Michael Jordan may have been the star of Space Jam, but if the Nerdlucks hadn’t stolen the talent of five NBA players to become the Monstars, then there wouldn’t have been a reason for him to play basketball with the Looney Tunes. Charles Barkley was among those victims, playing for the Phoenix Suns at the time, but just because he portrayed a fictional version of himself in Space Jam doesn’t mean he’s pleased that Space Jam 2 is on the way.
Charles Barkley has spoken before about how he doesn’t believe Space Jam 2 needs to exist, and when recently asked by ET if his opinion on the matter has changed, Barkley responded:
Not at all. Well, listen, I don’t care. Space Jam 1 was amazing. We don’t need 2. Space Jam 1 was a classic. I don’t like when people try to imitate something that was already good.
It’s been 23 years since Space Jam was released in theaters, and while critical reception to the Joe Pytka-helmed movie was mixed, it went on to win an Annie Award, a Grammy Award and two ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards. So Charles Barkley well within his rights to think Space Jam is “good,” but judging by his feelings towards Space Jam 2, we probably shouldn’t expect him to cameo in the sequel, let alone check it out on the big screen.
It is worth noting that outside of the basic premise of Looney Tunes characters playing basketball with professional athletes, no official plot details for Space Jam 2 have been announced yet. Still, one would imagine that it won’t deliver the exact same kind of story its predecessor did. This is a sequel, after all, not a remake, so it helps keeping things fresh while retaining some of elements that made the first movie work.
For Space Jam 2, Lebron James will the spot left behind by Michael Jordan, with James also producing through his production company SpringHill Entertainment. Star Trek: Discovery’s Sonequa Martin-Green has also been cast as James’ wife, while NBA players Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson, and WBNA players Diana Taurasi, Chiney Ogwumike and Nneka Ogwumike, will also have roles in the movie. But don’t expect to see Stephen Curry participate.
Behind the camera, Fast and Furious 9 director Justin Lin was initially supposed to direct, but he later departed, and Random Acts of Flyness’ Terence Nance was hired as his replacement. Black Panther’s Ryan Coogler is attached to produce.
With filming set to begin this summer, Space Jam 2 heads to the proverbial court on July 16, 2021, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for moe coverage. In the meantime, you can look through our 2019 release schedule to plan your trips to the movie theater this year accordingly.
