Girls Trip director Malcolm D. Lee is taking over directing duties on Space Jam 2. Former director Terence Nance has reportedly left the project over creative differences.
Nance admittedly wasn’t the most exciting choice to helm LeBron James‘ sequel to the 90s hit. Lee is a much better choice, having helmed the aforementioned breakout 2017 comedy hit Girls Trip, as well as the recently successful Night School. His style probably fits better with the wacky world of Space Jam.
It’s still pretty unclear exactly what the movie is going to be, but James is spearheading the sequel alongside Ryan Coogler, Justin Lin, and a host of other names. Don Cheadle was just added to the cast last week. The original film has a lot of fans, so there’s likely a bunch of pressure to satiate them while also bringing in new ones.
An interesting point is that, at the time of the original Space Jam, kids movies like that were a staple of Hollywood. Those kinds of films aren’t really made anymore, so it will be interesting how much of an audience Space Jam 2 actually has. It’s also a very US-centric project with James in the lead role. However, don’t underestimate the nostalgic power that a sequel of a 90s classic can create.
There’s also an argument that the Looney Tunes aren’t a money-making brand anymore.. For essentially a kids film, there are a bunch of interesting questions floating around Space Jam 2. It’s up in the air whether this thing will be a massive hit and do justice to its predecessor, or completely bomb. We’ll find out on July 16, 2021.
#Peace.Love.SpaceJam2
