Watership Down (Disney film series idea)

Watership Down (Disney film)

Premise
A small group of rabbits travel to find a new home, when their previous home is destroyed by humans in 1980s England.

Part One
The story starts in England 1992, where A rabbit named Fiver, after failing to read a notice board, saying that Sandleford Warren, is to be developed into modern housing. Hazel, (Fiver’s Elder brother) who is talking with his future mate, Zinnia, informs the Chief Rabbit, Threarah also known as Rowan, of the situation, but the Chief refuses to order an evacuation. Knowing the Chief won’t listen, Hazel decides to tell His childhood friends, Dandelion, Hawkbit, and Blackberry, along with Pipkin and Bigwig, one of the Chief’s Owsla, who inform the other rabbits of the situation and They exit the Warrenin the dead of night. Holly and Toadflax, two of the Owsla, pursues Hazel’s group but is thwarted by Bigwig. On his way back to the Warren, Holly and Toadflax observe a group of humans with signs and notices a few construction vehicles, meaning that Fiver’s prediction is coming true, so Holly runs back to the Warren to warn Threarah, while Toadflax attacks the humans. After Holly explains what happened, the Chief orders the rabbits to go after Hazel. But the Sandleford rabbits notice the humans and scatter as shots are fired.

Meanwhile, Half a mile away from the doomed Sandleford Warren, Hazel’s group rest under an abandoned hay wagon when a rainstorm starts. To pass the time, Dandelion tells the story of Frith’s Blessing, featuring El-Ahrairah, the prince of Rabbits. (In a 1920s Cartoon Style) Once finished with the story, and the rain dies down, the rabbits are chased by a Lendri, (Meaning Badger) and a hunter’s dog, but they escape thanks to Blackberry’s idea of swimming away while on pieces of wood. As night began to fall, The Rabbits rest in a crypt of a graveyard, as Bigwig and Silver keep watch for any predators that might attack the rabbits, both Bigwig and Silver fight off the crows, then the rats, and an Owl. At morning, the rabbits locate a Warren, and their leader, Cowslip invites them. They all enter, except Fiver, who feels uneasy about their new home, as they notice a rabbit named Strawberry, mourning, meanwhile, a weasel is sneaking around, starts to dig inside, but is shot off-screen by a human. Cowslip explains that the hunter is a friend of Cowslip’s Warren, who protects the rabbits from any predators. In hopes of keeping the spirits of Hazel’s group up, Dandelion tells the story of the King’s Lettuce, the second of El-Ahrairah’s tales. Cowslip’s rabbits were not all that impressed, and the Chief asks Silverweed to tell a better tale. But, to the discomfort of Hazel and the others, the tales are about death, and accepting it.

Then, later that night, when Bigwig was looking to get food, He is caught in a snare, as Fiver went to get help. Hazel’s group comes but not anyone in Cowslip’s Warren, except Strawberry. After Bigwig is barely saved, Strawberry explained to Hazel’s group that once a day, a rabbit in the Warren has to die, just for the others to be fed. The group admonishes Strawberry for withholding information, as Strawberry countered that Cowslip did not allow anyone in the Warren to tell anyone, since His mate died the same way. As Hazel’s group left, Strawberry, knowing He’ll be punished by Cowslip, leaves the Warren in Hazel’s group’s direction. Cowslip and some of his followers try to cut them off, but Bigwig fights Cowslip, who was too old, too reliant to his followers, who leave knowing He’ll never survive on his own. After the fight was over, Toadflax, badly injured from his encounter with the humans, jumps Hazel and goes to tear his throat, but thanks to Strawberry, telling them to go through the clearings, Toadflax with the intent of cutting off Hazel’s escape goes through the foliage and gets snared, killing the bullying owsla captain instantly. Strawberry, ask Hazel to come along on the quest for a home. With some convincing and time, Strawberry is welcomed as they head for their intended destination, the high hills.

Part Two
As their search for a new Warren continued, Hazel’s group notice a place called Nuthanger Farm, so they go inside and explore the interiors of the farm, to find a place to stay for the night, and they go in a barn, filled with farm equipment, and cages filled with hutch rabbits. But, before they could get a chance to convince the hutch rabbits to escape, a male brown cat attacks Hazel. But, the rabbits escape with their lives, but not before Hazel promised to free the hutch rabbits. At morning, while hiding in a corn field, Fiver says to the others that they are almost at their final destination. On their way, the rabbits, encounter an injured Holly, Zinnia, and Bluebell, informed of what happened to Sandleford Warren. After arriving at their home, the rabbits encounter a seagull named Kehaar. Who noticed there are not enough does in the group, goes to search for other rabbits. While digging their new home, the rabbits are informed by Keehar of a warren called Efrafa. Holly, in a state of shock warns them not to go there, as Holly explained that Efrafa, has more rabbits than Cowslip’s Warren, but is a warren that lives for war. In a raid to Nuthanger Farm, Hazel, along with Hawkbit, Pipkin, and Fiver go and free the hutch rabbits (Clover, Lolium, Haystack, and Boxwood) and head back to Watership Down, however, a female blue-gray cat deters their escape as the farm owner shoots at the escaping rabbits, only hitting Hazel’s leg. As the others escape back to Watership Down. At morning, Keehar helps get the bullet removed from Hazel’s leg. Days later, after recovering, Hazel along with Bigwig, Pipkin, and Fiver head for Efrafa, but Bigwig heads forward and is cut off by two Efrafan officers, attacking two efrafan rabbits named Blackavar and Hyzenthlay. Bigwig tackles one of the officers, but gets captured.

In Efrafa, A brutish rabbit name General Woundwort demands to tell Bigwig why He attacked two of his wide patrol. Bigwig answered that two against one wasn’t fair, as the General was intrigued that Bigwig was a member of an Owsla, and says that as long as He stays as a member of his owsla, Bigwig will not be punished. During his infiltration in Efrafa, Bigwig encounters Hyzenthlay, leader of a group of rabbits intent on escaping, including Vilthuray, Thethuthinnang, and six other does. Meanwhile, Hazel and the others formulate an escape plan using a boat on the river. Keehar, without being seen, informs Bigwig of the plan. However, the conversation was cut off, when Vervain, a cruel and senile captain of Woundwort’s Owsla, was approaching, forcing Bigwig to scare off Keehar, to stave off suspicion. Days later, as Bigwig was about to start the plan on a thunderous night, Bigwig, with the help of Blackavar, (who knows where the does are located) and Keehar (imitating a hawk) escape with their lives on a boat as Woundwort’s group try to chase the boat, but are tired after a few minutes. Safe from danger, the rabbits head back home as Keehar heads for the ocean, as the seagull says goodbye to his friends.

Sandleford Rabbits

 * Hazel - The main protagonist of the film series
 * Fiver - The main deuteragonist of the film series, with the gift of a sixth sense.
 * Bigwig - a tough rabbit, and Owsla leader, with the strength to take on a weasel.
 * Blackberry - An intelligent rabbit, with more common sense than most rabbits in Sandleford.
 * Dandelion - A storyteller who knows all the tales of the Rabbit’s oldest ancestor, El-Ahrairah.
 * Hawkbit - A skeptical, and sorrowful rabbit.
 * Pipkin - An underconfident but adventurous young rabbit.
 * Holly - A veteran owsla captain, known for thinking up plans.
 * Bluebell - The jokester of the group.
 * Rowan - The Chief of Sandleford Warren
 * Toadflax - An owsla member who abuses his authority, and threatens to tear the tails of anyone who tells the Chief about what he’s been doing,
 * Nightshade - The Chief’s main advisor.
 * Zinnia - A rabbit Hazel has feelings for, and was to be His mate, but the relationship ended when She turns down Hazel’s offer to leave the warren.