney never made movies for children alone; he made them for adults.” Zemeckis also explained how children could engage with mature themes without feeling talked down to—a belief Disney founder Walt Disney himself shared.

While talks about a sequel have persisted, no project ever moved forward. J.J. Abrams had previously discussed storyboard concepts for a Roger Rabbit short, but plans didn’t advance. There was also a 1990 prequel concept, Roger Rabbit II: The Toon Platoon, which would have placed Roger in the 1940s fighting Nazis, but it was eventually scrapped. Zemeckis praised Seamen and Price’s 2016 sequel script as “magnificent,” envisioning Roger and Jessica in a 1950s-style continuation, potentially including a digital version of Bob Hoskins, who played Eddie Valiant but passed away in 2014. Still, Zemeckis admitted Disney’s current leadership has little interest in reviving Roger Rabbit, especially due to discomfort with Jessica Rabbit’s character.