See The Chip 'N Dale: Rescue Rangers Jar Jar Binks Cameo That Almost Happened
In a movie filled to the brim with jokes playfully poking fun at the animation industry, few gags stand out quite as much as Ugly Sonic's cameo in "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers." Even for those who somehow managed to avoid the ruckus that Paramount caused online when it dropped the first "Sonic the Hedgehog" trailer back in 2019 (with Sonic's original "photo-real" design), the mere sight of the character — complete with tiny human teeth that would make David Cronenberg say, "That's a bit much, guys," — is bound to get some kind of reaction, and not the positive, life-affirming kind, either.
Voiced by Tim Robinson ("I Think You Should Leave"), Ugly Sonic appears as one of the many animated individuals who make a living on the fan convention circuit in the film's "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"-style world in habited by both live-action humans and a variety of cartoon characters in various animation styles. In a post on Instagram, however, storyboard artist Simeon Wilkins unveiled some artwork for an earlier iteration of one of the fan convention scenes that features a different (albeit, in many ways, equally notorious) CGI animated figure: Jar Jar Binks.
In a previous interview with /Film, "Rescue Rangers" director Akiva Schaffer actually confirmed that he had tried to include Jar Jar in the movie but admitted he couldn't get Lucasfilm onboard with the idea. Thanks to Wilkins, though, we now know exactly how the character (who, of course, every "Star Wars" fan on the planet absolutely loves with all their heart) would have fit into the film's delightfully outlandish plot.
The tragedy and triumph of Jar Jar
As if he needs an introduction, Jar Jar Binks first appeared in 1999's "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" and quickly found himself on the receiving end of a whole lot of vitriol from "Star Wars" fans. But say what you will about the hapless Gungan (a character who was heavily influenced by the personas of silent film comedians like Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd), the character holds a key spot in the history of computer-animation and motion-capture acting. Like it or not, Jar Jar stepped in bantha poodoo so the likes of Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings" and Caesar from the modern "Planet of the Apes" movies could run.
Despite the tragic fate that befell Jar Jar in the "Star Wars" universe after the events of 2005's "Star Wars: Revenge of Sith" (his last on-screen live-action appearance to date), both the character and, more importantly, the actor who helped bring him to life, Ahmed Best, have gained newfound appreciation among the larger fanbase. That's not to say Jar Jar would've felt out of place showing up in the fan convention scenes from "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers." Heck, it might've even made for a wry nod to the uptick in popularity he's enjoyed over time. All the same, it's hard to imagine him beating Ugly Sonic's cameo for the sheer never-saw-that-coming-ness of it all.
"Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers" is now streaming on Disney+.