:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61467031/1027974668.jpg.0.jpg)
It’s official: LeBron James will be the star of “Space Jam 2,” the follow-up to the 1996 cult classic, SpringHill Entertainment announced Wednesday afternoon.
— SpringHill Ent. (@SpringHillEnt) September 19, 2018
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the movie will not be a direct sequel, but they are trying to get Michael Jordan to return:
Space Jam 2, while a part of the Space Jam franchise, is not considered a sequel, a source familiar with the production told ESPN. However, there have been discussions in involving Michael Jordan in some way. At this point, Jordan’s level of involvement is to be determined.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) September 19, 2018
The movie will be produced by Ryan Coogler (“Black Panther,” “Creed,” “Fruitvale Station”) and directed by Terence Nance, best known for “An Oversimplification of Her Beauty.” Prior to Nance being brought on board, there were rumors that Justin Lin, who directed “Fast and the Furious” would be directing the movie.
James explained his choices and vision for the movie to Marisa Guthrie of the Hollywood Reporter:
“I loved [Coogler’s] vision” for Black Panther, James tells The Hollywood Reporter, noting that when he was a kid growing up in Akron, Ohio, there were no black superheroes. “So for Ryan to be able to bring that to kids, it’s amazing.”
“The Space Jam collaboration is so much more than just me and the Looney Tunes getting together and doing this movie,” says James, “It’s so much bigger. I’d just love for kids to understand how empowered they can feel and how empowered they can be if they don’t just give up on their dreams. And I think Ryan did that for a lot of people.”
James and his longtime friend and business partner, Maverick Carter, have been working on getting things right to announce the highly anticipated sequel for the past five-plus years, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
LeBron & Maverick Carter have been in talks about Space Jam 2 for 5+ years. Numerous people have tried to make it happen but they wanted to wait for right situation. Looks like it may finally be a reality after this move https://t.co/PZIYXQQWqR
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) September 19, 2018
There will be people who feel that Kobe Bryant is better suited for the starring role because of his innate ability to mimic everything Michael Jordan did in his career as a basketball player, but James has put in the work for this.
Now that the 33-year-old superstar is in Los Angeles with the Lakers, he’ll have more time to work on the film during the offseason and possibly during the season. It took some time, but “Space Jam 2” is finally happening.
And while people have questioned the basketball merits of James’ move to L.A., this decision firmly establishes that he came to Hollywood in order to steal the Monstars’ talent-swiping technology as a way to fuel his own Lakers version of the Monstars to finally beat the Warriors. Get ready for Rondo to have Steph’s powers, Lance Stephenson coming off of screens like Klay Thompson and JaVale McGee locking down everyone like Draymond Green.
Now THAT’S what I call Light Years Ahead.
You can follow this author on Twitter at @RadRivas.