Over two decades after Space Jam debuted in theaters, Warner Bros. and LeBron James have teamed up to bring the Looney Tunes back to the silver screen for another game of basketball. Now, the athlete empowerment brand Uninterrupted has released a new sneak peek video that features LeBron James in the new Tune Squad uniforms for Space Jam: A New Legacy.
Released in 1996 to box office success, Space Jam followed Bugs Bunny and his Looney Tunes pals as they recruit retired NBA player Michael Jordan for a basketball game against the alien invaders known as the Monstars, who threatened to enslave the beloved cartoons as attractions at their theme park if they lose the match. While the Looney Tunes challenged the Monstars to a basketball game expecting to easily defeat the tiny weaklings and secure their freedom, the extra-terrestrials transformed themselves into gargantuan beasts by stealing the talent of several well-known basketball players. The events of the film were presented as a fictionalized reason for Jordan's return to basketball following his NBA retirement and stint with Minor League Baseball.
In Space Jam: A New Legacy, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers will play a fictional version of himself in a similar role to that of Jordan's in the original film. James, whose previous acting credits include Trainwreck, will star opposite Sonequa Martin-Green as Savannah James and Don Cheadle in an undisclosed role. As with the original film, Space Jam 2 will feature cameo appearances by real-world basketball players, including Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Kyle Kuzma, Diana Taurasi, Nneka Ogwumike, and Chiney Ogwumike.
Attempts to produce a Space Jam sequel started as early as 1997, but the initial plan was canceled by Warner Bros. after Michael Jordan decided against returning. Alternative ideas for a sequel were set aside in favor of a follow-up film titled Looney Tunes: Back in Action with Brendan Fraser and Jenna Elfman starring opposite the Looney Tunes. However, Back in Action bombed at the box office upon its 2003 release and consequently killed any chances for a Space Jam sequel until the LeBron James film was first announced in 2014. Over the course of the Space Jam sequel's development with LeBron James attached, directors Justin Lin and Terence Nance signed and dropped out on separate occasions before production finally started with Malcolm D. Lee helming the project from a script co-written by Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, who also serves as producer.
While a generation of Looney Tunes fans, particularly those who grew up in the '90s, hold Space Jam in high regard, critics were harsher on the film when it debuted in theaters. Consequently, feelings towards the upcoming sequel range from excitement to apathy.
Regardless, the Looney Tunes continue to amuse fans as they wait for the Space Jam sequel with the recent release of a new series of animated shorts exclusive to HBO Max. However, the new series also upset some fans after showrunner Peter Browngardt confirmed the creators decided against using guns in the new cartoons, despite firearms being featured frequently in the classic shorts.
Space Jam: A New Legacy will be released in theaters on July 16, 2021.
Source: Uninterrupted/Twitter