LeBron James to Star in Space Jam 2

[Leofan26]

Originally Posted by Autbot_Benz

So they couldn't or didn't bother to get kath soucie back to voice her again? I hate hollywood's trend of replacing established voice actors with the celeb of the week.

Sadly that happens all the time with voice actors. Velma from Scooby Doo has gotten her VA replaced twice without being told till finding out on the internet like us, they deserve way more respect than that. I liked the original VA for Lola so that's a shame.

I do hope the first half is spent in the 2D world while the climax is in 3D. Since they likely won't be fighting till the ending like the previous film I wonder what will fill in the blanks? Spoilers say the gang had a fight and split to different planets, shame we can't just focous on that and Bugs fixing everything instead while they play basketball without any celebrity involved. They could focous on Bugs / Daffy's friendship and Lola / Bugs I guess while searching for the others. Oh well, still looking forward to it. At least we get to see the original Space Jam designs in this film instead of the new ones we have, I get that they are trying to bring them back to the classic look but I prefer this version.

[Wildcat]

Lola already had other voices which the article mentions. Saying they snubbed her is a big assumption.

I’ve never seen Clockwork Orange but we could argue against Pennywise too. It’s just funny how we view killer monsters under a different light. Myself included.

Anyway it looks really cool. Of course I love the detailed cgi but it’s obviously a mix of 2D/3D. Lola looks great. I don’t care what anyone says.

The Goon Squad are NBA and WNBA players. In case some think they just made generic villains. They’re based on nicknames which is pretty cool.

Klay Thompson and Steph Curry are known as the Splash Bros. for making a lot of 3 pointers. That’s why he’s made of water.

Damian Lillard created the phrase DameTime (Gametime) and seems to be a clock robot.

Diana Taurasi was nicknamed White Mamba by Kobe Bryant and she’s a snake.

Anthony Davis is known as The Brow for his unibrow. He’s a bird. Not sure how they decided on this one. It’s bird-like I guess.

I don’t know about the Spider or Fire players.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

I’ve never seen Clockwork Orange but we could argue against Pennywise too. It’s just funny how we view killer monsters under a different light. Myself included.

And while a mass murderer SHOULD be worse than a mass rapist, rape is generally seen as much worse in terms of content in entertainment media lately. I don't agree with that, but it's true. And in "A Clockwork Orange" they literally go around just raping women every night, left and right.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

Lola already had other voices which the article mentions. Saying they snubbed her is a big assumption.

Considering they were able to get VAs like Jeff Bergman, Eric Bauza, and Candi Milo, I don't see why they couldn't get Kath Soucie to reprise her role. Though Kristen Wiig did a great job at her own take of Lola for The Looney Tunes Show and I say this as someone who's not a huge fan of her as an actress. The show itself was already good but Lola's easily one of the best parts.

I can't say that I'm feeling this so far which is a shame because I really enjoyed the original even if it's not objectively good. Not sure how I feel about the Looney Tunes becoming CGI in the human world but I'm more so baffled at why they chose to 'toon up' LeBron in their world.

[Leo656]

Like, I do still like the original. Would I still like it anyway, if I hadn't seen it for the very first time when I was 13? Is it objectively any good removed from all nostalgia and whimsy? I honestly don't know, maybe not. At the very least, I think it's an okay kids' movie. This one might be, also.

But objectively, as an adult as well as someone who is very scrutinizing of movies in general, there are things about this one that seem worse. It feels more crass, cynical and "corporate" than the original did, and that's saying something considering the original basically only exists because of a joke taken way too far. The bit we've read about with Lola living with the Amazons on Themiscyra, that's kinda dumb but it's also, kind of, a nice wink. "Okay, WB owns that, I get it... kinda cute." But they're legit going all "Ready Player One" and just jacking themselves off with "LOOK at all the cool things we own, you guys!" and that just seems really, really stupid. Like the entire premise, a joke taken way too far. "Space Jam" was already only half a movie, half a commercial for WB, specifically the Looney Tunes. This feels like JUST a commercial for WB, as well as them as a company trying to show off how "hip" they are... by jumping on the Nostalgia Reboot Train after people have already moved on to the next thing, no less.

I don't know. My wife will inevitably make me watch it with her, but I can't say I'm looking forward to it at all. The first one is barely even a "real" movie on its own, and I've never for a moment thought a second one was even necessary.

It will probably be a "serviceable" kids' movie, but if I actually like it I'll be pretty surprised. Just like I can't tell how I'd feel about the original one if I'd seen it for the very first time today, I have no way of telling how 13-year old me would feel about the sequel. Me Right Now thinks it all looks pretty dumb, that's all I know for sure.

[Andrew NDB]

I don't have any plans to see the movie, largely because I never saw part 1. But even if I had and did... I definitely wouldn't support it based on the "decisions" I see being made by the corporate people behind it making the calls.

But as an outsider, this seems like an anomaly. Like, who is it for? There presently isn't really any audience for "Looney Tunes" characters that fits into any super lucrative demographic anymore. Even the NBA isn't quite the rage today as it was when "Space Jam" came out, what with Jordan being everywhere and on everything. So one would have to assume this would just be a love letter to fans who remember Looney Tunes, right? Or by extension, let's hope those fans take their kids to see this one, yeah?

And that's where the bottom falls out. Dole out boob reductions for animated characters, carve out beloved "problematic" Looney Tunes characters entirely (ones apparently already shot and in the movie?), recast preexisting voice actors for seemingly only reasons that we can already guess without having to say? The people they are trying to not offend and/or placate, by my reckoning, are literally the only people who would ever bother seeing this movie. It's just a very weird mindset, on the higher ups. I think there's a big "let's just pump out trailers and hope they're not all geeks and up on what we're actually doing, and just vaguely remember 'Space Jam'" thing going on, but I don't think it's going to pay off. The people who remember "Space Jam" are either going to go, "Hey cool!" and largely not even bother seeing it, or are going to hate it. Largely.

[Wildcat]

First and again Lola NEVER had a huge chest. Google any REAL screen cap of the original. They’ve given her a full jersey and I guess did away her sexiness distracting Bugs thing but that’s it.

Second Looney Tunes will always be a viable franchise. It’s as ingrained in pop culture as any other major mascots. Saying nobody cares or likes them anymore is just a weird assumption. They don’t need to constantly be in the entertainment spotlight. Everything operates at it’s own pace.

You can take Scooby Doo as an example. We’re not living ”ScoobyMaina” but it’s obviously continued to be popular. It gets a new DTV movie like every year aside from the shows. LT keeps getting shows too.

Calling the whole thing corporate and self indulgent is totally unfair. Lebron has been wanting to do his own Space Jam for years. Regardless of WBs plans. I think he was the one that got it going.

Besides there’s nothing wrong with them having some fun with their properties. So studios just can’t do anything without it be labeled cash-grab or pandering or whatever else?

Removing Pepe Le Pew was unnecessary. I think the second director did it right? I wouldn’t be surprised if he showed up somewhere in the background. His deleted scene, if complete, should be on home video.

Anyway how exactly is it now “Big Bad WB” trying to force Looney Tunes on everyone?

I was about to reply about Lebron turning into a cartoon and how Bugs is wearing the original Tune Squad jersey but then I saw all this.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

You can take Scooby Doo as an example. We’re not living ”ScoobyMaina” but it’s obviously continued to be popular. It gets a new DTV movie like every year aside from the shows

Scooby Doo was dormant for the majority of the 90s until Zombie Island reinvigorated it.

Since the, the direct to DVD movies have mostly all sucked. The franchise hasn't 'evolved' in years, any time they try something different like Mystery Inc or Be Cool, it's usually very short-lived, and we end up with formulaic series every so often until they work out how to do it differently again.

Loony Tunes get new shows every cup of coffee or so, but they don't stick do they? One or two seasons at most, and then dormant for another six or seven years.

[Leo656]

I'm sure Hulk Hogan would love to get "No Holds Barred 2" off the ground, but that doesn't mean it's a GOOD idea. "Some rich guy wants his own vanity project" isn't an objectively good reason to wanna make a movie of anything.

I can't help but chuckle at how hyper-defensive Wildcat is about this whole thing. C'mon, guy, people are allowed to think this movie's a dumb idea. It is! Even if it turns out Not-Terrible, it's still a dumb idea. "25 Years Later" sequels are generally a bad idea. Vanity projects are a bad idea. "Ready Player One" was a bad idea, as are any attempts to try and "cash in" on that movie years later.

I'm gonna go ahead and pull the card people love to throw down, and say "You're too old to have such strong feelings." That works both ways, y'know, Positive AND Negative.

[ranger_scout]

Basically it's Ready Player One meets Ralph Breaks the Internet.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by ranger_scout

Basically it's Ready Player One meets Ralph Breaks the Internet.

It struck me the same way.

Also, LeBron is trying to be a good dad, or something? I expect the mother will have some choice words for him throughout the film.

[The Deadman]

I somehow managed to push through the trailer and just....why? This looks horrible in every single way.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by ranger_scout

Basically it's Ready Player One meets Ralph Breaks the Internet.

Like I said, this is like Wreck-It Ralph, tons of videogames but most of it will focus on that Candy Racing game.

This is gonna be like Ready Player One but most of it will focus on Looney Tunes world.

I also hope it's not boring at the beginning. The original Space Jam did a great job of getting to the point. This movie BETTER not waste a lot of time setting up this secret facility and how LeBron and his son somehow ended up there and all that crap.

[oldmanwinters]

The original tried to be a Looney Tunes movie (Joe Dante might dispute how well it accomplished that), but this one looks to be a movie with the Looney Tunes "in it."

[IMJ]

Saw the trailer before Godzilla vs Kong the other day. It looks entertaining! Never saw the first one though.

[Leofan26]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

The original tried to be a Looney Tunes movie (Joe Dante might dispute how well it accomplished that), but this one looks to be a movie with the Looney Tunes "in it."

This, judging by the trailer Bugs looks more like a sidekick than the actual leader of a team. As a Bugs Bunny fan myself this is dissapointing. The original film also was set in the actual Looney Tunes Universe and evolved around them. This one will focous on him getting his son back and playing a basketball game. Its nice of Bugs to help him though doesn't need to but does :/

Like I said I at least hope the first half is about the Looney Tunes gang.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by Leofan26

This, judging by the trailer Bugs looks more like a sidekick than the actual leader of a team. As a Bugs Bunny fan myself this is dissapointing. The original film also was set in the actual Looney Tunes Universe and evolved around them. This one will focous on him getting his son back and playing a basketball game. Its nice of Bugs to help him though doesn't need to but does :/

Like I said I at least hope the first half is about the Looney Tunes gang.

Yeah, I mean the first movie had the Looney Tunes' lives at stake, which is why they needed Jordan, they were playing for their freedom.

Here they switch it around where LeBron needs their help, but I mean... it looks like he could have just called Batman or someone else instead since he has his pick of every fictional character ever.

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

Scooby Doo was dormant for the majority of the 90s until Zombie Island reinvigorated it.

Since the, the direct to DVD movies have mostly all sucked. The franchise hasn't 'evolved' in years, any time they try something different like Mystery Inc or Be Cool, it's usually very short-lived, and we end up with formulaic series every so often until they work out how to do it differently again.

Loony Tunes get new shows every cup of coffee or so, but they don't stick do they? One or two seasons at most, and then dormant for another six or seven years.

Getting short lived tv series and/or DTV movies does not mean “they did not stick”. That’s literally how most cartoons work.

Only certain cartoons are fortunate enough to become massive and last for a super long time. Stuff like FW TMNT, Pokemon, MLP FIM. Was gonna mention The Simpsons but even that’s a special case.

You can’t base popularity on how long 1 series goes. It’s how long that franchise can maintain interest and being around.

Even without tv shows the DTV Scooby movies are quite consistent. I mean they don’t start over or get rebooted. You can technically view them as 1 ongoing series. So they’ve definitely stuck or they would not keep making them.

Originally Posted by Leo656

I'm sure Hulk Hogan would love to get "No Holds Barred 2" off the ground, but that doesn't mean it's a GOOD idea. "Some rich guy wants his own vanity project" isn't an objectively good reason to wanna make a movie of anything.

I can't help but chuckle at how hyper-defensive Wildcat is about this whole thing. C'mon, guy, people are allowed to think this movie's a dumb idea. It is! Even if it turns out Not-Terrible, it's still a dumb idea. "25 Years Later" sequels are generally a bad idea. Vanity projects are a bad idea. "Ready Player One" was a bad idea, as are any attempts to try and "cash in" on that movie years later.

I'm gonna go ahead and pull the card people love to throw down, and say "You're too old to have such strong feelings." That works both ways, y'know, Positive AND Negative.

Let me clarify I was not defending Lebron. I agree thinking you deserve a movie is self centered. It’s something he’s been criticized for a lot during his career.

I was defending WB. That they’re not trying to force feed us their IPs. To be fair though there were plans for spinoffs with other celebrities but it wasn’t until Lebron’s deal that they went through with it.

I don’t agree that much later sequels are a bad idea. This in particular required a megastar basketball player. I’m not a Lebron super fan or anything. I’ve rooted for him sometimes because I hated his opponents but he honestly is the first player since Jordan to fit the part.

The problem is everything gets criticized for the exact same things. No matter the studio or franchise.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Also, LeBron is trying to be a good dad, or something? I expect the mother will have some choice words for him throughout the film.

Played by the main actress in Star Trek: Discovery. Yeah, there's no way in hell I would knowingly subject myself to this movie.

[superstaff]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

Here they switch it around where LeBron needs their help, but I mean... it looks like he could have just called Batman or someone else instead since he has his pick of every fictional character ever.

Yep, exactly. Though I'd love to see Batman wearing a basketball jersey, and shooting hoops.