‘Space Jam 2’ Cast, Release Date: Everything We Know So Far

“Space Jam” is finally getting a sequel after more than two decades.

On Thursday, Warner Bros. surprised Looney Tunes fans after revealing that it has set a release date for “Space Jam 2,” among other movie projects it is currently working on.

The sequel to Michael Jordan’s 1996 movie is scheduled to hit the court on July 16, 2021, according to Deadline. That means fans will get to see the Tune Squad on the big screen once again after 25 years.

While it’s not clear why it took such a long time for the entertainment company to come up with a sequel for the famous live-action/toon hybrid, fans are still thankful that “Space Jam 2” is happening. Many have already expressed their joy over the news via social media.

Details about the upcoming movie are scarce, but it has already been confirmed that Los Angeles Lakers player LeBron James is lead starring. There’s no news on who else have been tapped to join the project.

Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Larry Johnson, Muggsy Bogues and Shawn Bradley participated in Jordan’s movie. Therefore, it’s possible that James will be joined by other NBA stars albeit in cameo roles only.

Of course, the project wouldn’t be complete without the return of the Tune Squad comprising Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tasmanian Devil, Sylvester, Tweety, Elmer Fudd, Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. Marvin the Martian served as the referee.

Entertainment reporter Jeff Sneider also confirmed on Twitter that Lola Bunny is coming back as well. He even revealed that Lola is being billed over Bugs based on the promotional material he found.

Rumors of a “Space Jam” sequel actually started back in 2015 when James and his company, SpringHill Entertainment, signed a deal with Warner Bros. Then a year later Justin Lin was said to be in talks to direct the follow-up, according to Variety.

But Lin isn’t helming the project. Terence Nance of “Random Acts of Flyness” fame will direct, while Lin will serve as executive producer. “Black Panther” filmmaker Ryan Coogler is said to be producing alongside SpringHill.

The original “Space Jam” grossed a total of $230 million worldwide. The movie saw Jordan helping Bugs and his team beat the Nerdlucks in a basketball game. But it wasn’t easy since the Nerdlucks transformed into giants called Monstars for the game.