Ranking Pop Culture's Most Memorable Bunnies—from Adorable to Nightmarish

By Isabel Jones
Updated Mar 31, 2017 @ 6:00 pm
Credit: Alamy Stock Photo (3)

Easter is coming, and with it an abundance of cartoon bunnies to convince you buy overpriced chocolate and invest in egg-themed memorabilia. But don’t be fooled, fictional bunnies are much more than the products they market—they support their friends, go to Halloween parties, and haunt troubled teenagers (just like us!).

In honor of the great holiday, we’ve compiled a list of pop culture’s most memorable bunnies, from the adorable (read: least scary) to the downright traumatizing (read: scariest ever). Take a moment to appreciate these great rabbits of cultures past and revisit their contributions to the rabbitical community.

Happy Easter!

Start Slideshow

1 of 17

17. Peter Rabbit

Credit: Peter Rabbit/Facebook

Adorable, obviously. You'd have to be a monster to classify Peter Rabbit as anything but. 

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 17

16. Thumper (Bambi)

Credit: Everett Collection Inc/Alamy Stock Photo

A talking rabbit is definitely a little scary—scarier than a non-verbal rabbit (I think). That being said, there are few characters (Disney or otherwise) more endearing than Bambi's foot-thumping forest companion.

3 of 17

15. Elle Woods Dressed as a Bunny (Legally Blonde)

Credit: Legally Blonde/Facebook

Reese Witherspoon is never not adorable. Reese Witherspoon as a bunny? Sooo cute! 

Advertisement

4 of 17

14. The White Rabbit (Alice in Wonderland)

Credit: AF archive/Alamy Stock Photo

The White Rabbit’s a little bit mad (not quite Hatter-level, but getting there), but c’mon, who doesn’t like being punctual? This lil’ bunny’s neuroses are kind of cute, though I also understand Alice’s perspective—a high-maintenance rabbit can definitely get annoying. 

5 of 17

13. Buster Baxter (Arthur)

Credit: Arthur/Facebook

A rabbit’s head on a seemingly human body is a strange and somewhat disturbing sight to see—however, Buster is a good kid (bunny?) and a fairly snappy dresser (turquoise suits him!). He’s a great friend to Arthur, too—look how sweet they are together.

6 of 17

12. Bridget Jones Innapropriately Dressed as a Playboy Bunny at What was Supposed to be a "Tarts and Vicars" Party (Bridget Jones's Diary)

Credit: Courtesy

Bridget's misguided party attire is really more sad than anything. I still get second-hand embarrassment remembering this scene. 

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 17

11. Tricks, the Trix Rabbit

Credit: Courtesy

There’s something to be said for the Trix rabbit’s level of determination. Despite being publically belittled by children for more than 50 years (“Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!), he’s still eager to get his hands on a bowl of the “absofruitalicious” breakfast food. Regardless, theft is never cool—this bunny needs to get his act together if he wants to rise to the top of this list.

8 of 17

10. Chandler dressed as a bunny (Friends)

Credit: Courtesy

It’s sweet that Chandler wore the costume his wife picked out for him, but we think it’s time he made his own sartorial decisions. Plus, a grown man dressed as a bunny will never not be creepy.

9 of 17

9. Bugs Bunny

Credit: Moviestore collection Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo

His diet may be clean, but his games are dirty! Don’t trust the Brooklyn native. He’s notoriously sneaky.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 17

8. Regina George Dressed as a Bunny (Mean Girls)

Credit: Everett Collection Inc/Alamy Stock Photo

The ultimate Mean Girl, Regina George dons her bunny costume while manipulating Aaron Samuels and thus RUINING CADY'S LIFE. That sort of penchant for evil (whilst masquerading as a furry house pet, no less) is definitely frightening. 

11 of 17

7. Shelley Darlington (The House Bunny)

Credit: Everett Collection Inc/Alamy Stock Photo

The idea of a young woman appropriating an innocent furry animal in an attempt to please an elderly man is, by definition, SCARY AF. 

12 of 17

6. Bunnicula 

Credit: Courtesy

The O.G. vampire novel, Bunnicula follows a rabbit of the same name that sucks the juice out of vegetables, stripping them of color. In theory, a vampire-rabbit is terrifying, but unless you’re a tomato, Bunnicula doesn’t actually pose much of a threat.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 17

5. Roger Rabbit

Credit: Everett Collection Inc/Alamy Stock Photo

He's a talking, clothed rabbit who's married to a human woman. No judgement here, but, well... it's weird. 

14 of 17

4. The Rabbit Family from Inland Empire

Credit: Courtesy

THE RABBITS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM.

The opening scene of David Lynch's Inland Empire features a family of deadpan rabbits on an eerie sitcom set, their dialogue occasionally punctuated by a rigid laugh track. TERRIFYING. 

15 of 17

3. Benny Rabbit

Credit: Courtesy

Benny Rabbit looks like a character from Where the Wild Things Are and sounds like a tone-deaf parrot mid swallow, but his greatest (and scariest) offense is preying on poor baby bunnies!

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 17

2. Harvey

Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection

A six-foot-tall rabbit is a terrifying thing—little context is needed for me to categorize Harvey as a movie I will never see in my lifetime. 

17 of 17

1. Frank the Rabbit (Donnie Darko)

Credit: Moviestore collection Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo

This bunny is the embodiment of evil, both in Donnie Darko and in my nightmares. 

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

By Isabel Jones