Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers has quickly become a surprise hit on Disney+. It pays tribute to the original Disney Afternoon series while providing surprisingly hefty satire on reboot culture and animation history. It accomplishes the latter by filling it to the brim with cameos and supporting roles from many beloved characters, some of whom aren’t even owned by Disney.
They range from background appearances that caught the casual eye to supporting roles nobody saw coming. While the film never forgets it is telling the story of two chipmunks who played gumshoe detectives on T.V. that became the real thing, the film’s tone would not have landed if it weren’t for its love for animation and its history.
10) MC Skat Kat and Paula Abdul
While Roger Rabbit appearing in the same scene was a fun surprise, seeing these two together again was great for any music history fans. In 1989, pop star Paula Abdul released a song called ‘Opposites Attract.’ She sang this in duet with a rapping animated cat named MC Skat Kat in the music video.
The song drew many a Roger Rabbit comparison, so it was a delight to see all 3 of them in the same room. Abdul and Kat are on the D.J. stand during a Rescue Rangers cast party, and Roger is on the dance floor with Chip, Dale, and the three little pigs.
9) Paul Rudd
Another theme in the film is celebrity culture, albeit given to animated characters rather than real celebrities. Given the heavy amount of animated characters present, it seemed like there would be very little room for live-action appearances. But one delightful exception made a prominent if brief appearance in the form of Ant-Man himself, Paul Rudd.
During the convention chase, Rudd is talking with fans, revealing the original intention of his superhero heist film was that he was an aunt-charming casanova named "Aunt-Man.” This direct idea is shown in a billboard in the credits, proving they didn’t call him 2021’s Sexiest Man Alive for nothing.
8) Pumbaa, Mantis, and B.O.B.
Talk about a Seth-Caption. During the chase at the convention, Sweet Pete’s (Will Arnett) uncanny valley-dwelling minion Bob the Dwarf is incapacitated and comes face to face with Pumbaa from the 2019 Lion King remake.
It was already a surprise when it was seen in the trailer; it goes even further when Mantis from Kung Fu Panda and B.O.B. from Monsters Vs. Aliens join in for a good laugh. But, of course, any casual animation fan is bound to have their mind blown since Seth Rogen voiced all four characters, and the latter two were voices he did for Dreamworks.
7) E.T. and Batman
The film takes many shots at satirizing reboots and mashups, from Fast and Furious Babies to Meryl Streep in Mr. Doubtfire. But the one hilarious idea that is shown in the most detail is a film pitch called Batman vs. E.T.
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All the viewer gets to is a billboard and a clip showing E.T., hurt and battered on a battleground forgiving Batman, to which The Dark Knight stands stoically and responds, “…Fine.” This moment is small, but it inspires Chip to try reconciling and working with Dale to find Monterey Jack.
6) Randy Marsh
Naturally, being a Disney film, audiences assumed all the characters would be ones only children would recognize and remember. With this guy showing up, it’s fair to say they were wrong. Many familiar faces can be seen chilling out in the underground spa, with Scrooge McDuck characteristically bathing in money.
But prominently amongst them is Randy Marsh, the father of Stan Marsh from South Park, dazed and relaxing with a pair of toon pigs. If nothing else, the simple fact that a South Park character showed up in a Disney movie is a remarkable event.
5) A Couple of Jellicle Cats
This is perhaps the deepest of cuts. When Chip and Dale are brought to Sweet Pete’s hideout, they notice a neighborhood populated by CGI characters that supplant themselves firmly in the uncanny valley. Among these are two suspiciously humanoid cats fighting each other, to which the chipmunks react with disgust.
This cameo leans into one of the deepest satirical cuts of the film, as these designs bear a heavy resemblance to the 2019 disaster piece, Cats. A film that used manually created CGI to create questionably designed half-human, half-feline creatures called Jellicle Cats that sing, dance, and have no sense of personal boundaries.
4) Skeletor and He-Man
Whether fighting for the fate of the universe or making public appearances, these two simply don’t get along. Yet another special guest at the convention where Dale makes appearances is the protector of Grayskull and his arch-nemesis.
While the two gumshoe chipmunks are darting beneath the stands, hiding from the bad guys, He-Man notices something beneath the table. Rather than pay too much attention, Skeletor instead seizes the opportunity to mock He-Man’s choice of (or lack thereof) clothing. Both of them are voiced by original voice actor Allan Oppenheimer, making another layer of laughs to this brief moment.
3) The Mane Six
Despite what Lion King may have told its young audience, some stampedes can lead to distinct advantages. When escaping from the villains, Chip and Dale hitch a ride in a stampede made up of Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and the rest of the Mane Six from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
This is perhaps the most significant appearance from a Hasbro property, with an '80s style Autobot Blaster appearing in the opening prologue and the mutated Sweet Pete having the leg of Optimus Prime in the climax. But bringing these ponies back in their FiM incarnations was an excellent surprise to Pony fans everywhere.
2) Darkwing Duck
A fun mid-credits surprise that may hint at things to come. When the rescue rangers come out for one final bow at the convention, they are met with thunderous applause from their audience. All except one annoyed voice – Darkwing Duck. The terror that flaps in the night (Jim Cummings) boos and jeers, voicing his frustration and attempting to rally the viewer to clamor for his own reboot.
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This is a cameo very fitting for D.W., as few superheroes have the ego he has. But, of course, with the news that Seth Rogen is producing a Darkwing Duck reboot, fans (and D.W. himself) won’t have to wait too much longer.
1) "Ugly Sonic"
Perhaps one of the most surprising and inspiring redemption stories in Hollywood history. One of Dale’s fellow convention guests is none other than “Ugly Sonic," the infamous original design of Sonic the Hedgehog from his live-action movie (voiced by Tim Robinson). Since the internet backlash forced a colossal redesign, many expected him to be lost to time as a forgotten relic.
Thankfully, he’s gotten back on his feet, making convention appearances and working as a ride-along with the F.B.I. He even appears to help our heroes defeat the mutated Sweet Pete at the climax.
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