Two decades after NBA superstar Michael Jordan shot some hoops with Bugs Bunny and Co., The Hollywood Reporter brings word today that a Space Jam 2 is moving forward with Star Trek Beyond filmmaker Justin Lin at the helm.
Penning the script alongside screenwriter Andrew Dodge, it’s understood the long-rumored basketball sequel will welcome LeBron James to the fray, who first became linked with said follow-up back in 2012, before fuelling speculation three years later when the Cleveland Cavaliers star inked a movie and TV deal with Warner Bros. Pictures. Now, on the heels of a role in last year’s rom-com Trainwreck, LeBron James has officially been confirmed to headline Space Jam 2.
Plot details are practically non-existent at such an early stage, but it’s a safe bet that Warner Bros. and now Justin Lin will circle back to the creative well of Looney Tunes mascots – Daffy Duck, Lola Bunny and Danny DeVito as Swackhammer were just some of the cartoon all-stars that featured in the beloved 1996 original – and galactic, nail-biting basketball matches.
Bringing together the worlds of CG animation and live-action – quite literally, after Bugs Bunny scrambles into the real world to pluck an NBA superstar (Jordan) to join the Tune Squad – Joe Pytka’s Space Jam remains steeped in nostalgia even to this day. A fixture of ’90s pop culture, the original flick featured big name cameos from the likes of Bill Murray and for many, Justin Lin, Andrew Dodge and LeBron James will be treading on hallowed ground in their bid to create a worthy sequel that’s effectively two decades in the making.
There you have it: Space Jam 2 is officially teetering on the edge of production pending Justin Lin closing a deal to direct. But almost 20 years after its predecessor, what are your early impressions of the sequel picking up momentum?