SPACE JAM 2: WHAT TO EXPECT
By Michael Ahr
Nearly 25 years after the original Space Jam, Space Jam: A New Legacy hits theaters and HBO Max on July 16, 2021. So what can we expect to see?
Space Jam is quite an act to follow, having earned $230 million at the box office, spawned a billion-dollar merchandise empire, and inspired a soundtrack that went six times platinum.
LeBron James takes the lead in the sequel, following in the footsteps of Michael Jordan and joining the Tune Squad on the basketball court in a winner-take-all contest.
As before, the NBA star and his team will have to square off against the Goon Squad, reportedly featuring Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and Diana Taurasi.
Anthony Davis
The film’s villain is a CGI humanoid named Al G Rhythm, played by Marvel vet Don Cheadle, who’s looking to steal James’ Instagram followers.
Don Cheadle
A recent “first look” promo gave us a look at James in the newly designed Tune Squad jersey, featuring the recognizable concentric circles from Warner Bros. cartoons.
James will be visited by a much larger array of Warner Bros. properties than Jordan encountered in the original Space Jam.
Expect to see nods to Batman, King Kong, Mad Max, The Matrix, Wonder Woman, and even Casablanca.
The movie finds James struggling to relate to his youngest son Dom (Cedric Joe), who is more interested in creating video games than playing basketball.
Dom’s tech skills catch the attention of Al G, and Dom and his father are soon sucked into the Warner 3000 entertainment “Server-verse,” with Al G kidnapping Dom.
The Internet was recently abuzz with reaction to the news that Lola Bunny would be less salacious in the sequel, reflecting more modern sensibilities.
Whatever nostalgia fans have for the original Space Jam, however, it’s hard to argue with the comparable success of James on the court as he follows up on Jordan’s big screen performance.