Space Jam: A New Legacy (Exclusive Series) (HBO Max thru 8/15)

Space Jam: A New Legacy (Exclusive Series)

Initial release date: 7/16/2021

Studios: Warner Bros./Warner Animation Group/The Springhill Company

Tagline: Get ready for the slam dunk of the summer

They’re all tuned up for a rematch

Plot: When LeBron James 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 vs. 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.

Cast

LeBron James - Himself

Don Cheadle - Al G. Rhythm

Cedric Joe - Dom James

Khris Davis Malik

Sonequa Martin-Green - Kamiyah James

Ceyair J. Wright - Darius James

Harper Leigh Alexander - Xosha James

Xosha Roquemore - Shanice James

Jeff Bergman - Bugs Bunny/Sylvester/Yosemite Sam/Fred Flintstone/Yogi Bear

Zendaya - Lola Bunny

Gabriel Iglesias - Speedy Gonzales

Eric Bauza - Daffy Duck/Porky Pig/Foghorn Leghorn/Elmer Fudd/Marvin the Martian

Writer(s): Juel Taylor (Creed II)

Tony Rettenmaier

Keenan Cooger (upcoming Creed III)

Terence Nance

Jesse Gordon

Celeste Ballard

Director: Malcolm D. Lee (Night School; Girls Trip)

Rated PG for some cartoon violence and some language (115 minutes)

For many, many years, everyone who grew up watching the first ‘Space Jam’ has always wondered if there would ever be a sequel. There has been online rumors of a sequel over the years and now, we finally get a sequel after waiting for a long 25 years!

Even though ‘A New Legacy’ does have some funny moments and a few great cameos, it definitely isn’t as memorable as the 1996 movie. The new ‘Space Jam’ can be some great family fun and the younger generation will surely enjoy this installment.

The “ServerVerse’” sequences are kind of cool to watch and it’s neat to see some of the Warner Brothers characters together in the same scenes. But, I think they overdid it by bringing many, many, many characters from their archives. Also the studio kind of did that with their ‘Ready Player One’ movie from a few years ago.

So, overall, ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ can be a nice little family entertainment. But, the first movie is definitely superior.

Here are some interesting tidbits about ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’:

• After the original idea for ‘Space Jam 2; was cancelled, there was an idea for a spy movie titled ‘Spy Jam’ starring Jackie Chan, but he left the project and it evolved into 2003s ‘Looney Tunes: Back in Action.’

• This is the first Looney Tunes full-length theatrical film to not have June Foray voicing Granny, following her death four years prior.

• Kath Soucie had been set to reprise her role as Lola Bunny, and had all of her dialogue recorded. But, for unknown reasons, she was replaced by ‘Spider-Man’ actress Zendaya during late post-production.

• Justin Lin left the movie to direct ‘F9: The Fast Saga’ and the upcoming two-part ‘Fast’ finale.

• WB also had ideas for ‘Skate Jam,’ ‘Golf Jam’ and ‘Race Jam,’ but they were all discarded.

• WB had originally planned for a ‘Space Jam’ sequel back in 1996, but didn’t announce it until 2014.

• Pepe LePew, the French skunk, was supposed to have featured in a ‘Casablanca’-inspired scene where he tries to pick up actress Greice Santo (playing a bartender), who violently rebuffs his advances. However, the unfinished scene was dropped after Malcolm D. Lee took over directing over Terence Nance, allegedly because the character of LePew was said to promote sexual harassment.

• The movie was given the nickname ‘Ready, Player, Space Jam’ from some due to this being similar to ‘Ready, Player, One’ and its massive use of franchises after seeing the trailer and number of characters who make up the crowd during the basketball game.

• As the setting of the bulk of the movie takes place within the WB “Serververse,” the movie incorporates numerous references to other properties owned by Warner Bros. Major properties directly named include ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Mad Max, ‘The Matrix,’ ‘The Iron Giant,’ ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ ‘King Kong,’ ‘Mortal Kombat’ and many others.

• Samba TV reported that 2.1 million US households streamed the movie in its opening weekend, one of the best totals for its WB/HBO Max day and date release, with Cleveland being the most watched city.