'Chip 'N' Dale: Rescue Rangers' Trailer Inspires Tentative Optimism For Yet Another Cartoon Reboot

It's no secret that studios have lately engaged in a seemingly desperate race to trot out all of their IPs (sometimes all at once) in an attempt to sell movie tickets. While people have been understandably exhausted at the transparent barrages of nostalgia, a trailer for a live-action Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers film has people intrigued.

The film looks like an extremely post-modern take on the Chip 'n' Dale franchise, showing the titular chipmunk heroes decades removed from fame and burnt out before going on one last ride. Dale got "CGI surgery," meaning he is rendered in 3D CGI while Chip is rendered in 2D animation. There's an onslaught of other IPs: Roger Rabbit makes an appearance, along with a brief shot of Ponies.

By that description alone, it frankly doesn't sound much different than the critically panned Space Jam: A New Legacy, which inspired some epic screeds about how the film represented the death of culture.

However, there's a small current of optimism about Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers, thanks largely in part to who's behind it — The Lonely Island. Andy Samberg is voicing Dale while John Mulaney takes on Chip.

Recovering cocaine addicts Chip and Dale. Unbelievable plot twist. All in. https://t.co/hROOh1GDyB

— #HonkHonk (@ColeyMick) February 15, 2022

First Snoop and Dr Dre at the Super Bowl…now a Chip and Dale reboot? Young me is feeling nostalgic 😎 https://t.co/2A7tcl0qZK

— Anna Kagarakis (@AnnaKagarakis) February 15, 2022

Huh, Lonely Island guys might’ve pulled it off. Pretty funny to build in the uncanny valley https://t.co/SVD7OLmKdI

— Mr. Chau (@Srirachachau) February 15, 2022

Lonely Island and John Mulaney doing a modern Roger Rabbit is not what I expected this film to be https://t.co/3lvjERS22y

— Henry Gilbert (@hEnereyG) February 15, 2022

Right now, it seems most people are trying to process the general weirdness of the trailer, but there are some who are very upset that Chip and Dale have normal-people voices instead of the squeaky chipmunk voice that has defined them forever.

Someone made the decision to give Chip and Dale normal voices for the direct purpose of celebrity-casting and they need to be fired immediately. https://t.co/f2TC5K0eL5

— Christina Valentasty (@ChristinaTasty) February 15, 2022

Having Chip and Dale of all characters be "meta" and self aware that they had this hit show once and that their voices are "actually" not high pitched but voiced by celebrities is one of the most cursed things Disney could do I hate life

— 💜🌻✨ Kat | Celestial Husbands CEO ☀️🌙❤️💙 (@sophkat7) February 15, 2022

alright follow up

after I actually watched it

1) it looks VERY interesting but it's probably a shitty nostalgia cashgrab

2) it doesn't really FEEL like the og rescue rangers series, so I'm kinda disappointed

3) why did't they give chip and dale a chipmunk voice, huh? https://t.co/hDSub1pYhp

— 🫐confusedContrarian🫐-pasteurized (jocer ark pt2) (@BoiiGorl) February 15, 2022

We'll have to wait until May 20th, when the film goes to Disney+, to see if Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers is any good.