Those who remember the classic era that is the 1990s must remember the smash hit movie, Space Jam, featuring basketball superstar Michael Jordan and a collection of Looney Tunes characters.
The 1996 film grossed over $90 million at the box office, and ultimately stitched itself into African American culture by becoming a staple in our movie collections with its combination of hip hop, basketball and animation. Jordan’s presence in the movie gave fans a chance to see him a different light, while his performance gave its audience a nostalgic feeling that’s still relevant today.
Now there’s talk that there could be a sequel to the film starring NBA star LeBron James.
Warner Bros. announced yesterday its partnership with James’s company, SpringHill Entertainment. The objective of the deal is for James to create original film, TV, and digital content.
“LeBron James has one of the most powerful, well-known brands in the world, and we are excited to be in business with him and his partner, Maverick Carter, and SpringHill Entertainment,” Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara said in the statement.
“Connecting with my fans and telling meaningful stories have always been my passion,” James said in the same statement. “In everything I’ve done, from Nike commercials to Uninterrupted and Survivor’s Remorse, it’s always about connecting with people of all ages and providing unique content they can all enjoy. And I’ve always loved movies, which makes Warner Bros. the ultimate partner to help us continue to push the envelope. I can’t wait to see what we come up with.”
There has been talk about James doing the sequel to Space Jam for over a year now, so the partnership between him ad Warner Bros.— the original movie’s home— has fans wondering if it’s actually going to happen this time around.
Adding further excitement, Warner Bros. filed new trademarks for Space Jam a month ago, which makes the James’s new deal not seem so happenstance. The original Space Jam raised a generation of kids and impacted Black culture significantly, spawning games, toys and even influencing a shoe through Nike and Jordan’s Air Jordan shoe line.
Both James and Jordan have both made their mark in basketball in their own remarkable and record breaking ways. Fans are extremely excited about James possibly starring in the sequel of the film, and if released, it could shape a generation the same way its predecessor did.