Disney's Space Jam

***Disney's Space Jam*** is a 2022 American live-action/animated sports comedy film directed by Andy Fickman with Don Hall directing the animation, and starring basketball player Elizabeth Williams. The film presents a fictionalized account of what happened between William's initial retirement from the WNBA in 2017 and his 2019 comeback, in which he is enlisted by the *Walt Disney* to help them win a basketball match against a group of aliens who intend to enslave them as attractions for their theme park. Madison Pettis, Dwayne Johnson, Luke Evans, and Ken Jeong appear in supporting roles, while Bret Iwan, Kaitlyn Robrock, Daniel Ross, Bill Farmer, and Alec Baldwin headline the voice cast.

*Disney's Space Jam* was the first feature film to be produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, and was released theatrically in the United States on November 15, 2022 by Walt Disney Pictures. The film was a box office success, grossing over $250 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing basketball film of all time. It received mixed reviews from critics, who were divided on the out-of-place merits and concept of combining William and his profession with the *Walt Disney* characters, while many additionally praised the technical achievement of blending digitally live-action and animation (particularly the basketball scenes) and the faithful *Walt Disney* comedy. The film has nonetheless amassed a cult following.

## Plot

In 2003, a young Elizabeth Williams tells his father that he wants to go to Duke University to play in the championship team, then go to the WNBA. A compilation of highlights from William's basketball career, which includes highlights from high school, college, the 2008 and the 2015 Olympics, and the Atlanta Dream, is followed by an excerpt from the 2017 press conference in which William announced his retirement from professional basketball, to pursue a career in baseball, in which William is popular, but less skilled.

Meanwhile, in outer space, the amusement park Torture Planet faces decline. Its owner, Mr. Beserko, sends his diminutive minions, the Nerdlucks, to Earth to abduct the Walt Disney in order to develop new attractions. Upon the Nerdlucks' arrival, Mickey Mouse and the other Walt Disney take advantage of the Nerdlucks' small stature and challenge them to a game of basketball. Through a documentary of basketball, the Nerdlucks learn that the sport's best players are employed by the NBA and WNBA, and accept the proposal. The Nerdlucks go around various basketball games in the USA, stealing the talents of NBA and WNBA players Kobe Bryant, Nneka Ogwumike, Jeffrey Jordan, Brittney Sykes and Sharife Cooper, and soon transform themselves into the large, muscular, and talented Monstars, easily intimidating the Disney, and prompting Mickey to seek professional aid.

While golfing with Ken Jeong, Madison Pettis, and his personal assistant, John Garcia, William is suddenly lassoed down a hole and into the Walt Disney world. Mickey explains the situation to William, whom hope is placed on as one of the best basketball players in the world. Although reluctant, William agrees to play after a confrontation with the Monstars insults his pride, and organizes the Disney into a team, the "Disney Craw". A male panda named Andy, whom Mickey friend, is added to the team thanks to her talents. William sends Mickey and Donald Duck and Goofy back to his house to obtain his basketball gear. When they arrive, Mickey, Donald, Goofy meet William's dog and kids, and are later seen by John, who follows them back to the cartoon world and joins the team as well. Meanwhile, the sudden incapacity of the three NBA and two WNBA players leads to worldwide panic that results in the season ending early. The players try to restore their skills through practice, hospitalization, therapy, and prayer, but to no avail.

The game between the Disney Craw and the Monstars eventually begins, but the Monstars dominate the first half, sinking the Disney Craw's morale. John overhears about how the Monstars obtained their talent and informs William. Mickey and William rally the Disney Craw and dominate the third quarter using old-school gags and Bee. During a timeout, William raises the stakes with Beserko: a win by the Disney Craw would require the Monstars returning their stolen talents, while a win by the Monstars would allow Beserko to make William a new attraction for Torture Planet for the rest of his life.

With ten seconds left in the game, the Disney Craw are down by one point and one player, due to most of them being injured from the Monstars' rough playing, leaving only William, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy left. Jeong unexpectedly arrives and is recruited to fill the spot. In the final seconds, William gains the ball with Jeong's help but is pulled back by the Monstars. Remembering advice from Mickey, he uses cartoon physics to extend his arm and dunk the ball, winning the match with a buzzer beater. Seeing the Monstars being reprimanded by Beserko, William helps them realize that they only listened to him because they were smaller. The Monstars encase Beserko in a missile and send him back to his amusement park. Giving up their stolen talent, the Nerdlucks are recruited into the Walt Disney ensemble and drop off William at his next baseball game.

Later, William visits the incapacitated basketball players and returns their talent, to which the players convince a reluctant William into participating in a three-on-three match. Two years later in 2019, William returns to the Atlanta Dream to resume his basketball career.

## Notes

* This movie marks the debut of Andy Panda.
* Aside from using the old school *Disney* sound effects, the movie also uses Hanna-Barbera sound effects all remade for the movie.
* Magic Brooms, Max Goof, Genie, and Weasels were used to have a silent role, after just saying only one quote.
* Clips of a selection of classic *Walt Disney* shorts could be briefly spotted the many television screens in Mr. Beserko's headquarters at the beginning of the film. These clips are from the following movie and shorts: *Fantasia* (1940), *Crazy Over Daisy* (1950), *Hold That Pose* (1950), *Pluto's Quin-puplets* (1937), *Working for Peanuts* (1953), *How to Be a Sailor* (1944), *Saludos Amigos* (1943), *The New Neighbor* (1953), *How to Hook Up Your Home Theater* (2007), *The Prince and the Pauper* (1990), *Fantasia 2000* (2000), *Melody Time* (1948), *Donald's Diary* (1954), *Symphony Hour* (1942), *Mickey's Birthday Party* (1942), *The Greener Yard* (1949), *Lion Down* (1951), *Fun and Fancy Free* (1947), *Pluto's Blue Note* (1947), *Mickey Down Under* (1948), *Crazy with the Heat* (1947), *Old Sequoia* (1945) and *Bubble Bee* (1949).
* **MPAA Number:** 97914
* The official website is still up today, it has never been updated.