LeBron James' first season with the Los Angeles Lakers was about as disappointing as it could've been, but the four-time MVP's West Coast spotlight has also unveiled some misfortune off the court.
Amid the end of his eight-year streak of NBA Finals bids and the abrupt resignation of Magic Johnson as Lakers president, James has reportedly struggled to recruit big names for his "Space Jam" sequel, a follow-up to Michael Jordan's 1996 cult classic. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has already confirmed he turned down a role. And it doesn't appear the problems will dissipate anytime soon, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Per THR's Tatiana Siegel, "Space Jam 2" is already undergoing a rewrite courtesy of Ryan Coogler ("Black Panther") and Sev Ohanian ("Searching") -- in part because some of James' fellow All-Stars, like Kevin Durant, may have taken issue with the film's script. Warner Bros., meanwhile, is responsible for filling out the cast alongside LeBron, but two of the NBA's most recognizable players in Stephen Curry and James Harden are unlikely to join the movie because of their sneaker contracts, Siegel reports.
As to why shoes matter, Nike is essential to the Space Jam franchise. The 1996 first film was based on the "Hare Jordan" commercial directed by Joe Pytka, who also helmed the feature. That makes the involvement of Curry (Under Armour contract through 2024) and Harden (Adidas) nearly impossible, sources say.
Siegel has speculated that one player who could still join James in the Looney Tunes crossover is fellow Nike athlete Anthony Davis, who just made headlines for rocking a Bugs Bunny quote on a shirt and all but had LeBron tampering for the New Orleans Pelicans star's services this season.
According to Siegel, the "Space Jam" sequel currently centers more on "LeBron's family arc" than the M.J.-led Dream Team concept of the original flick. Terence Nance is still set to direct, with James and Coogler attached as producers. The movie remains on schedule for a July 2021 release.
