Space Jam: A New Legacy

Space Jam: A New Legacy
Release poster
Directed by	Malcolm D. Lee[a]
Screenplay by	Juel Taylor Tony Rettenmaier Keenan Coogler Terence Nance Jesse Gordon Celeste Ballard
Story by	Juel Taylor Tony Rettenmaier Keenan Coogler Terence Nance[b]
Based on	Space Jam by Leo Benvenuti Steve Rudnick Timothy Harris Herschel Weingrod
Produced by	Ryan Coogler LeBron James Maverick Carter Duncan Henderson
Starring	LeBron James Don Cheadle Khris Davis Sonequa Martin-Green Zendaya Jeff Bergman Eric Bauza
Cinematography	Salvatore Totino[c]
Edited by	Bob Ducsay
Music by	Kris Bowers[d]
Production companies	Warner Animation Group Proximity Media[2] The SpringHill Company[2]
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures
Release dates	July 12, 2021 (2021-07-12) (Los Angeles) July 16, 2021 (2021-07-16) (United States)
Running time	115 minutes[3]
Country	United States[4]
Language	English
Budget	$150 million[5]
Box office	$163.7 million[6][7]

Space Jam: A New Legacy (also known as Space Jam 2) is a 2021 American live-action/animated sports comedy film produced by Warner Animation Group, Proximity Media, and The SpringHill Company, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film was directed by Malcolm D. Lee from a screenplay by Juel Taylor, Tony Rettenmaier, Keenan Coogler, Terence Nance, Jesse Gordon, and Celeste Ballard, and a story by Taylor, Rettenmaier, Coogler, and Nance.^[8] It serves as a standalone sequel to Space Jam (1996) and is the first theatrically released film to feature the Looney Tunes characters since Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003). The film stars basketball player LeBron James as a fictional version of himself; Don Cheadle, Khris Davis, Sonequa Martin-Green, and Cedric Joe star in live-action roles, while Jeff Bergman, Eric Bauza, and Zendaya headline the Looney Tunes voice cast. The film follows James enlisting the Looney Tunes' aid to win a basketball game in a Warner Bros.–themed virtual multiverse against a rogue artificial intelligence's avatars after James's youngest son is abducted by the AI.

Discussions for a Space Jam successor began following its release. Director Joe Pytka was attached to return in that capacity and Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone signed on as the animation directors; however, the project was stalled due to Michael Jordan's refusal to return. Several possible spin-offs focusing on other athletes, including Jeff Gordon, Tiger Woods, and Tony Hawk, were also discussed but never materialized. After several years in development, a LeBron James-led sequel was officially announced in 2014 with filming under Nance taking place from June to September 2019 around Los Angeles. Several weeks into filming, Nance left the project in July 2019 and was replaced by Lee. Traditional animation was done by Company 3 Animation and Tonic DNA, while visual effects and computer animation were outsourced to Industrial Light & Magic.

Space Jam: A New Legacy premiered in Los Angeles on July 12, 2021, and was released nationwide in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures on July 16, and through HBO Max for one month. The film was a box-office bomb, grossing $163 million worldwide against a $150 million production budget, and received generally negative reviews from critics for its humor, overlong runtime, and particularly for its extensive product placement of WarnerMedia properties.^[9] It won three of its four Golden Raspberry Award nominations, including Worst Actor for James.

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