The Easter Eggs In The Chip 'N Dale: Rescue Rangers Trailer You Might Have Missed

When John Mulaney and Andy Samberg announced that they would be starring in the Disney+ original movie "Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers" last summer, they were very adamant that this story would not be a reboot. Many assumed that it would be similar to the James Gunn "Scooby-Doo" movies in that they acknowledged the past adventures that took place in the original animated series, but the hybrid live-action tale would be set in modern times and feature a completely new adventure. Well, as the first teaser trailer shows us, both things turned out to be true. Although, rather than taking the "Scooby-Doo" approach, it looks like director Akiva Schaffer of The Lonely Island, and "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand took a page from the playbook of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"

Apparently, Chip and Dale live in world similar to Roger's where cartoons and humans live together in harmony. So like the world in Robert Zemeckis' unprecedented, revolutionary Disney classic, there are a ton of familiar faces from your favorite animated shows and movies just walking around and living their lives. And in case you missed some while watching the first teaser trailer, we've compiled a list of Easter eggs to get you caught up.

Opposites attract

The trailer opens with an intro for "Real Hollywood Story," this universe's version of "VH1 Behind the Music." After a recap of the beloved animated series, we go back to the '80s where Chip, Dale, and the rest of the Rescue Rangers are celebrating the success of their show. In this scene, you'll notice that DJ Skat Kat and Paula Abdul are in the DJ booth. The titular Three Little Pigs from the 1933 Disney short are on the dance floor with Chip and Dale. And, as if the similarities to Roger Rabbit weren't already plentiful, we see the actual Roger Rabbit busting a move as well. This flashback is topped off with Dale in sparkly Hammer pants doing the Hammer dance in front of a mirror.

Modern times

Fast forward 30 years. The show has been canceled and the stars are no longer a dynamic duo. Now in modern day Los Angeles, Chip (a suburbanite insurance salesman) and Dale (a nostalgia circuit regular that had CGI surgery) reunite to solve a new mystery and potentially repair their broken friendship.

Around the 0:50 mark, the two chipmunks run through a convention called Fan Con Los Angeles. There's a number of cosplayers, both human and cartoon, scattered around these scenes. At a quick glance, I can see Pee Wee Herman, Borat, Harley Quinn, a Sailor Scout, an X-Wing pilot, and Moana.

At one point, the pair duck into a booth to get a disguise so that they're not recognized. Not only does Chip naturally grab a hat and jacket that are reminiscent of his trademark look, but it's also attributed to the legendary Indiana Jones. And the reference wouldn't be complete without a bit of John Williams' iconic score.

When there's danger, oh no, it never fails

Outside of the con, Chip and Dale find themselves in what looks like a top secret facility. There's armed guards, lasers, an epic chase, and Scrooge McDuck. Wait. Yes. That is the patriarch of the family at the center of "Ducktales" at 1:19. And he's doing what he does best: swimming in a pool of gold coins. Hopefully we see more favorites from Disney's after school or Saturday morning programming.

The danger doesn't let up as there's plenty of quick cuts of our heroes running away. In this very fast montage, you can catch glimpses of Aladdin on the Magic Carpet and a stampede of "My Little Pony" characters. This sequence then culminates with a monster made of various animation styles recreating the iconic shot of the T-rex in the Jurassic Park visitor center, complete with the roar and the banner falling behind it. I'm not 100% sure on some of these, but it looks like it looks like this monster has a Donkey Kong arm, a 2D animated torso that could be inspired by Robin Hood or Little John from the 1973 film, an arm that's reminiscent of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" villain Shredder, a "Transformers"-esque leg, and a more modern Walt Disney Animation or Pixar-ish head.

To the rescue!

Finally, after the dramatic logo reveal, we end on a bit where a 2-D Chip and a 3-D Dale are walking down a normal street that's occupied by animated characters that are just a touch off. Chip says, "Remember that animation style where everything looks real, but nothing looked right?" This is a playful jab at movies like 2004's "Polar Express," "A Christmas Carol" starring Jim Carrey, and even "Cats" from 2019. Then, we meet Seth Rogen's character, who appears to be a medieval fantasy dwarf. Chip and Dale make a joke about how it doesn't look like Seth Rogen is looking at them even though he is. This is most definitely a reference to "Beowulf" from 2007. Ironically, that film was also directed by Robert Zemeckis, so we're building up and knocking down the acclaimed filmmaker that brought us "Back to the Future" and countless advancements in animation in the span of two minutes.

Of course, it's all in good fun and I fully expect more playful humor like that throughout "Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers." But we'll find out for sure when the Disney+ exclusive film starring John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, KiKi Layne, Will Arnett, Eric Bana, Dennis Haysbert, Keegan-Michael Key, J.K. Simmons, Chris Parnell, and Seth Rogen premieres on May 20, 2022.