After many years of waiting, we finally got a Space Jam 2 Trailer!
Space Jam: A New Legacy finally released a trailer one month after a batch of publicity photos were shown by Entertainment Weekly. Many fans were surprised that Lola Bunny looked so different when in fact the popular image of her floating around was simply fan art.
There was also concern over the “cancellation” of Pepe Le Pew when in fact that character was going to get his comeuppance. Latin Star Greice Santo was going to slap him for being a creep. That would have sent a message to kids to not tolerate harassers. It’s a shame we won’t get to see that punishment for the creepy skunk.
Anyways, let’s move on to the trailer itself…
An All-Star Squad
The trailer showcases LeBron James struggling to connect with his gamer son while the rest of his kids are cool with joining their basketball legend dad shoot hoops. After his son is kidnapped from exiting on the wrong floor of an elevator, LeBron meets a character named Al G. Rhythm (played by Oscar Nominee Don Cheadle). Al G. Rhythm states that in order to save his son, LeBron has to win a game of basketball against an all-star team comprising of Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Diana Taurasi and many more stars.
The rest of the trailer is a showcase of the movie. It seems LeBron goes through different worlds that are all owned or licensed by Warner Bros. including Game of Thrones, The Wizard of Oz and much more. Let’s move on to the stars of the film, the Looney Tunes!
The Animation Fusion
I love how the animation of the film is split between 2D and 3D. The animated LeBron was definitely a surprise, but the beautiful animation did not stop there as Bugs and the rest of the Looney Tunes got 3D forms that look just like Detective Pikachu and Sonic The Hedgehog. And they looked excellent!
Let’s face it. Warner Bros. has had the upper hand in animation for the longest time and it’s time they showcased that to remind everyone how good their art is. Even the 2D LeBron would fit right in to the classic Looney Tunes world. The quality of Warner Bros. animation never left. It was just hidden under a blanket of excessive Snyderverse supporters and telecommunication monopolies.
Violence Intact
One of the biggest critiques of the new Looney Tune series is the fact that the violence of the cartoons were decreased. Elmer Fudd, who is literally a hunter, can no longer use a gun. The trailer does feature a classic Looney Tunes feature of Yosemite Sam shooting a ball with his gun and accidentally shooting through Daffy Duck’s beak.
Let’s face it. Violence has always been a part of the Looney Tunes formula. The same goes for other Warner-owned properties such as Tom & Jerry. These cartoons just don’t work without the violence and I’m glad it remains in the film.
Cameos Galore!
There are too many cameos to mention. The Hanna-Barbera library alone is already a crazy list. You get familiar names like Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Yogi Bear and even lesser-known characters like Jabber Jaw and Magilla Gorilla! Imagine if we get a Harvey Birdman reference somewhere. This movie is cashing in on our childhood nostalgia and I’m buying in!
We even get appearances by Pennywise, King Kong and so many others. There’s simply too many to count so I’ll let you watch the trailer instead.
I’m Buying In
Yes. There are times when companies overdo the whole concept of rebooting a movie or making a sequel to something, but I can’t help but buy into the hype of Space Jam and now I can’t wait for July 16. Bring on the fusion of TRON, Ready Player One and Basketball!
Steven Tan
Steven is an e-commerce worker by day and podcaster/blogger by night. He’s a fan of the Anaheim Ducks hockey team (formerly The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) and loves Linkin Park to pieces. Find more of his geeky tweets on Twitter: @steviesaidyup
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