LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan is one of the most heated debates in sports and ever since it was announced LeBron would star in Space Jam: A New Legacy, the competition for the NBA G.O.A.T. title got a little fiercer. However, after Space Jam: A New Legacy just shared exclusive images of another basketball legend, fans can now turn their attention to comparing the Bugs Bunny from the ’90s to his more modern version.
Information regarding the new Space Jam movie has been quite scarce ever since the film’s planning began back in 2014, but over the last couple of years more detailed elements have surfaced, especially since LeBron started filming scenes for Space Jam and continued to work tirelessly in-between NBA training sessions. The four-time NBA champion has been quite vocal about his love for Space Jam, calling it one of the biggest games he’s ever played in.
In its latest exclusive for its April issue, Entertainment Weekly shared first look images of what a furry CGI Bugs Bunny will look like when Space Jam: A New Legacy releases on July 16, as well as giving an early glimpse of how well Tweety and LeBron gel together, as the Los Angeles Lakers’ star gets ready to lead the Looney Tunes to victory. Space Jam: A New Legacy will blend live-action shots with hand-drawn animation and CGI graphics in order to deliver the same kind of mind-blowing experience kids in the ’90s got from Jordan and Bugs.
Space Jam: A New Legacy stars LeBron James, Don Cheadle, and Ceyair J. Wright as Lebron’s on-screen son Dom James, who’s based on LeBron’s oldest son Bronny James, but will also feature appearances from some of LeBron’s teammates like Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma, and several other NBA stars such as Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Damian Lillard, and Chris Paul. The movie also makes room for WNBA icons like Diana Taurasi and sisters Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike, but also expect everyone in the Looney Tunes roster to hit the court.
As for the newly animated Bugs Bunny, admittedly the CGI graphics won’t be to everyone’s liking, but computerized Bugs certainly looks the part, though Space Jam: A New Legacy's biggest challenge will be to replicate the unique charm of the original Space Jam, which wasn’t even a good movie for some. This time around the movie’s plot will see LeBron trapped in a virtual purgatory where he must defeat an overpowered team assembled by a rogue AI.
Just like Mortal Kombat, Space Jam was a cultural phenomenon when it was released in 1996, accompanied by a best-selling soundtrack and feeding the dreams of kids all over the world to play basketball. For LeBron James, his acting experience prepared him for a role he must have imagined in his head hundreds of times when he was only 12, and hopefully Space Jam: A New Legacy will do the same for future NBA greats.
Space Jam: A New Legacy is scheduled for release in theaters and HBO Max on July 16, 2021
Source: Entertainment Weekly