Underplayed Gems

Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021)

Space Jam: A New Legacy poster
Directed by
Malcolm D. Lee
Genre
drama film, fantasy film, comedy film, adventure film, science fiction film, buddy film
Country
United States
Runtime
1h 55m
Rated
PG
Rating
6.6 of 10 from 4,248 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

Basketball superstar LeBron James is pulled into a digital world ruled by a rogue artificial intelligence. He must team up with the Looney Tunes characters to win a basketball game and rescue his kidnapped son.

playfulhigh-energysillynostalgicbombasticcrowd-pleasingfrenetic

What happens

Space Jam: A New Legacy is a 2021 American live-action animated sports comedy film, directed by Malcolm D. Lee. A sequel to Space Jam (1996), the film stars basketball player LeBron James as a fictionalized version of himself, in addition to featuring Don Cheadle, Khris Davis and Sonequa Martin-Green in live-action roles, while Zendaya, Jeff Bergman and Eric Bauza 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 world against its rogue artificial intelligence ruler after his youngest son is abducted by the AI. Discussions for a Space Jam sequel began following its release. Director Joe Pytka was attached to return, and Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone signed on as the animation directors; however, the project stalled due to lead actor Michael Jordan's refusal to return. Several possible spin-offs focusing on other athletes, including Jeff Gordon, Tiger Woods and Tony Hawk, were discussed but never materialized. After several years in development, a sequel led by James was announced in 2014 with filming under director Terence Nance beginning in the Los Angeles area in June 2019. Nance left the project in July due to creative differences and was replaced by Lee, with filming completed by September. Traditional animation was done by Company 3 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 grossed $164 million and received generally negative reviews from critics, winning three of its four Golden Raspberry Award nominations, including Worst Actor for James. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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