Space Jam: A New Legacy

Space Jam: A New Legacy (also known as Space Jam 2) is an upcoming 2021 American live-action/animated sports comedy film produced by the Warner Animation Group and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. The film is a sequel to the 1996 film Space Jam and stars NBA player LeBron James, as well as Don Cheadle and Sonequa Martin-Green. The film also features the Looney Tunes characters such as Bugs Bunny (who, like with Michael Jordan in the original film, is credited alongside James), Lola Bunny, and Daffy Duck, with Kath Soucie reprising her role. James also acts as a producer alongside Ryan Coogler, who co-wrote the script with Sev Ohanian.

Space Jam: A New Legacy
Official logo
Directed byMalcolm D. Lee[lower-alpha 1]
Spike Brant (animation)[1]
Produced by
Written by
Based onLooney Tunes
by Warner Bros.
Starring
Music by
CinematographySalvatore Totino
Edited byLawrence Gan
Animation by
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • July 16, 2021 (2021-07-16) (United States)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$161.9 million[2]

Talks for a Space Jam sequel began after the release of the first film, but eventually fell through due to Michael Jordan's refusal to return. Several possible spin-offs, focusing on other athletes, including Jeff Gordon, Tiger Woods, and Tony Hawk, were also discussed, but never came to fruition. A LeBron James-led sequel was officially announced in 2014, and after several years of languishing, filming began under Terence Nance in June 2019 around Los Angeles. After a few weeks into filming, Nance left the project; Lee was hired to replace him in July 2019. Production wrapped in September 2019.

Space Jam: A New Legacy is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on July 16, 2021, by Warner Bros. Pictures. It will mark the first theatrically-released film to feature the Looney Tunes characters since the release of Looney Tunes: Back in Action in 2003.

Cast

Additionally, NBA players Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, and Kyle Kuzma as well as WNBA players Diana Taurasi, Nneka Ogwumike, and Chiney Ogwumike are set to make cameo appearances. Lakers star Alex Caruso, however, confirmed that he would not be in the movie since he missed the cut.[7][8]

Voice cast

Production

Development

A sequel to Space Jam was planned as early as 1997. As development began, Space Jam 2 was going to involve a new basketball competition between the Looney Tunes and a new villain named Berserk-O!. Artist Bob Camp was tasked with designing Berserk-O! and his henchmen. Joe Pytka would have returned to direct and Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone signed on as the animation supervisors. However, Michael Jordan did not agree to star in a sequel. According to Camp, a producer lied to design artists by claiming that Jordan had signed on in order to keep development going. Warner Bros. eventually canceled plans for Space Jam 2.[11]

The potential sequel reentered development as Spy Jam and was to star Jackie Chan in a different script. The studio was also planning a film titled Race Jam which would have starred Jeff Gordon. Additionally, Pytka revealed that following the first film's success, he had been pitched a story for a sequel that would have starred professional golfer Tiger Woods, with Jordan in a smaller role. Pytka explained how the idea came from an out of studio script conference, with people who worked on the original film allegedly involved.[12][13] Producer Ivan Reitman was reportedly in favor of a film which would again star Jordan.[14] The follow-up films were ultimately cancelled in favor of Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003). A film titled Skate Jam was in early development with Tony Hawk in the starring role. Plans were underway for production to begin immediately following the release of Looney Tunes: Back in Action, but were cancelled due to the poor financial performance of said film despite improved critical reception to Space Jam.[15]

Resurgence

In February 2014, Warner Bros. officially announced development of a sequel that will star LeBron James. Charlie Ebersol was set to produce, while Willie Ebersol wrote the script.[16] By May of the same year, James was quoted as saying, "I've always loved Space Jam. It was one of my favorite movies growing up. If I have the opportunity, it will be great."[17] In July 2015, James and his film studio, SpringHill Entertainment, signed a deal with Warner Bros. for television, film and digital content after receiving positive reviews for his role in Trainwreck.[18][19][20] By 2016, Justin Lin signed onto the project as director, and co-screenwriter with Andrew Dodge and Alfredo Botello.[21] In November 2016, a teaser trailer in the form of a Nike advertisement, was released on Twitter under #MonstarsBack.[22] Later in December, Bugs Bunny and the Monstars appeared in a Foot Locker commercial starring Blake Griffin and Jimmy Butler.[23][24] By August 2018, Lin left the project, and Terence Nance was hired to direct the film.[25] In September 2018, Ryan Coogler was announced as a producer for the film. SpringHill Entertainment released a promotional teaser image officially announcing the film,[26] with production set to begin in 2019 during the NBA off-season.[27] Filming was to take place in California[28][29][30][31] within a 30 mile radius of Los Angeles.[32] Prior to production, the film received $21.8 million in tax credits as a result of a new tax incentive program from the state.[33][34][35]

Filming

Principal photography began on June 25, 2019.[36][37] On July 16, 2019, it was announced Nance was leaving the project because he and "the studio/producers had different takes on the creative vision for Space Jam 2", and that Malcolm D. Lee would serve as his replacement.[38] Bradford Young, who was set to serve as cinematographer, also left the project and was replaced by Salvatore Totino.[39]

Among locations used for filming included the Sheats–Goldstein Residence owned by James Goldstein, including turning its tennis court temporarily into a basketball court for the shooting.[40] Production wrapped on September 16, 2019.[41] The production spent at total of $183.7 million filming in California, receiving $23.8 million in tax rebates from the state.[2]

In March 2020, photos taken on set and a brief recording of the wrap party were leaked online, revealing that the film will feature characters from other Warner-owned properties.[42][43][44]

On April 30, 2020, James officially revealed the title and logo of the movie, via Instagram, as Space Jam: A New Legacy.[45][46]

One of the actors, Don Cheadle, said in interviews that LeBron was suffering from an injury during the filming and the filmmakers shot 14 hours a day, the kind that the cast and James were not used to. He also said that he was "working out like a horse".[47][48]

Animation, voice acting, and visual effects

Lucasfilm's visual effects division Industrial Light & Magic was hired to create the visual effects for Space Jam 2.[49] This is the second collaboration with the Looney Tunes in using ILM for visual effects since Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

On March 26, 2020, James revealed that work on the film's animation has begun. He also said that production on the film has been largely unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as most of the work left on the film involves animation.[50] A day later, the Bancroft Brothers confirmed that Spike Brant, the animation director of the original Space Jam, would be directing the animation.[1]

According to voice actor Eric Bauza on May 27, 2020, the animation is still being worked on and he had voiced some temporary dialogue while neither confirming nor denying his involvement with the final product. Bauza also said that he does some scratch dialogue as the writers "punch up story lines and jokes".[51][9] Disney veteran Tony Bancroft started working at Warner Bros. Animation in January 2020 for the film. Bancroft also confirmed that Dan Haskett, who has been working for the Looney Tunes since 1979, is working on the animation as well.[52][53] Matt Williames, who hasn't worked with Warner Bros. since Looney Tunes: Back in Action, started doing animation for the movie in August 2020.[54][55] The same month, Ole Loken, who worked on Klaus, confirmed that he was animating on the film.[56]

Music

On January 7, 2020, Hans Zimmer was announced as the composer for the film.[57] On April 15, 2020, Kris Bowers was announced as another composer for the film.[58] Both composers are taking over for James Newton Howard who scored the first film. Zimmer and Howard both previously worked together on the scores for both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy.

Release

Space Jam: A New Legacy is scheduled to be released in theaters in the United States on July 16, 2021.[59]

Notes
  1. Terence Nance, the original director of the film, left during production because of creative differences, with Malcolm D. Lee taking his place.

References
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