<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $50.6 million </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $329.8 million </Td> </Tr> <P> Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a 1988 American live - action / animated fantasy film directed by Robert Zemeckis, produced by Frank Marshall and Robert Watts, and written by Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman . The film is based on Gary K. Wolf's 1981 novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit? The film stars Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Charles Fleischer, Stubby Kaye, and Joanna Cassidy . Combining live - action and animation, the film is set in Hollywood during the late 1940s, where animated characters and people co-exist . The story follows Eddie Valiant, a private detective who must exonerate "Toon" (i.e. cartoon character) Roger Rabbit, who is accused of murdering a wealthy businessman . </P> <P> Walt Disney Pictures purchased the film rights for Who Framed Roger Rabbit's story in 1981 . Price and Seaman wrote two drafts of the script before Disney brought in executive producer Steven Spielberg, and his production company, Amblin Entertainment . Zemeckis was brought on to direct the film, and Canadian animator Richard Williams was hired to supervise the animation sequences . Production was moved from Los Angeles to Elstree Studios in England to accommodate Williams and his group of animators . While filming, the production budget began to rapidly expand and the shooting schedule ran longer than expected . </P>

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