New Space Jam: A New Legacy images highlight LeBron James and a 3D Bugs Bunny. The film is the long-gestating followup to the 1996 hit Space Jam, which saw NBA legend Michael Jordan team up with the Looney Tunes to win a basketball game. This time around, James steps into the starring role, but the movie is about more than just sports. Previously, James mentioned Space Jam: A New Legacy is a family film revolving around the relationship between James and his son Dom. He's described it as a "parenting movie" with regard to the narrative.
Scheduled to release later this year, Space Jam: A New Legacy is one of the Warner Bros. films that will premiere on HBO Max the same day as theaters. While there's still some time before the film's July premiere, WB is starting to generate buzz for the project. Viewers got their first glimpse of Space Jam 2 footage earlier this year in an HBO Max trailer, and now there's a more concrete look at the film with a batch of fresh still images.
Courtesy of EW, the photos showcase everything from James preparing to dunk during a basketball game to Bugs Bunny looking concerned and Don Cheadle's character AI G. Check out the images below:
Space Jam: A New Legacy doesn't have the Monstars, the famous team of villains from the original. Instead, the Tune Squad will be going up against the Goon Squad who have their own "powered-up roster of pros" according to EW. Interestingly, Cedric Joe's Dom is wearing a Goon Squad jersey, implying Cheadle's AI G is looking to pit James against his son. This is where the family dynamics come into play, as James attempts to save Dom. EW notes the two get trapped in what's called the "Warner 3000 entertainment Server-verse." While Space Jam: A New Legacy should boast plenty of the cartoonish hijinks that made the first movie a touchstone for '90s kids, it sounds like this movie is aiming to tell a poignant story about fatherhood, giving it a strong emotional core. Ryan Coogler, one of this era's most acclaimed filmmakers, had a hand in writing the script, so it'll be interesting to see what the story entails.
These images mark the true start of the Space Jam: A New Legacy marketing campaign, so it could be a matter of time before the first trailer is released. The 2021 NBA season is currently ongoing, with the All-Star Game taking place on March 7. That's one of the league's most high-profile events, and would serve as the ideal launchpad for fresh Space Jam: A New Legacy footage (especially since James will be playing in the game). Even if there isn't a trailer this weekend, WB is clearly ramping up the promotional machine, meaning there will be plenty of Space Jam: A New Legacy materials to come.
Source: EW
