The original Space Jam is one of the most iconic basketball movies of all time, but Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James looks to add his own chapter with the new version “Space Jam: A New Legacy” coming out in July.
A featurette on the movie was released Tuesday and called, “A Royal Introduction Featurette” and with LeBron carrying his ‘King James’ moniker, this makes perfect sense.
The fact that the original Space Jam inspired millions to pick up a basketball while working as a crossover between Michael Jordan, the NBA and the Looney Tunes is a marvel in and of itself. The featurette begins with James as a 2-D cartoon running away from a signature Looney Tunes ‘Acme’ truck before Bugs Bunny pokes his head out the driver’s window chiming in, “Hey, aren’t you LeBron James?”
This immediately takes the viewer back to the wackiness of the original Space Jam before the real LeBron is interviewed on his childhood love of the Looney Tunes and seeing the original Space Jam when he was 12. James even mentioned the opportunity of being able to reintroduce the film to kids today showing the greatness of both the Looney Tunes and the sport of basketball referring to the film as a match made in heaven:
LeBron James talks candidly about blending his real life and Tune life in Space Jam: A New Legacy – in theaters and on HBO Max July 16. #SpaceJamMovie pic.twitter.com/99EUJd1gaz
— Space Jam: A New Legacy (@spacejammovie) June 22, 2021
Multiple clips from the film are interspersed with James throughout his interview, which also reveals we’ll be learning a lot about him in the film. He mentions playing a fictionalized version of himself, but also says it’s ‘kind of who he is as well.’
You can even find LeBron wearing a cowboy hat as a cartoon as Bugs Bunny takes viewers back to the original movie from 25 years ago while questioning James wanting him to play in a ‘high-stakes basketball game.’ LeBron has never been shy about his tough upbringing, which makes for great viewing as he mentions being ‘humbled,’ knowing where he comes from over the backdrop of big-budget Hollywood scenes.
Space Jam: A New Legacy features more Lakers connections than just LeBron James
After the first Space Jam trailer dropped, basketball fans and fans of the first movie knew they would be in for a treat. This featurette presents a lineup walking out on the court called the ‘Goon Squad’ to face off against LeBron and the ‘Tune Squad.’
The Goon Squad in this featurette shows fellow Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis, WNBA legend Diana Taurasi, who was close with Kobe Bryant, 3-time NBA champion Klay Thompson, whose father Mychal Thompson played for the Lakers and WNBA champion Nneka Ogwumike, who also plays at the Staples Center for the Los Angeles Sparks. Lakers fans should be absolutely thrilled about the prospect of a new Space Jam, not just as basketball fans and movie fans, but with multiple ties to the organization throughout the film.
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