Should LeBron James star in Space Jam 2?

LeBron James wants to be the next Michael Jordan. Not on the hardwood, necessarily, but alongside Bugs Bunny and the Looney Toons gang on the big screen. In a recent Q&A on Twitter, a fan asked how James felt about Space Jam — a 1996 film in which Jordan "agrees to help the Looney Toons play a basketball game vs. alien slavers to determine their freedom." James expressed his love for the movie, declaring: "Wish I could do Space Jam 2!" Though there are no reported plans for a Space Jam sequel, the original film was a smash, grossing $230 million. More than 15 years after its release, Space Jam remains the most lucrative basketball film of all time. Should King James step into Jordan's size-13s and star in a sequel?

This is a perfect fit for LeBron: Even as an avowed "LeBron hater," says Jack Moore at BuzzFeed, I know that "this guy was born to hang out with Bugs Bunny." LeBron would make an even better leading man than MJ. He's "naturally charming and charismatic in a way that Jordan never was." And imagine this ending to Space Jam 2: "LeBron and Jordan go toe to toe," with LeBron emerging victorious and Jordan learning "that it's okay to grow old." Trust me, that's gold.

"LeBron James wants to do Space Jam 2"

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Umm... wasn't the original Space Jam bad enough? I loved Space Jam when I first saw it, says Jordan Rabinowitz at SportsGrid. But guess what? I was 6 years old. Looking back now that I'm an adult, and stripping away the generational nostalgia, I can see that Space Jam was a "shitty movie." Indeed, it was a low point not just for Jordan, but the many NBA legends who made cameos. Why would LeBron and Co. subject themselves — not to mention audiences — to such torture?

"Why God why does LeBron James want to star in a Space Jam sequel? (Don't answer that question.)

For better or worse, James' star power may make his wish come true: LeBron was probably just spit-balling when he threw out the idea of a Space Jam 2, but "with the way these things work, that could be enough to actually make it happen," predicts Royce Young at CBS Sports. "Surely, some movie executive took notice of that and a light bulb popped on in their head. Or at least dollar signs." And from a business perspective, the timing makes sense. A rebooted Space Jam could inspire "a new generation of NBA fans," with contemporary ballers like Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, and Roy Hibbert filling in the supporting roles.

"LeBron says he wants to be in Space Jam 2"