'Space Jam: A New Legacy' Trailer: LeBron James' Looney Tunes Take on an A.I. Supervillain
Source: Warner Bros.
The new ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ trailer has landed today, and offers more footage of LeBron James mixed up in the animated Looney Tunes world. Similar to the first trailer, James is sucked into an alternate digital reality that is occupied by the likes of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and Lola Bunny (Zendaya).
Cedric Joe and Don Cheadle in Space Jam: A New Legacy.
The trailer teases the plot a little more – the Lakers superstar is transported into a “Serververse” (virtual space) by a rogue A.I. named AI-G Rhythm (Don Cheadle). His son (Cedric Joe), who dreams of becoming a video game developer rather than following in his father’s footsteps, is abducted and Rhythm will only let them leave if he “plays a little basketball”.
James must lead the notoriously erratic Looney Tunes gang and their Acme antics against Rhythm’s digital champions, the Goon Squad – a team of powerful virtual avatars that showcase water-morphing, fire-infused and spider-like abilities. The latest trailer also includes a more detailed look at how the Looney Tunes gang shake off their classic cartoon visuals and are upgraded into crisper, well-defined CGI characters.
LeBron James and Zendaya as Lola Bunny.
While making allusions to ‘The Matrix’, the trailer also features a taste of the film’s original music from Lil Uzi Vert (“Pump up the Jam”) and Codae and Duckwrth (“Settle the Score”). The full soundtrack will also include Lil Baby and Kirk Franklin’s “We Win”.
It’s not only a star-studded music collection that will support the film’s release and marketing. ‘Space Jam 2’ will raise the bar with on merchandising campaigns, collaborating with over 200 brands including Nike, PacSun and GameStop. Space Jam toys, collectibles, books, sportswear, games and even cereal will all coincide with its release. In a recent interview with WWD, Tommy Hilfiger, who is very excited about this opportunity, said that “the original movie was the first of its kind where we saw sports, entertainment, music and digital technology come together in such an innovative way. It was certainly a defining moment in the 90s, but even today the movie is a cult classic that people of all ages enjoy.”
Twenty-five years after Michael Jordan took to the court with the Looney Tunes to prevent an alien invasion, ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ will test the skills of James in a new kind of challenge, and it’s set to open in theaters and stream on HBO Max on 16 July.