Michael Jordan starred in the 1996 cult film. Courtesy of io9.gizmodo.com/WarnerBros.
It’s been 20 years since the release of the Michael Jordan meets Looney Toons classic “Space Jam” — but reports say that there will be a follow up to the film starring LeBron James coming on the horizon.
Space Jam was released in November 1996 and grossed over $230 million. Courtesy of wikimedia.org/WarnerBros.
The original Space Jam, released in 1996, stars Michael Jordan as, well, Michael Jordan. After retiring from basketball, he follows his father’s footsteps and tries his hand, unsuccessfully, at baseball. Elsewhere in outer space, an amusement park owner sends his clueless henchmen to capture the Looney Tune characters as new features to the park. The Looney Tunes, who live in an animated world inside Earth, challenge the henchmen to a game of basketball for their freedom.
Unfortunately for the tunes, the henchmen steal the playing powers of some basketball greats like Charles Barkley, Larry Johnson and Muggsy Bogues. The Looney Tunes then recruit Michael Jordan, comedian Bill Murray, and the hilarious Wayne Knight for their team.
Courtesy of tumblr.com/WarnerBros.
For many proud 90’s kids like myself, Space Jam is a cult classic. A wacky symbol of a simpler time where fiction and non-fiction merged and we didn’t care if what we watched had a deeper meaning.
LeBron James costarred in the hit 2015 comedy Trainwreck with Amy Schumer (L). Courtesy of The Seattle Times/Universal Pictures
Reports are also speculating on which of the hottest basketball stars should be recruited for what is to be for the star-studded film. Some of the top picks are Isaiah Thomas, Kyrie Irving, Jeremy Lin, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh.
Whoever it is to be featured among the cast of colorful cartoon characters, I personally hope that they make sure to recruit some major musical talent to produce a new hit song like R. Kelly’s Grammy winning “I Believe I Can Fly” or the club banger “Space Jam” by Quad City DJs featured below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBGXZZhhVaU
The Space Jam sequel will be directed by Justin Lin of the Fast and Furious franchise and written by Andrew Dodge and Alfredo Botello of Fast and Furious 6 and Star Trek Beyond fame. There is no word on a plot for this film just yet but with LeBron as the star, who last summer showed off his acting chops in Trainwreck starring comedienne Amy Schumer, it’s sure to be good.