Space Jam: A New Legacy

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. 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. It won three of its four Golden Raspberry Award nominations, including Worst Actor for James.

His friend Malik gives him a Game Boy, which LeBron plays with until Coach C demands that he concentrate on the game. He misses a potential buzzer beater and is reprimanded by Coach C for not staying focused. An ashamed LeBron discards the Game Boy.

In the present day, LeBron encourages his sons, Darius and Dominic, to pursue basketball careers. While LeBron’s attempts with Darius are successful, Dom aspires to become a video game developer. LeBron, Malik, and Dom are later invited to Warner Bros. Studios to discuss a film deal.

LeBron rejects the idea while Dom is interested in the studio’s Warner 3000 software, particularly its AI, Al-G Rhythm. Their differing views lead to an argument as Dom reveals his resentment towards his father’s advice. Having become self-aware and desiring more recognition in the world, Al-G lures LeBron and Dom to the basement server room and traps them in the Warner Bros. Serververse.

Al-G takes Dom prisoner and orders LeBron to form a basketball team to compete against his own, only earning his freedom if he wins, before sending him to Tune World. LeBron finds Tune World abandoned except for Bugs Bunny, who explains that Al-G persuaded the other Looney Tunes to leave their world and explore the Serververse.

Using Marvin’s spacecraft, the two travel to various worlds to locate and recruit the other Looney Tunes to form the Tune Squad. Meanwhile, Al-G manipulates Dom into allowing his help in upgrading himself and his game, which Al-G intends to use against LeBron.

In Tune World, despite Bugs’ protests, LeBron insists on teaching the Tune Squad the fundamentals of basketball. They encounter Al-G’s team, the Goon Squad, composed of avatars of basketball players and led by Dom.

Al-G transforms Tune World to CGI, live streams the game and abducts several viewers, including LeBron’s family, into the Serververse, while its inhabitants arrive as spectators. Al-G threatens to delete the Looney Tunes and imprison the spectators permanently if the Goon Squad wins.

The Goon Squad dominate the first half, using their upgrades to score extra points. LeBron realizes his mistake and allows the Looney Tunes to use their cartoon physics during the second half. During a time-out, LeBron apologizes to Dom for not listening to his ideas.

Dom forgives LeBron and joins the Tune Squad while Al-G assumes control of the game and uses his abilities to substantially strengthen himself and the Goon Squad. Recalling a glitch in Dom’s game, wherein a character is deleted and the game crashes after a specific move is performed,

LeBron volunteers to perform the move as he can’t be deleted due to being a normal person, but Bugs does so at the last moment, sacrificing himself in the process.

LeBron scores the winning point with Dom’s help, deleting Al-G and the Goon Squad. The Looney Tunes and the Serververse are restored and LeBron, his family and the other real-world spectators are returned to their world as Bugs reconciles with his friends before being deleted.

One week later, LeBron, respecting Dom’s wishes, allows him to attend the E3 Game Design Camp. He subsequently reunites with Bugs, who reveals that his cartoon physics allowed him to regenerate and that his friends have also entered the real world. LeBron, having accepted the Looney Tunes as his extended family, allows them to live with him temporarily.