25 years after the premiere of the Space jam original, with Michael Jordan, the 2021 version with Lebron James as the protagonist with the Looney Tunes is days away from being released (it will premiere on July 15 in Argentina and Mexico) and generates a lot of expectation to see an NBA superstar next to the classics Looney tunes: Bugs Bunny and so many other cartoons that entertained so many generations.
LeBron James himself, born in 1984, was one of those children. In fact, the original Space Jam was one of his favorite movies and so, according to what he told Robin Roberts of Good Morning America, he was intimidated by the challenge of accepting this role as the lead in acting: “I was intimidated, because I was 12 when the first one came out in 1996 and I know what it felt like to see it, it was the best sports movie I had seen so far. I grew up watching the Looney Tunes, laughing and crying with those characters, and I also grew up inspired by the great Michael Jordan. I was able to accept the challenge and had a great time doing it“, James said.
More | LeBron James and family values as the core of the movie “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
LeBron also marked the character of the Looney Tunes in which he is best reflected: Lola bunny. “She knows exactly what she wants, he likes to have fun but he also likes to comply with things. He is not with all the madness, but he accepts it “, said the Los Angeles Lakers player, four times NBA champion with three different teams who a few days ago had said that his favorite member of the Looney Tunes is Bugs: “Just his laughs, his jokes and his comedy itself is just amazing“.
“I think what will surprise people about the movie is that it’s not just a basketball movie. It is about a conversation that happens in many houses where a father has his aspirations for his children but then also realizes that children have their own aspirations and dreams“, James anticipated what we can see on the big screen soon.
What do your sons Bronny, Bryce Maximus and Zhuri think about this new role for their father? “My daughter (Zhuri, the youngest) just called me before this interview and said, ‘Daddy, you’re in a Happy Meal commercial.’ My kids know it’s a fiction movie but they’re in the movie without ever having acted in it, so they say, ‘Dad, who played me? Is he like me? ‘”James said.
The story continues, a new era arrives 😍🏀
Premiere July 15. #SpaceJamMovie pic.twitter.com/kdiUVUwqG4
– NBA Latam (@NBALatam) July 7, 2021
“As a parent, with my wife Savannah, we give them all the tools before they leave our house. We give them confidence. Do you want to play basketball? Ok, do it, but I’m not going to kick you out of being a teenager either. I want them to have fun, to have friends, to enjoy being teenagers.“, LeBron said in the interview, and also made it clear what he wants his legacy to be, in accordance with the title of the film (Space Jam: a new legacy). “My legacy is in basketball, in philanthropy, in my part as a father, as a son, as a friend. I just hope to do enough in my existence to help people think that they can be what they want to be“said the 36-year-old basketball player.
Don Cheadle will be the co-star of the film and other big names in basketball (Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson, Diana Taurasi and Nneka Ogwumike) and Hollywood, such as the actress. Zendaya, who will voice Lola Bunny in the English version.
“I was always a fan of LeBron, he is an amazing athlete, we know, but everything what he’s done off the pitch has been really special and I love it, because I like to do all that too, there are no limits to what one can do “, told Zendaya, who also talked about the character of Lola (it is a reimagined Lola, with a lot of character, is one of the best basketball players on the team. A key member to help LeBron. It’s a bit of the brain of the team) and about its relationship with the sport: “My father was a basketball coach and physical education teacher, my mother is 1.95 meters tall and played basketball in college and lives talking about her rebounding records. I was supposed to be a basketball player, it didn’t work out, my dad is still mad about it (laughs) so I hope I can make you happy with this movie“.
The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the NBA or its organizations.