Space Jam: A New Legacy

***Space Jam: A New Legacy*** (formerly known as ***Space Jam 2***) is an upcoming 2021 American live-action/animated sports comedy film directed by Malcolm D. Lee. It will be a standalone sequel to the 1996 film Space Jam and stars NBA player LeBron James, as well as Don Cheadle and Sonequa Martin-Green and the fifty-sixth Warner Animation Group film. The film also features the Looney Tunes characters such as Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, and Daffy Duck. James also acts as a producer alongside Ryan Coogler.

Talks for a Space Jam sequel began after the release of the first film but eventually fell through due to Michael Jordan's refusal to return. Several possible spin-offs, focusing on other athletes, including Jeff Gordon, Tiger Woods, and Tony Hawk, were also discussed but never came to fruition. A LeBron James-led sequel was officially announced in 2014, and after several years of languishing, filming began under Terence Nance in June 2019 around Los Angeles. After a few weeks into filming, Nance left the project; Lee was hired to replace him in July 2019. Production wrapped in September 2019.

Space Jam: A New Legacy is scheduled to be released in the United States on July 16, 2021, by Warner Bros. Pictures. It will mark the first theatrically released film to feature the Looney Tunes characters since the release of Looney Tunes: Back in Action in November 2003.

## Synopsisedit | edit source

During a trip to the Warner Bros. studio, NBA Superstar LeBron James and his son accidently get trapped within a world that contains all of Warner Bros.' stories and characters, under the control of a malfunctioning, all-powerful force named Al G (played by Don Cheadle) With the help of Bugs Bunny, LeBron must navigate through a never-before-imagined world filled with iconic movie scenes and characters as they re-assemble the Looney Tunes to rescue his lost son. Now to get back home, Lebron and the Tunes have to unravel Al G's mysterious plan and win an epic basketball game against digital gamified super-versions of the NBA and WNBA's biggest stars as the entire world watches.

## Castedit | edit source

### Live-actionedit | edit source

* LeBron James as Himself
	+ Alex Huetra as young Lebron James
* Don Cheadle as AI-G Rhythm
* Sonequa Martin- Green as Kamiyah James
* Ceyir J Wright as Darius James
* Cedric Joe as "Dom" James
* Harper Leigh Alexander as Xosha James

Additionally, Khris Davis has been cast in an undisclosed role.NBA play Champions Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul, Draymond Green, and Kyle Kuzma as well as WNBA player Chiney Ogwumike are set to make cameo appearances. Michael Jordan, who appeared in the first movie, will make a special cameo appearance in the film.

### Voice castedit | edit source

* LeBron James as Himself (animated)
* Jeff Bergman as Bugs Bunny, Sylvester, and Foghorn Leghorn.
* Eric Bauza as Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, and Marvin the Martian
* Zendaya as Lola Bunny
* Bob Bergen as Porky Pig and Tweety
* Fred Tatasciore as Yosemite Sam and Gossamer
* Jim Cummings as Tasmanian Devil
* Candi Milo as Granny
* Gabriel Iglesias as Speedy Gonzales
* Tress MacNeille as Penelope Pussycat
* Klay Thompson as Wetfire
* Anthony Davis as The Brow
* Damian Lillard as Chronos
* Diana Taurasi as White Mamba
* Nneka Ogwumike as Arachnneka
* J.Michael Tatum as Announcer

## Production

### Development

A sequel to *Space Jam* was planned as early as 1996, shortly after the original film was released in theaters worldwide. As development began, *Space Jam 2* was going to involve a new basketball competition between Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes and Berserk-O!, a new villain who was planned to voiced by Mel Brooks. Artist Bob Camp was tasked with designing Berserk-O! and his henchmen. Joe Pytka would have returned to direct and Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone signed on as the animation supervisors. However, Michael Jordan did not agree to star in a sequel. According to Camp, a producer lied to design artists by claiming that Jordan had signed on in order to keep development going. Warner Bros. eventually cancelled plans for *Space Jam 2*.

The potential sequel reentered development as *Spy Jam* and was to star Jackie Chan in a different script. The studio was also planning a film titled *Race Jam* which would have starred Jeff Gordon. Additionally, Pytka revealed that following the first film's success, he had been pitched a story for a sequel that would have starred professional golfer Tiger Woods, with Jordan in a smaller role. Pytka explained how the idea came from an out-of-studio script conference, with people who worked on the original film allegedly involved. Producer Ivan Reitman was reportedly in favor of a film which would again star Jordan. The follow-up films were ultimately cancelled in favor of *Looney Tunes: Back in Action* (2003). A film titled *Skate Jam* was in early development with Tony Hawk in the starring role. Plans were underway for production to begin immediately following the release of *Looney Tunes: Back in Action*, but were canceled due to the poor financial performance of said film despite improved critical reception to *Space Jam*.

### Resurgence

In February 2014, Warner Bros. officially announced development of a sequel that will star LeBron James. Charlie Ebersol was set to produce, while Willie Ebersol wrote the script. By May of the same year, James was quoted as saying, "I've always loved *Space Jam.* It was one of my favorite movies growing up. If I have the opportunity, it will be great." In July 2015, James and his film studio, SpringHill Entertainment, signed a deal with Warner Bros. for television, film and digital content after receiving positive reviews for his role in *Trainwreck.* By 2016, Justin Lin signed onto the project as director, and co-screenwriter with Andrew Dodge and Alfredo Botello. Professional player Kobe Bryant also expressed an interest in directing the film, though he was uninterested in a cameo appearance. By August 2018, Lin left the project, and Terence Nance was hired to direct the film. In September 2018, Ryan Coogler was announced as a producer for the film. SpringHill Entertainment released a promotional teaser image officially announcing the film, with production set to begin in 2019 during the NBA off-season. Filming was to take place in California within a 30 mile radius of Los Angeles. By April 2019, Coogler and Sev Ohanian were rewriting the script. Final screenplay credit would ultimately go to Juel Taylor, Tony Rettenmaier, Keenan Coogler, Terance Nance. Prior to production, the film received $21.8 million in tax credits as a result of a new tax incentive program from the state.

### Filming

Principal photography began on June 25, 2019. On July 16, 2019, it was announced Nance was leaving the project because he and "the studio/producers had different takes on the creative vision for *Space Jam 2*", and that Malcolm D. Lee would serve as his replacement. Bradford Young, who was set to serve as cinematographer, also left the project and was replaced by Salvatore Totino.

Among locations used for filming included the Sheats–Goldstein Residence owned by James Goldstein, including turning its tennis court temporarily into a basketball court for the shooting. Production wrapped on September 16, 2019. The production spent at total of $183.7 million filming in California, receiving $21.8 million in tax rebates from the state. James held a farewell meeting talking about how he idolized with the first *Space Jam* film when he was a kid in Akron, Ohio, when the production wrapped, which was later leaked on August 16, 2020, along with pictures of James with his #6 Tune Squad outfit. A scene filmed under Nance's direction in June 2019 involving Pepé Le Pew attempting to flirt with a bartender (portrayed by Greice Santo), only to be rebuffed, was deleted. This decision was later met with backlash among many fans, who accused the studio of double standards by removing the character while allowing a cameo of Alex and his *droogs*, a gang that commits severe violence and sexual assaults in the 1971 film *A Clockwork Orange*, to be retained. The film's trailer revealed that Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam will be allowed to appear with their trademark guns in the film; since HBO Max's *Looney Tunes Cartoons*, a ban had been enacted to not depict fire weapons due to all mass shootings and gun violence in the United States.

In March 2020, photos taken on set and a brief recording of the wrap party were leaked online, revealing that the film will feature characters from other Warner-owned properties. In April 2020, James officially revealed the title and logo of the film, as *Space Jam: A New Legacy.* Don Cheadle stated that LeBron had an injury he suffered during production, while the filmmakers had a rigorous schedule and shot 14 hours a day. By October 2020, the synopsis was leaked from a test screening email by Ben Mekler.

### Animation and visual effects

Lucasfilm's visual effects division Industrial Light & Magic was hired to create the visual effects for *Space Jam 2*. This is the second collaboration with the *Looney Tunes* in using ILM for visual effects since *Who Framed Roger Rabbit* (1988).

In January 2020, veteran Walt Disney Animation Studios animator Tony Bancroft, was hired at Warner Bros. Animation to work on the film. In March 2020, James announced that work on the film's animation had commenced, while also revealing that the production had largely been unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic as most of the remaining work involves animation. That same month, a Warner Bros. Animation veteran Spike Brandt, was named as director of animation.

In July 2020, Dan Haskett, who has worked on the *Looney Tunes* since 1979, was hired to work in the animation department as well. Matt Williames, who has not worked with Warner Bros. since *Looney Tunes: Back in Action*, started doing animation for the movie in August of the same year. In May 2020, Ole Loken who worked extensively on animation hit *Klaus*, announced that he will serve as an animator on the film. By October, Loken shared the design for Lola Bunny and Daffy Duck online, revealing that *A New Legacy* will stay true to previous designs of the *Looney Tunes* characters. Despite this, Lola's final design was adjusted to be less sexualized than the first film. The film will include both traditional and CG animation.

## Marketing

On April 3, 2021, the first trailer was released online and revealed a number of references and cameos of characters from franchises owned by Warner Bros., including various Hanna-Barbera shows, *Animaniacs*, *Game of Thrones*, *Mad Max*, *The Lord of the Rings*, *Batman* '66 TV series, Burton/Schumacher's *Batman*, *Superman*, *Wizarding World*, *Wonder Woman*, *The Matrix*, *The Hobbit*, and *ThunderCats*; as well as films, such as *The Wizard of Oz*, *The Maltese Falcon*, *King Kong*, *A Clockwork Orange,* *The Mask*, *Smallfoot*, *Casablanca*, *The Goonies, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?*, *The Iron Giant*, and *It*, among many others. Jordan Hoffman from *Vanity Fair* compared the trailer to Disney's *Tron* franchise and fellow Warner Bros. film *Ready Player One*.

### Merchandise

In July 2020, a hat with the film's logo became available on the WB shop website. On September 1, 2020, it was announced that Australian toy company Moose Toys made a deal with Warner Bros. to make merchandise for the film along with the 2021 live-action/animated *Tom and Jerry* hybrid film. Hasbro also made a deal with Warners to make two *Space Jam: A New Legacy* versions of their board game properties *Monopoly* and *Connect Four*.

## Release

*Space Jam: A New Legacy* is scheduled to be released by Warner Bros. Pictures in theaters in the United States on July 16, 2021 in RealD 3D and IMAX. It will also simultaneously be released on HBO Max, available for subscribers to view free of cost for one month. In September 2020, SpringHill Co. Entertainment signed a 4-year contract with Universal Pictures, making this their fourth and final independent production.

## Triviaedit | edit source

*For a list of characters that have cameo appearances in the movie, see List of Space Jam: A New Legacy cameos.*

*For a list of other franchises references in the movie, see List of Space Jam: A New legacy franchise references.*

* This is the very first *Looney Tunes* feature film released in stereoscopic 3D, due to being converted to 3D during post-production.
* This is the second theatrical traditionally-animated feature film in the 2020s decade, behind *Bob’s Burgers: The Movie* by 20th Century Studios.
* This is the second time the Iron Giant makes a cameo in another Warner Bros. film after *Ready Player One*.
* This is the third time King Kong makes a cameo in another Warner Bros. film after *The LEGO Batman Movie* and *Ready Player One*.
* This is the second time Scooby-Doo and Shaggy Rogers make cameos in the *Looney Tunes* feature film after *Looney Tunes: Back in Action*.
	+ Thus, it is also the first time Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, and Velma Dinkley makes cameos in the *Looney Tunes* feature film.
* This is the first time that Yakko, Wakko, and Dot make brief cameos in the *Looney Tunes* feature film.
* This the second time that Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble, Wilma Flintstone, Betty Rubble, Bamm-Bamm Rubble, Pebble Flintstone, and Dino make cameos in the *Looney Tunes* feature film.
* A live-action version of the Man with the Yellow Hat from *Curious George* can be seen in the background, despite all aforementioned animated projects owned by Universal Studios.