Getty LeBron James, Lakers movie mogul
It has been almost two years since word first came that Lakers forward and MVP candidate LeBron James would star in a reboot of the Space Jam movie, the iconic 1996 film starring Michael Jordan and Bill Murray as well as Bugs Bunny and a cast of Looney Tunes cartoons.
But this week, James finally revealed the title and new logo for the film, which began production last year and is slated to come out in 2021. He did so in a message on Twitter: Space Jam: A New Legacy.
2021! 🐰🥕🎥🍿👑
James has dabbled in Hollywood projects before, most prominently with “The Shop,” an HBO show that featured James discussing various issues with athletes and other stars. He was also involved with an HBO Sports documentary about college sports, “Student Athlete,” and the competition series, “Million Dollar Mile,” which flopped after one season on CBS. There also was, “Shut Up and Dribble,” a Showtime documentary about athletes and social activism.
James also was as a supporting actor in the Amy Schumer movie, Trainwreck. But this may be his most ambitious project yet and the first in which he is the leading man.
LeBron James has Assembled a Massive Roster
James, who has been a big supporter of the movie Black Panther, got that movie’s director Ryan Coogler involved in the new Space Jam movie as a producer and writer.
“The Space Jam collaboration is so much more than just me and the Looney Tunes getting together and doing this movie,” James told The Hollywood Reporter in 2018. “It’s so much bigger. I’d just love for kids to understand how empowered they can feel and how empowered they can be if they don’t just give up on their dreams. And I think Ryan did that for a lot of people [with Black Panther].”
Terence Nance, the indie darling who created the HBO show, Random Acts of Flyness, was scheduled to be the movie’s director. But Nance was replaced last year by Malcolm D. Lee, who is not exactly the art-house type that Nance is. He is known for more cookie-cutter commercial films like Barbershop: The Next Cut, Girls Trip and Scary Movie 5.
There will be a star-studded cast for this iteration of Space Jam, including NBA stars like Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Kyle Kuzma and Anthony Davis. WNBA players like Diana Taurasi, Nneka Ogwumike, and Chiney Ogwumike will make appearances, too. Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle and Star Trek: Discovery star Sonequa Martin-Green are also signed up.
James has Much Invested in Space Jam: A New Legacy
The movie is a bit of a gamble on James’ part because it takes on one of the cultural legacies left by Jordan. To be sure, the original Space Jam was a pretty simple movie but it was innovative in its interactions between human actors animated characters and achieved big-time financial success—the movie grossed more than $230 million.
James has been fastidious about the details of the movie so far. He built a custom basketball court for himself and the movie’s other stars at the house of legendary NBA superfan Jimmy Goldstein and said he is giving detailed attention to the film’s soundtrack, which was a highlight of the original Space Jam.
The Space Jam 2 workout court for players is set up at NBA superfan Jimmy Goldstein’s house in LA, featuring LeBron James’ logo.
“One of the first things I said when I was in my pitch meeting to do the movie, I was like ‘listen, I love the movie and what it stood for back in the day, but the soundtrack alone… if we don’t get the right soundtrack, I don’t want to be a part of it, because that really drove the movie as well,’” James said on Richard Jefferson’s podcast, ‘Road Trippin’’.
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