Space Jam: A New Legacy is the sequel to the original movie. It has been 25 years in development. We can now enjoy the new Looney Tunes basketball movie in theaters and on HBO Max later in this week.
Warner Bros. will release the sequel film starring LeBron James, a legendary basketball player, and other familiar faces – cartoon and human – in an effort to bring their Space Jam series to a new audience.
We thought you would be interested in all that has been revealed about Space Jam: A New Legacy, as the movie is due to drop very soon.
Below we will discuss the movie’s release date and cast details. We’ll also discuss potential cameos and trailers. This article is a great read, even if we do say so. Continue reading to learn more about Space Jam 2.
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Space Jam: A New Legacy: Let’s cut to the chase
- What’s it all about? It’s a sequel to 1996’s Space Jam. This movie features a mixture of animation and live-action, with Looney Tunes characters playing basketball in a virtual universe.
- When will it be released? July 16, 20,21.
- Where do I see it? In theaters or on HBO Max.
- Who is in it? LeBron James, Don Cheadle, and many other legendary basketball players are among the guests.
Space Jam: A New Legacy Release Date: July 2021
Space Jam 2 will be released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, July 16, 2021.
The launch of A New Legacy on the streaming platform and the big screen will follow the lead of previous 2021 Warner Bros. movies like Godzilla Vs Kong or Mortal Kombat. In the US and other countries where HBO Max is available, it’s possible.
It will be available on HBO Max for one month after its release. You’ll need to catch it at home if you want to watch it in cinemas, but not before August 16.
Subscribers to HBO Max (with an ad free plan) can view Space Jam: A New Legacy at no additional cost.
Space Jam: A New Legacy Trailer: Watch the trailer now
On June 9, a new trailer for Space Jam: A New Legacy appeared. It gave us a second look at the film.
New footage, humorous moments, and a better view of the Looney Tunes in CGI format are all included. While some are better than others, we hope that we will be used to the new look by Space Jam 2.
On April 3, the first Space Jam 2 trailer was made public. It gave viewers an inside look at the movie’s story, including which Looney Tunes characters will be joining LeBron and which Warner Bros. properties will make an appearance in it (more details later).
Warner Bros. has released some teaser clips from the movie to give you a glimpse at its surreal humor.
The first is a parody of The Matrix featuring Granny and Speedy Gonzales.
The second video shows Porky Pig performing rapping. Yes, rapping. It sounds absurd, but it’s also very funny.
It’s Porky P.I.G. With the mic drop! His performance in Space Jam: A New Legacy is now available in theaters and on streaming via HBO Max* July 16. Get tickets now: https://t.co/v80fJKhg5l #SpaceJamMovie pic.twitter.com/KIbPl28INaJuly 1, 2021
Space Jam: A New Legacy plot: What is the story?
Space Jam: A New Legacy is LeBron’s story of his quest to save his youngest son Dom (Cedric Joseph) from being trapped in a virtual reality by Al-G Rhythm (Don Cheadle).
Despite the fact that the two are reunited, Al-G Rhythm tells LeBron that he must lead his Tune Squad – which includes characters like Bugs Bunny Lola Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Lola Bunny – to defeat the AI’s digital basketball champions known as the Goon Squad before they can return to the real-world.
The Goon Squad is a digitized version of professional basketball players. LeBron and his Tunes Squad will be challenged. If the first film is any indication, LeBron will find funny ways to beat his opponents, rescue Dom, and help the James family return home.
Space Jam: A New Legacy Cast: Who will be there?
We know a number of cartoon and human characters that will be featured in Space Jam 2.
- LeBron James, as himself
- Don Cheadle (Avengers: Endgame), as Al-G Rhythm. This evil computer program is known as Don Cheadle
- Sonequa Martin Green (Star Trek: Discovery), as Kamiyah James, LeBron’s wife
- Cedric Joe (Modern Family), as Dom James, LeBron’s youngest son
- Ceyair J. Wright (2 Broke Girls), as Darius James (LeBron’s oldest child)
- Harper Leigh Alexander is Xosha James’s daughter, LeBron.
- Alex Huerta, a young LeBron
Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis and Daminan Lillard are all expected to make an appearance. They will portray the Goon Squad characters Wet-Fire and The Brow as well as Chronos, White Mamba, Arachneka, and The Brow respectively.
For information on which Looney Tunes characters may appear in some capacity, please see the following list and their voice actors:
- Zendaya the Lola Bunny
- Jeff Bergman portrays Bugs Bunny, Sylvester James Pussycat, and Foghorn Lehorn.
- Eric Bauza plays Marvin the Martian and Daffy Duck
- Bob Bergen is Porky Pig and Tweety
- Jim Cummings is the Tasmanian Devil
- Gabriel Inglesias as Speedy Gonzales
- Candi Milo as Granny
- Paul Julian is the Road Runner
Lola Bunny will be undergoing a major character transformation for A New Legacy. Malcom D. Lee saw the original film for the very first time in 2019 and was dismayed by Bugs’ sexualized love interest.
Lee told Entertainment Weekly (opens new tab): “Lola was sexualized like Betty Boop and Jessica Rabbit.” Lola wasn’t politically correct …. It’s a children’s movie so why does she wear a crop top? This felt a little unnecessary, but there is a long history of this in cartoons.”
Lee explained that Lola’s new look reflects more modern approaches to female character design. She wanted to make sure her shorts were appropriate and feminine, without being too objectified. Lee also gave Lola a voice.
Lola’s look has changed, but there is one Looney Tune that has been left out of Space Jam 2. Deadline (opens new tab): Pepe Le Pew was the group’s French skunk and was removed from Space Jam 2. The scene with the character was filmed prior to Lee’s arrival. However, due to criticism (opens new tab) about consent that the cartoon had received (opens new tab), the sequence was cut from the final cut.
Space Jam: A New Legacy: Which Warner Bros. properties will be featured?
Space Jam: A New Legacy’s official trailer was not well received by all Space Jam and movie fans when it was first released.
Some observers took offense at the inclusion of icons from other Warner films and criticised the studio for trying to force certain series into Space Jam 2. This is a contentious issue because mature films like A Clockwork Orange will be featured in a film that’s targeted at children.
Warner Bros. will not remove these properties from development so late. The trailer shows you the list of confirmed Warner Bros. IPs.
- The Clockwork Orange
- Batman
- Casablanca
- The Flintstones
- Game of Thrones
- The Goonies
- The Iron Giant
- It
- The Jetsons
- King Kong
- The Mask
- The Matrix
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Scooby Doo
- ThunderCats
- The Wizard of Oz
- Wonder Woman
- Yogi Bear
Space Jam’s Ending Spoilers follow from here on.
These references aren’t necessary but there are a few cameo appearances we’d really love to see.
One, Michael Jordan, the protagonist in Space Jam, would be awesome to see.
We suspected he would not, as he had decided to forgo Space Jam’s sequel in the 1990s. We now know that he will appear in some capacity.
Access Hollywood spoke to Don Cheadle about Space Jam 2. (watch the 9:58 mark below). Don Cheadle said that Michael Jordan was not as “in the film” as fans would have him believe. He could be a hologram. Could he be a flashback character involving Bugs, Lola, and the rest the Looney Tunes. We will have to wait and see.
Bill Murray and Wayne Knight could be on hand to make a few scenes. Murray was Jordan’s golf friend and helped the Tune Squad win its climactic battle.
Knight was cast as Stan Podolak’s assistant and publicist, while Podolak was played by Knight. Both have not been confirmed yet for A New Legacy, but it would be great to see them cross the gap between the two movies.
It would be interesting to see the Monstars return in the sequel. The Nerdlucks were originally called the Nerdlucks. They stole the basketball skills of many real-life basketball stars, including Charles Barkley. To become the Monstars and face Jordan and the Looney Tunes in their basketball matchup, they transformed themselves into super-powered Monstars.
Although the Monstars lose, Jordan wisely advises them to turn on their boss and give their basketball skills back to the players from whom they stole them. The Looney Tunes recruit the group, allowing them to return to their Nerdluck selves before the movie ends.
According to the official trailer, it doesn’t appear that Space Jam 2 will feature the Nerdlucks. Although we had hoped they would not reveal their identities until the final cut of the movie, it does not appear that they will be making an appearance in A New Legacy.
LeBron said that the Goon Squad was replacing the Monstars in the sequel’s antagonists.
LeBron could be trying to frighten us so that Monstars don’t reveal their scent. However, we aren’t optimistic about that.
Space Jam: A New Legacy theme song: Is there one?
It would seem so. Warner Bros. released a trailer and track list for the movie’s official soundtrack. It suggests that “We Win”, performed live by Lil Baby, and Kirk Franklin will be the film’s main song.
The album is now available for purchase.
You can see the official trailer below to learn which artists will be on the album.
Space Jam: A New Legacy’s original score was composed by Hans Zimmer, a legendary movie composer. However, When They See Us composer Kris Bowers was hired to join Zimmer in April 2020.
Space Jam: A New Legacy Development: Why has it taken so long for a sequel?
Good question. Space Jam 2 was not a movie. There were hurdles to overcome.
The original announcement of the movie (opens in new window) was made in 2014. However, a sequel has been in development since 1996. Space Jam: A New Legacy was developed by three directors, three screenwriters, and two cinematographers. This is a sign of the challenges it has had to overcome.
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Before work on A New Legacy began, there were several Space Jam spin-off movies. Tony Hawk, the legendary skater star, said that in 2003 there were talks between Warner Bros. representatives and Hawk’s team. This would have led to Skate Jam being approved by the studio. It is a skateboarding sideshow starring Hawk and Looney Tunes. However, Hawk’s tweet reveals that Skate Jam was canceled after Looney Tunes: Back in Action failed to make a profit at the box office in 2003.
Warner Bros. is considering other potential Space Jam spinoffs. Jackie Chan was almost in negotiations to star in Spy Jam in 2001. Race Jam, a NASCAR-centric movie starring Jeff Gordon, was also in discussion in 2001.
Although it’s not clear why Spy Jam and Race Jam were stopped, Warner Bros. hopes that Space Jam: A New Legacy will put those failed projects to rest by performing well on HBO Max as well as in theaters later in the year.
