Call it a reboot. | Image: Disney
Disney has released a trailer for the Disney Plus exclusive movie Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, and it seems it’s following in the grand tradition of Space Jam 2 by being squarely targeted toward the age bracket that remembers the characters from late ’80s and early ’90s cartoons.
The movie features Andy Samberg voicing Dale and John Mulaney as Chip, alongside a host of other stars like Will Arnett, Keegan-Michael Key, and Seth Rogan. Based on the trailer, the plot is vaguely about them reuniting after a few decades and teaming up to save the world.
Disney does a lot of lampshading in the trailer and in its Twitter post about how this movie totally isn’t a reboot — Chip even shouts “nobody wants a reboot!” But while that argument may hold water for the Disney Plus show Chip n’ Dale: Park Life, which seems very much aimed at young children, the movie is clearly meant for people who remember the Rescue Rangers show. The trailer starts off with a bit of a BoJack Horseman vibe, showing a “news package” about the duo’s downfall 30 years after their rise to fame. There’s a joke that Dale looks different after getting “CGI surgery.”
It’s not a reboot. It’s a comeback.
Chip ‘n Dale: #RescueRangers, an all-new, never-done-before, completely 100% Original movie (based on pre-existing IP owned by Disney), streaming May 20 on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/tlsCzElKjC
— Disney+ (@disneyplus) February 15, 2022
The trailer also comes with a heaping helping of nostalgia-bait — there are homages to ’80s and ’90s classics like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and My Little Pony (though their designs are closer to the Friendship is Magic versions that what Gen Z grew up with). There’s also an extended gag about bad CGI animation — including a reference to the horrifying Cats movie from 2019.
Image: Disney
The references, they are not subtle.
Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers will come to Disney Plus on May 20th. If you’ve got some memories you want to relive before then, the full run of the original Rescue Rangers show is already available on the streaming service.