Space Jam: A New Legacy

• Eric Bauza as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Marvin the Martian, Tweety, and Pepé Le Pew[11]
• Jeff Bergman as Sylvester and Foghorn Leghorn[12]
• Kath Soucie as Lola Bunny[13]
• Bob Bergen as Porky Pig
• Billy West as Elmer Fudd
• Gabriel Iglesias as Speedy Gonzales[14][15]

• Spike Brandt[16]

A sequel to Space Jam was planned as early as 1996, shortly after the original film was released in theaters worldwide. As development began, Space Jam 2 was going to involve a new basketball competition between Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes and a new villain named Berserk-O!. Artist Bob Camp was tasked with designing Berserk-O! and his henchmen. Joe Pytka would have returned to direct and Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone signed on as the animation supervisors. However, Michael Jordan did not agree to star in a sequel. According to Camp, a producer lied to design artists by claiming that Jordan had signed on in order to keep development going. Warner Bros. eventually cancelled plans for Space Jam 2.[25]

The potential sequel reentered development as Spy Jam and was to star Jackie Chan in a different script. The studio was also planning a film titled Race Jam which would have starred Jeff Gordon. Additionally, Pytka revealed that following the first film's success, he had been pitched a story for a sequel that would have starred professional golfer Tiger Woods, with Jordan in a smaller role. Pytka explained how the idea came from an out of studio script conference, with people who worked on the original film allegedly involved.[26][27] Producer Ivan Reitman was reportedly in favor of a film which would again star Jordan.[28] The follow-up films were ultimately cancelled in favor of Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003). A film titled Skate Jam was in early development with Tony Hawk in the starring role. Plans were underway for production to begin immediately following the release of Looney Tunes: Back in Action, but were cancelled due to the poor financial performance of said film despite improved critical reception to Space Jam.[29]

In February 2014, Warner Bros. officially announced development of a sequel that will star LeBron James. Charlie Ebersol was set to produce, while Willie Ebersol wrote the script.[30] By May of the same year, James was quoted as saying, "I've always loved Space Jam. It was one of my favorite movies growing up. If I have the opportunity, it will be great."[31] In July 2015, James and his film studio, SpringHill Entertainment, signed a deal with Warner Bros. for television, film and digital content after receiving positive reviews for his role in Trainwreck.[32][33][34] By 2016, Justin Lin signed onto the project as director, and co-screenwriter with Andrew Dodge and Alfredo Botello.[35] By August 2018, Lin left the project, and Terence Nance was hired to direct the film.[36] In September 2018, Ryan Coogler was announced as a producer for the film. SpringHill Entertainment released a promotional teaser image officially announcing the film,[37] with production set to begin in 2019 during the NBA off-season.[38] Filming was to take place in California[39][40][41][42] within a 30 mile radius of Los Angeles.[43] Prior to production, the film received $21.8 million in tax credits as a result of a new tax incentive program from the state.[44][45][46]

Principal photography began on June 25, 2019.[47][48] On July 16, 2019, it was announced Nance was leaving the project because he and "the studio/producers had different takes on the creative vision for Space Jam 2", and that Malcolm D. Lee would serve as his replacement.[49] Bradford Young, who was set to serve as cinematographer, also left the project and was replaced by Salvatore Totino.[50]

Among locations used for filming included the Sheats–Goldstein Residence owned by James Goldstein, including turning its tennis court temporarily into a basketball court for the shooting.[51] Production wrapped on September 16, 2019.[52] The production spent at total of $183.7 million filming in California, receiving $23.8 million in tax rebates from the state.[1] James held a farewell meeting talking about how he idolized with the first Space Jam film when he was a kid in Akron, Ohio, when the production wrapped, which was later leaked on August 16, 2020, along with pictures of James with his #6 Tune Squad outfit.[53][54]

In March 2020, photos taken on set and a brief recording of the wrap party were leaked online, revealing that the film will feature characters from other Warner-owned properties.[55][56][57] On April 30, 2020, James officially revealed the title and logo of the movie, via Instagram, as Space Jam: A New Legacy.[58][59] One of the actors, Don Cheadle, said in interviews that LeBron was suffering from an injury during the filming and the filmmakers shot 14 hours a day, the kind that the cast and James were not used to. He also said that he was "working out like a horse".[60][61] On October 18, 2020, the synopsis was leaked from a test screening email by Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts and Final Space writer Ben Mekler.[4]

Lucasfilm's visual effects division Industrial Light & Magic was hired to create the visual effects for Space Jam 2. This is the second collaboration with the Looney Tunes in using ILM for visual effects since Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).[62][63]

Veteran Walt Disney animator Tony Bancroft, known for his work on Aladdin, The Lion King, and Mulan, started working at Warner Bros. Animation in January 2020 for the film.[17] On March 26, 2020, James revealed that work on the film's animation has begun. He also said that production on the film has been largely unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as most of the work left on the film involves animation.[64] A day later, the Bancroft Brothers confirmed that Spike Brandt, a Warner Bros. Animation veteran and an animator on the original Space Jam, would be directing the animation.[16]

According to voice actor Eric Bauza on May 27, 2020, the animation was still being worked on and he had voiced some temporary dialogue while neither confirming nor denying his involvement with the final product. Bauza also said that he does some scratch dialogue as the writers "punch up story lines and jokes".[65][11] Dan Haskett, who has been working for the Looney Tunes since 1979, is working on the animation as well.[18] Matt Williames, who has not worked with Warner Bros. since Looney Tunes: Back in Action, started doing animation for the movie in August 2020.[20][66] In May 2020, Ole Loken, who worked on Klaus, confirmed that he was animating on the film.[19] On October 13, Loken shared the design for Lola Bunny on Twitter, confirming that the movie will stay true to designs of the Looney Tunes characters in the 1996 version. He also shared the design for Daffy Duck on October 15th.[67][68] Tony Bancroft has also said on Twitter that the film is both traditional and CG animation.[69]

A hat with the film's logo is available on the WB shop website.[70] On September 1, 2020, it was announced that Australian toy company Moose Toys made a deal with Warner Bros. to make merchandise for the film along with the 2021 live-action/animated Tom and Jerry hybrid film.[71]