The wild 1996 animation and live action hybrid comedy combining Looney Tunes with NBA Basketball is back for 2021. Space Jam: A New Legacy has released its first trailer today, finally giving fans a look at how this sequel will bring the two worlds together with all the bells and whistles of today’s filmmaking for today’s audiences.
The film follows LeBron James as he finds himself catapulted into Tune World by the King of the Server-Verse (Don Cheadle), and must assemble a team to get himself back to his own reality and to save his son. He and his team will have to compete in the Space Jam, a massive basketball play-off where characters from all over the Server-verse converge. Classic characters Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, Tweety, and many more make appearances as part of LeBron’s team. This universe also includes some other well known characters that can be glimpsed in this trailer including the Iron Giant, King Kong, and The Flinstones, making this film a pop culture explosion that is sure to house many easter eggs for those with a sharp eye.
Malcolm D. Lee directs, known for Girls Trip and Night School, and Black Panther‘s Ryan Coogler is highlighted as a producer. The cast includes Cheadle, Khris Davis, Sonequa Martin-Green, and newcomer Cedric Joe.
Entertainment Weekly announced today as well that Zendaya is part of the cast, and will be voicing Lola Bunny, a character that the film has redesigned and revamped with much more development than we’ve seen in the previous Space Jam film.
Space Jam: A New Legacy will release on HBO Max and in theaters on July 16. The full trailer can be viewed below: