It’s been 25 years since the firstSpace Jammovie showed us that a team consisting of mostly Looney Tunes, one NBA star, andBill Murraycould win over some Monstars.Space Jam 2— official titleSpace Jam: A NewLegacy— is taking advantage of this time jump to make some much-needed updates — many of them involving the character of Lola Bunny. In an interview withEntertainment Weekly, directorMalcolm D. Leesaid one of his goals in making the upcomingSpace Jamsequel was to readjust the Tune’s “very sexualized” image to something more kid-friendly, while also grounding her character in the narrative:
“This is 2021. It’s important to reflect the authenticity of strong, capable female characters. … So we reworked a lot of things, not only her look, like making sure she had an appropriate length on her shorts and was feminine without being objectified, but gave her a real voice. For us, it was, let’s ground her athletic prowess, her leadership skills, and make her as full a character as the others.”
Although she doesn’t have the extensive backstory that some of her fellow Tunes do, Lola Bunny’s skill on the basketball court has always been a big aspect of her character. So, it’s fitting that she’s getting a makeover to her uniform that visibly mimics her teammateLeBron James. This includes her very own arm sleeve, in addition to the other length adjustments on her shorts and top.
RELATED:First Images from ‘Space Jam 2’ Revealed; Film Includes Cameos from Batman, Mad Max and More
In terms of where we pick up with Lola when theSpace Jam 2story begins, Lee said that she’ll be hanging out with a different crowd when Bugs Bunny seeks her out to rejoin the old team. It’s a moment that definitely takes advantage of the film diving into other titles in the Warner Bros. vault, includingWonder Woman. “We wanted to meet her with the Amazons, trying to find greener pastures for herself. As she says in the movie, there’s more to her than just being a Tune.”
Last week, we got our first look at theSpace Jamsequel withnew images from the filmfeaturing James as well asKhris Davis, who plays his son Dom, andDon Cheadle, the rogue A.I. who imprisons them in a virtual world. It’ll be up to James to lead a new basketball team consisting of some of our favorite Looney Tunes to get home safe — but they’ll have to compete against the A.I.’s digitized champions in the paint to do so. In addition to the aforementioned cast,Space Jam: A New Legacyalso starsSonequa Martin-Greenas James' wife Kamiyah. Several NBA and WNBA players includingChris Paul,Anthony Davis,Klay Thompson, andDiana Taurasiwill cameo in the film.
Space Jam: A New Legacywill be released in theaters and on HBO Max on July 16. Check out the photo of Lola’s new look below:
