Hot off the release of the batch of bright and fun character posters earlier this week, Warner Bros. released the first trailer for Space Jam: A New Legacy starring Lebron James, Don Cheadle and of course, Bugs Bunny and friends.
Space Jam is kind of a weird concept right? It blends basketball and Looney Tunes, a marriage one wouldn’t really expect to begin with, and dances back and forth between live action and animation. And yet, the original Space Jam left an indelible pop culture impact when it was released almost 25 years ago.
The question of course is, what can a sequel do to improve on the original, or at least honor its legacy? The answer from the trailer seems to be to stack the deck with incredible talent like Don Cheadle and Zendaya (Entertainment Weekly revealed that she is voicing Lola Bunny) and make the film a ton of fun that the whole family can enjoy.
Judging from the impressive first trailer, Warner Bros. looks to have assembled a championship level squad. Don Cheadle playing what looks to be a digital villain is an inspired idea, and Lebron James seems to have some genuine comedic acting chops.
Judging from the social media reactions since the trailer was released, it seems to have impressed many skeptics. I was already looking forward to this film as a fun story with a nostalgic connection to my youth, but now I’m genuinely excited at what could very well be a rare sequel that’s better than the original!
In addition to the slick new trailer above, Warner Bros. released a batch of stills from the film as well.
Space Jam: A New Legacy premieres in theaters and on HBO Max on July 16th!
Welcome to the Jam! NBA champion and global icon LeBron James goes on an epic adventure alongside timeless Tune Bugs Bunny with the animated/live-action event “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” from director Malcolm D. Lee and an innovative filmmaking team including Ryan Coogler and Maverick Carter. This transformational journey is a manic mashup of two worlds that reveals just how far some parents will go to connect with their kids. When LeBron and his young son Dom are trapped in a digital space by a rogue A.I., LeBron must get them home safe by leading Bugs, Lola Bunny and the whole gang of notoriously undisciplined Looney Tunes to victory over the A.I.’s digitized champions on the court: a powered-up roster of professional basketball stars as you’ve never seen them before. It’s Tunes versus Goons in the highest-stakes challenge of his life, that will redefine LeBron’s bond with his son and shine a light on the power of being yourself. The ready-for-action Tunes destroy convention, supercharge their unique talents and surprise even “King” James by playing the game their own way.
James stars alongside Oscar nominee Don Cheadle (the “Avengers” films, “Hotel Rwanda”), Khris Davis (“Judas and the Black Messiah,” TV’s “Atlanta”), Sonequa Martin-Green (TV’s “The Walking Dead,” “Star Trek: Discovery”), newcomer Cedric Joe, Jeff Bergman (“Looney Tunes Cartoons”) and Eric Bauza (“Looney Tunes Cartoons”).
Lee (“Girls Trip,” “Night School”) directs from a screenplay by Juel Taylor & Tony Rettenmaier & Keenan Coogler & Terence Nance. The film’s producers are Ryan Coogler, LeBron James, Maverick Carter and Duncan Henderson, and the executive producers are Sev Ohanian, Zinzi Coogler, Allison Abbate, Jesse Ehrman, Jamal Henderson, Spencer Beighley, Justin Lin, Terence Nance and Ivan Reitman.
The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Salvatore Totino (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”), animation producer Troy Nethercott (“Wonder Park”), production designers Kevin Ishioka (“The Mule”), Akin McKenzie (Netflix’s “When They See Us”) and Clint Wallace (upcoming “Eternals”), editor Bob Ducsay (“Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” “Star Wars Episode VIII – The Last Jedi”) and costume designer Melissa Bruning (“Rampage,” “War for the Planet of the Apes”). The music is by Kris Bowers (“Greenbook,” Netflix’s “Bridgerton”).
Warner Bros. Pictures Presents a Proximity/The SpringHill Company Production, a Malcolm D. Lee Film, “Space Jam: A New Legacy.” The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. It will be released in theaters nationwide on July 16, 2021 and will be available in the U.S. on HBO Max for 31 days from theatrical release.
Ron is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of POC Culture. He is a big believer in the power and impact of pop culture and the importance of representation in media.
