Outdoors of Easter and their duodecennial activate the Chinese language calendar, rabbits merely don’t get their due. Certain, some individuals maintain them as pets, others get pleasure from them as dinner, however principally they’re simply nature’s fuzzy, floppy-eared little afterthoughts that prefer to procreate as a lot as potential. Besides on the subject of popular culture. Films, TV, books, music … that’s the place bunnies get the love, in a mishmash of incarnations, from traditional literature to psychedelic pop, from hilarious cartoons to horrifying cult flicks. So with Easter upon us, listed below are The Hollywood Reporter’s favourite rabbits. — Written by Dave McCoy, Kimberly Nordyke, Ashley Lee, Meena Jang, Patrick Shanley, Emmet McDermott, Natalie Stone and Pete Keeley
“What’s up, Doc?” The “wascally wabbit” with the New York accent (voiced by many actors, most notably Mel Blanc) and the well-known catchphrase has been outsmarting rivals from Elmer Fudd to Marvin the Martian to Yosemite Sam since making his official debut in Tex Avery’s 1940 Oscar-nominated movie A Wild Hare. At one level, Bugs was the ninth-most-portrayed character in movie, in line with Guinness World Data, and he even has his personal star on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame. — Kimberly Nordyke
The rabbit seems to be regular: White, fluffy, innocuous. A lot in order that Tim the Enchanter — who had warned of a beast with “nasty, huge, pointy tooth!” — has to repeatedly remind King Arthur and his band of followers that not all is what it appears: “That’s essentially the most foul, merciless, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!” Nonchalant and mocking, Arthur orders on a frontal assault on the little man … solely to seek out out that Tim was certainly proper. The rabbit chews up three of Arthur’s males. “That rabbit’s dynamite,” he admits. Nonetheless one of many funniest set items in Python’s playbook, a lot in order that the Killer Rabbit made a return look within the musical Spamalot. — Dave McCoy
Poor Ralphie (Peter Billingsley). Not solely is he frequently being informed his dream Christmas current (an official Crimson Ryder, carbine motion, 200-shot vary mannequin air rifle) is simply too harmful for a younger boy, however so as to add insult to damage, Aunt Clara — who, a grown-up Ralphie explains in voiceover, “had for years labored below the delusion that I used to be not solely perpetually 4 years previous, but in addition a lady” — sends him a undesirable pink bunny costume for the holidays. That his mom makes him strive on instantly. Which his youthful brother finds an awesome supply of amusement. As his father says, helpfully: “You appear to be a deranged Easter bunny … a pink nightmare.” — Okay.N.
Kicked out of the Playboy mansion for being too previous (27 “is 59 in bunny years!”), Anna Faris turns into the home mother of a sorority that counts Emma Stone, Kat Dennings and Katharine McPhee amongst its members. Although she hardly touts her ears exterior the mansion, she stays a bunny at coronary heart all through Fred Wolf’s 2008 comedy. — Ashley Lee
Insults are simply as harsh when coming from a scantily clad bunny. After being tricked into carrying a Halloween costume to a comparatively critical get together, legislation faculty underdog Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) tells bully Vivian Kensington (Selma Blair), “I like your outfit too, besides once I costume up as a frigid bitch, I strive to not look so constipated.” — A.L.
Within the 2004 comedy, clique chief Regina George (Rachel McAdams) dons a risqué bunny costume for Halloween, as a result of as Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) would say, it’s “the one evening a 12 months when a lady can costume like a complete slut, and no different ladies can say something about it.” — Meena Jang
Garry Marshall’s 1988 friendship drama gave us a significant Bette Midler musical second — apart from that “Wind Beneath My Wings” ballad in dedication to Barbara Hershey. Earlier than CC Bloom made it huge as a musician, she had the odd job of being a bucktoothed singing telegram for a “bunny boy” (John Heard). “I strive to fall asleep but it surely’s simply no use, ’trigger all he actually desires to do is reproduce.” — A.L.
Elwood P. Dowd (James Stewart) is a grown man whose finest pal occurs to be an invisible 6-foot-3 (and a half!) rabbit named Harvey. Whereas his household doesn’t know what to make of this — is he seeing visions because of his propensity to drink? Is he mentally in poor health? — the bartender on the place Elwood frequents good-naturedly accepts drink orders on each Elwood and Harvey’s behalf. Appears the bunny has a style for liquor as effectively. — Okay.N.
Donnie: Why are you carrying that silly bunny swimsuit?
Frank: Why are you carrying that silly man swimsuit?
Whereas Harvey was amusing, this incarnation of a probably insane man who sees a tall rabbit just isn’t. Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a teen with points, ones made worse when, in the course of the evening, he’s summoned to a golf course and confronted by large, demonic-looking rabbit named Frank who tells him that the world will finish in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds. Over the course of the movie, Frank manipulates Donnie into both saving or ending the world, relying on the way you learn the movie. An exquisite, horrifying creation by writer-director Richard Kelly. — D.M.
That is one anxious rabbit. In Lewis Carroll’s ebook Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the rabbit seems to start with of the story muttering, “Oh pricey! Oh pricey! I shall be too late!” Disney’s 1951 animated movie adaptation turned these mutterings right into a music: “I’m late! I’m late! For an important date! No time to say hi there, goodbye! I’m late! I’m late! I’m late!” In fact, in case your boss (on this case, the Queen of Hearts) had a propensity for shouting “Off with their heads!” every time she felt wronged, you’d in all probability fear about being tardy too. — Okay.N.
With apologies to Eddie, the Airplane is our favourite rabbit in pop music historical past (additionally, sorry Bunny Wailer). The Lewis Carroll-inspired tune nonetheless kills, a gradual construct to madness and Grace Slick’s orgasmic wailing. Additionally, it’s the catalyst for the funniest passage of Worry and Loathing in Las Vegas, involving Hunter S. Thompson, LSD, a bath and a radio. Look it up. — D.M.
That is one hopped-up bunny. The neurotic, bowtie-sporting Roger Rabbit is thought for his frantic stuttering, manic power and over-the-top response to alcoholic drinks (aren’t all of us!) in addition to being wrongfully accused of murdering Acme CEO Marvin Acme within the pioneering animation/live-action hybrid comedy. — Patrick Shanley
This rabbit debuted in 2006, in the course of the early levels of the sweet firm’s “Expertise the Rainbow” marketing campaign. It is called one of many earliest examples of weird digital advertising and marketing, predating Starburst’s notable “Berries and Cream” business by a 12 months and Previous Spice’s “The Man Your Man May Scent Like,” maybe essentially the most well-known instance, by almost 4. At first of the business, the rabbit, extraordinarily precious for its inexplicable capacity to sing opera, is seen being exchanged for a bag of Skittles. The rabbit’s new proprietor is happy together with his resolution at first, however rapidly realizes he made an enormous mistake: All day and evening, the rabbit simply gained’t cease singing. Unable to sleep, the brand new proprietor makes an attempt to return the rabbit and get his Skittles again, however in a dramatic twist, he sees it’s too late. And all is misplaced. Enjoyable truth: The music being sung by the rabbit is “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici” from Verdi’s opera La Traviata. — Emmet McDermott
Richard Adams’ traditional 1972 novel tells the story of a gaggle of younger rabbits, led by the brothers Hazel and Fiver, who embark on an epic journey from their residence in Sandleford Warren after Fiver receives a daunting imaginative and prescient of its imminent destruction to their new residence of Watership Down within the fluffiest of all takes on the Odyssey narrative. — P.S.
The sensible man’s rabbit is called, appropriately, Rabbit. Pooh’s pricey pal and Hundred Acre Wooden’s resident green-thumbed gardener is a down-to-earth, organized, smart cottontail who usually finds himself at odds with the rambunctious, child-like exuberance of fellow Christopher Robin bud Tigger. Now there’s an odd couple! — P.S.
It’s unhappy that the primary legacy of Disney’s 1973 animated Robin Hood is offering the earworm for the late-’90s Web sensation hamsterdance.com. Nonetheless, the movie is a gem containing among the most memorable characters within the Disney canon: Prince John the thumb-sucking lion, his beset-upon (besat-upon?) henchman Sir Hiss, and the nice Phil Harris’ rendition of Little John. However allow us to not overlook Skippy, the cunicular birthday boy whose poor purpose units the primary plot in movement. In fact, one would possibly query Robin’s resolution to present a 7-year-old rabbit a bow and one solitary, lethal arrow. But it surely all works out for everybody ultimately. — Pete Keeley
The second stop-motion movie by DreamWorks and Aardman Animations following 2000’s Hen Run, The Curse of the Have been-Rabbit tells the story of a loyal canine and his grasp who’re out to catch the enormous rabbit ravaging their backyard and threatening their probabilities of successful the city’s annual Large Vegetable Competitors. — M.J.
Bambi befriends a rabbit named Thumper (named for his behavior of thumping his left hind foot) within the 1942 animated Disney traditional. Portrayed as a “mama’s boy,” Thumper is commonly reprimanded by his mom, who all the time corrects his conduct by asking, “What did your father let you know?” Certainly one of Thumper’s biggest classes discovered? “In the event you can’t say one thing good, don’t say nothing in any respect.” — M.J.
The adventurous Peter Rabbit was created by Beatrix Potter within the late 1800s and has since garnered international recognition as an acclaimed kids’s ebook collection. Renee Zellweger starred as the author within the 2006 movie Miss Potter alongside co-star Ewan McGregor. James Corden voiced the bunny in a 2018 adaptation and its 2021 sequel. — Natalie Stone
Kevin Hart voices Snowball, a white rabbit, within the 2016 animated movie (and its 2019 sequel). After we first meet Snowball, he’s no cuddly bunny: He’s the chief of a gang referred to as “the Flushed Pets,” who hate people after being mistreated. Nonetheless, all seems effectively when Snowball — spoiler alert — in the end finds his without end residence and learns to like individuals. — Okay.N.
Russell Model voices a younger rabbit who is meant to take over the function of Easter Bunny from his father — however he actually simply desires to be a drummer. He runs away from Easter Island the place he runs into Fred O’Hare (James Marsden), a slacker, and wreaks havoc in his life earlier than a twist on the finish reveals who the brand new Easter Bunny will probably be. — Okay.N.
Poor little bunny. Glenn Shut warned Michael Douglas that she “wouldn’t be ignored” after he has the worst one-night stand in movie historical past. She wasn’t mendacity. After a collection of threatening telephone calls, Shut goes full psycho: She sneaks into Douglas’ property, steals his daughter’s pet rabbit and boils it alive within the kitchen, leaving it for Douglas’ horrified spouse to find. So iconic is that this scene that the time period “Bunny Boiler” now exists for exes who search some type of revenge following a break-up. Completely happy Easter!
