View source for Space Jam

{{Short description|1996 film by Joe Pytka}}
{{About|the film}}
{{protection padlock|small=yes}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Space Jam
| image          = Space jam.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Joe Pytka]]
| producer       = {{plainlist|
* [[Ivan Reitman]]
* [[Joe Medjuck]]
* [[Daniel Goldberg (producer)|Daniel Goldberg]]
}}
| writer         = {{plainlist|
* [[Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick|Leo Benvenuti<br />Steve Rudnick]]
* [[Timothy Harris (writer)|Timothy Harris]]
* [[Herschel Weingrod]]
}}
| based_on       = {{based_on|''[[Looney Tunes]]''|[[Warner Bros.]]}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Michael Jordan]]
* [[Billy West]] <!--Note: Per consensus, please do not change this to Bugs Bunny. See Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Film/Archive 59#Bugs Bunny gets a starring credit in Space Jam?-->
* [[Wayne Knight]]
* [[Theresa Randle]]
* [[Danny DeVito]]
}}
| music          = [[James Newton Howard]]
| cinematography = [[Michael Chapman (cinematographer)|Michael Chapman]]
| editing        = [[Sheldon Kahn]]
| studio         = {{plainlist|
* [[Warner Bros. Family Entertainment]]<ref name="AFI release" />
* [[Warner Bros. Feature Animation]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Thomas|first1=Bob|title=What's Up, Doc? Warner Bros. Animation Thanks to 'Space Jam'|url=https://apnews.com/article/24a732fe3f255f20227b7608e05d0862|access-date=April 30, 2021|work=[[Associated Press]]|date=November 26, 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430143931/https://apnews.com/article/24a732fe3f255f20227b7608e05d0862|archive-date=April 30, 2021|quote=Max Howard, president of Warner Bros. Feature Animation, admitted he didn't expect the impressive showing of ''Space Jam'':}}</ref>
}}
| distributor    = [[Warner Bros. Pictures|Warner Bros.]]
| released       = {{Film date|1996|11|10|[[Los Angeles]]|1996|11|15|United States|}}
| country        = United States
| runtime        = 87 minutes<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 22, 1996|title=''Space Jam'' (U)|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/space-jam-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zmtk2ody|access-date=June 2, 2025|website=[[British Board of Film Classification]]}}</ref>
| language       = English
| budget         = $80&nbsp;million<ref name="WaPost2016">[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/11/15/20-years-later-space-jam-is-the-movie-we-never-knew-we-needed/ Twenty years later, ‘Space Jam’ is the movie we never knew we needed.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218081935/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/11/15/20-years-later-space-jam-is-the-movie-we-never-knew-we-needed/|date=February 18, 2019}} ''[[The Washington Post]]''. Retrieved January 20, 2019.</ref>
| gross          = $250.2&nbsp;million<ref name=NUM>{{cite web|url=https://m.the-numbers.com/movie/Space-Jam|title=Space Jam (1997)|work=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]]|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-date=June 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624202017/https://m.the-numbers.com/movie/Space-Jam|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

'''''Space Jam''''' is a 1996 American [[Live-action animation|live-action animated]] [[sports comedy]] film directed by [[Joe Pytka]] and written by [[Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick|Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick]], [[Timothy Harris (writer)|Timothy Harris]], and [[Herschel Weingrod]]. The first film produced by [[Warner Bros. Feature Animation]], it stars [[basketball]] player [[Michael Jordan]] as himself; the live-action cast also includes [[Wayne Knight]] and [[Theresa Randle]] while [[Billy West]] and [[Danny DeVito]] headline the voice cast. The film follows Jordan as he is brought out of retirement by the ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' characters to help them win a basketball match against invading aliens intent on enslaving them as amusement park attractions.

''Space Jam'' premiered in [[Los Angeles]] on November 10, 1996, and was released theatrically in the United States on November 15, by [[Warner Bros. Pictures|Warner Bros.]] under its [[Warner Bros. Family Entertainment|Family Entertainment]] label.<ref name="AFI release">{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/60576|title=Space Jam|access-date=December 12, 2016|archive-date=October 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023001939/https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/60576|url-status=live}}</ref> The film received mixed reviews from critics, who were divided over its premise of combining Jordan and his profession with the ''Looney Tunes'' characters, while the technical achievements of its intertwining of live-action and animation were praised.<ref>{{Citation|title=Space Jam (1996)|date=November 15, 1996|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/space_jam|access-date=2021-07-11}}</ref> It was a commercial success, grossing $250.2&nbsp;million worldwide against an $80 million budget, becoming the [[List of highest-grossing sports films|highest-grossing basketball film]] of all time until 2022, and the [[1996 in film#Highest-grossing films|tenth-highest-grossing film of 1996]].

A standalone sequel, ''[[Space Jam: A New Legacy]]'', was released in 2021, with [[LeBron James]] in the lead role. The sequel received generally negative reviews and failed to match the commercial success of the first film.

== Plot ==
<!--Per WP: FILM PLOT, plot summaries should contain only the bare basics of info and should be less than 700 words long. The current word count is 586, so please check the count carefully before adding anything. -->
In 1973, a young [[Michael Jordan]] tells his father, [[James R. Jordan Sr.|James]], about his dreams of playing in the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]. Twenty years later, following James’ death, Jordan retires from basketball to pursue a career in baseball.

In outer space, amusement park Moron Mountain is in decline. Its proprietor, Mr. Swackhammer, learns of the [[Looney Tunes]] from the Nerdlucks, his quintet of alien minions, and orders them to abduct the Tunes to serve as attractions. The Nerdlucks enter the Tunes' universe via a portal hidden in the center of the Earth and hold them hostage before [[Bugs Bunny]] convinces them to allow the Tunes to defend themselves. The Tunes take advantage of the Nerdlucks' small stature and challenge them to a basketball game. After seeing a documentary about basketball, the Nerdlucks infiltrate various NBA games, stealing the talents of [[Charles Barkley]], [[Shawn Bradley]], [[Patrick Ewing]], [[Larry Johnson (basketball, born 1969)|Larry Johnson]], and [[Muggsy Bogues]]. They use these talents to transform into hulking and adept versions of themselves known as the "Monstars".

Deciding they need help, the Looney Tunes pull Jordan into their universe as he golfs with [[Bill Murray]], [[Larry Bird]], and Jordan's assistant, Stan Podolak, where Bugs explains their situation to Jordan. However, Jordan is initially reluctant to help, but later agrees after a confrontation with the Monstars, and forms the "Tune Squad” with the Tunes; they are joined by [[Lola Bunny]], with whom Bugs is enamored. To prepare himself, Jordan sends Bugs and [[Daffy Duck]] to his house to obtain his basketball gear. Jordan's children aid them and agree to keep the game a secret, while Stan, searching for Jordan, notices Bugs and Daffy, follows them to their world, and joins the team. Meanwhile, the incapacity of the five players results in a nationwide panic that culminates in the season's suspension. The players unsuccessfully try to restore their skills through various methods.

The game between the Tune Squad and the Monstars commences, with Swackhammer arriving to observe. The Monstars dominate the first half, lowering the Tune Squad's morale. During halftime, Stan surreptitiously learns how the Monstars obtained their talent and informs the Tune Squad. Disguising a bottle of water as "secret stuff", Bugs and Jordan motivate the Tune Squad, who improve in the second half using their cartoon antics. During a [[Time-out (sport)|time-out]], Jordan raises the stakes with Swackhammer: if the Tune Squad wins, the Monstars must relinquish their stolen talent, and if the Monstars win, Jordan will spend the rest of his life being Moron Mountain's newest attraction. On Swackhammer's command, the Monstars play more aggressively, injuring most of the Tune Squad.

With only ten seconds left in the game, the Tune Squad is down by one point and one player, with only Jordan, Bugs, Lola, and Daffy still able to play. Murray unexpectedly arrives and joins the team. In the final seconds, Jordan gains the ball with Murray's assistance but is pulled back by the Monstars. On Bugs' advice, Jordan uses cartoon physics to extend his arm and achieve a [[slam dunk]], winning the game with a [[buzzer beater]]. After Swackhammer scolds the Monstars for their failure, Jordan helps them realize that they only served him because they were once smaller. Having had enough of their boss's behavior towards them, the Monstars insert Swackhammer inside a missile that sends him to the moon. After relinquishing their stolen talent, the Nerdlucks decide to join the Tunes, while Jordan and Stan return to Earth and return the talent to the five players, whose remarks convince Jordan to return to the NBA.

==Cast==
===Live-action===
{{multiple image
| perrow            = 2
| total_width       = 350
| direction         = horizontal
| align             = right
| footer            = [[Michael Jordan]] (left, pictured in 2014) portrays himself in ''Space Jam'', and [[Billy West]] provides the voice of [[Bugs Bunny]]
| image1            = Michael Jordan in 2014.jpg
| alt1              = A photograph of Michael Jordan
| image2            = Billy West by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg
| alt2              = A photograph of Billy West
}}
<!--Based on opening credits-->
* [[Michael Jordan]] as himself<ref name="NYTimesCast"/>
* [[Wayne Knight]] as Stan Podolak, a publicist and assistant who aids Jordan<ref name="NYTimesCast"/>
* [[Theresa Randle]] as Juanita Jordan, Jordan's wife
* [[Charles Barkley]] as himself<ref name="NYTimesCast"/>
* [[Muggsy Bogues]] as himself<ref name="NYTimesCast"/>
* [[Shawn Bradley]] as himself
* [[Patrick Ewing]] as himself<ref name="NYTimesCast"/>
* [[Larry Johnson (basketball, born 1969)|Larry Johnson]] as himself
<!--Based on opening credits-->
<!--Ordered per closing credits -->
''Space Jam''{{'}}s cast includes Manner Washington, Eric Gordon, and Penny Bae Bridges as Jordan's children, [[Jeffrey Jordan|Jeffrey]], [[Marcus Jordan|Marcus]], and Jasmine, respectively. [[Brandon Hammond]] plays the ten-year-old Michael Jordan. [[Larry Bird]] and [[Bill Murray]] appear as themselves,<ref name="NYTimesCast"/> and [[Thom Barry]] portrays Jordan's father, [[James R. Jordan Sr.]] Several NBA players make cameo appearances in ''Space Jam'', including [[Danny Ainge]], [[Steve Kerr]], [[Alonzo Mourning]], [[Horace Grant]], [[A.C. Green]], [[Charles Oakley]], [[Luc Longley]], [[Cedric Ceballos]], [[Derek Harper]], [[Vlade Divac]], [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]], [[Jeff Malone]], [[Bill Wennington]], [[Anthony Miller (basketball)|Anthony Miller]], and [[Sharone Wright]], as do coaches [[Del Harris]] and [[Paul Westphal]], and broadcasters [[Ahmad Rashad]] and [[Jim Rome]]. [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Patricia Heaton]] cameo as fans at a game between the [[New York Knicks]] and [[Phoenix Suns]], as does [[Charles Hallahan]] as the Baron's Team Owner.

===Voice cast===
* [[Billy West]] as [[Bugs Bunny]] and [[Elmer Fudd]] (most scenes)<ref name="BTVA">{{cite web|title=Space Jam (1996)|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/movies/Space-Jam/|publisher=Behind the Voice Actors|access-date=October 11, 2025}}</ref>
* [[Dee Bradley Baker]] as [[Daffy Duck]], [[Tasmanian Devil (Looney Tunes)|Tasmanian Devil]], and [[Bully for Bugs|Bull]]<ref name="BTVA"/>
* [[Danny DeVito]] as Swackhammer, the proprietor of Moron Mountain, an intergalactic amusement park<ref name="NYTimesCast"/><ref name="BTVA"/>
* [[Bob Bergen]] as [[Porky Pig]], [[Tweety]], [[Marvin the Martian]], [[Barnyard Dawg]], [[Hubie and Bertie]]<ref name="BTVA"/><ref>{{Cite tweet|user=bobbergen|number=1374149005119168515|title=Barnyard Dog in Space Jam. Henery Hawk in several projects.}}</ref>
* [[Bill Farmer]] as [[Sylvester the Cat|Sylvester]], [[Yosemite Sam]], and [[Foghorn Leghorn]] (some scenes)<ref name="BTVA"/><ref name="Burson">{{cite web|title=Greg Burson Space Jam Confirmation by Bob Bergen|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/_img/movies/credits_space-jam-0.61_4.jpg|publisher=Behind the Voice Actors|access-date=October 11, 2025}}</ref>
* [[Greg Burson]] as Elmer Fudd (some scenes, uncredited) and Foghorn Leghorn (most scenes, uncredited)<ref name="BTVA"/><ref name="Burson"/>
* [[Maurice LaMarche]] as [[Pepé Le Pew]]<ref name="BTVA"/>
* [[June Foray]] as [[Granny (Looney Tunes)|Granny]] and [[Witch Hazel (Looney Tunes)|Witch Hazel]] (uncredited)<ref name="BTVA"/>
* [[Paul Julian (artist)|Paul Julian]] as [[Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner|the Road Runner]] (archive recordings) (uncredited) 
* [[Kath Soucie]] as [[Lola Bunny]]<ref name="BTVA"/>

The Nerdluck voices include Jocelyn Blue as their orange leader, Pound, Charity James as the dim-witted blue Blanko, June Melby as the neurotic green second-in-command Bang, Colleen Wainwright as the diminutive red Nawt, and producer [[Ivan Reitman]]'s daughter, [[Catherine Reitman|Catherine]], as the eccentric purple Bupkus. Their transformed "Monstar" versions are voiced by Darnell Suttles (Pound), Steve Kehela (Blanko), [[Joey Camen]] (Bang), [[Dorian Harewood]] (Bupkus), and [[T.K. Carter]] (Nawt). Wainwright also voices [[Sniffles (Merrie Melodies)|Sniffles]], Kehela also voices Bertie's announcer voice, and [[Frank Welker]] voices Jordan's bulldog, Charles.<ref name="BTVA"/>

==Production==
===Development===
[[File:Ivan Reitman 2011.jpg|thumb|upright|''Space Jam'' producer [[Ivan Reitman]] in 2011. A conversation between him and a Nike executive sparked the idea of a film starring [[Michael Jordan]] and [[Bugs Bunny]].]]
In 1992 and 1993, two [[Super Bowl]] [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] ads, "Hare Jordan" and "Aerospace Jordan" respectively, aired on television and featured [[Michael Jordan]] with the character [[Bugs Bunny]].<ref name="WaPost2016"/>{{Sfn|Bittner|1996|p=54}} [[Wieden+Kennedy]] creative director [[Jim Riswold]] conceived the "Hare Jordan" campaign following the popularity of advertisements where Jordan played with [[Mars Blackmon]] (played by [[Spike Lee]]), a character from ''[[She's Gotta Have It]]'' (1986); he chose Bugs Bunny for his next campaign because the character was his "childhood hero".<ref name="WaPost2016"/> Directed by [[Joe Pytka]], "Hare Jordan" took six months and a $1 million budget to make.<ref name="WaPost2016"/> It was hindered by reluctance from Warner Bros. to allow Nike to modernize Bugs' character; however, the commercial success of both ads "was a nice bit of research for Warner Bros. to understand that the Bugs character still had relevance and to tie it in with Michael", explained Pytka.<ref name="2016EW">{{cite magazine|last=Lawrence|first=Derek|date=November 15, 2016|url=https://ew.com/article/2016/11/15/space-jam-20th-anniversary-joe-pytka/|title=''Space Jam'': The story behind Michael Jordan's improbable victory|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|access-date=July 9, 2020|archive-date=April 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409211918/https://ew.com/article/2016/11/15/space-jam-20th-anniversary-joe-pytka/|url-status=live}}</ref> This led to the company green-lighting a film featuring Jordan and Bugs, which came out of a plane meeting between a Nike executive and producer [[Ivan Reitman]].{{Sfn|Bittner|1996|p=54}}<ref name="WaPost2016"/> Jordan was offered movie deals previously, but his manager, [[David Falk]], turned them all down because he felt the basketball icon could only act as himself.<ref name="WaPost2016"/>

The project was closed when Jordan retired from basketball in 1993, only to be reopened in 1995 when Jordan returned as a basketball player.{{Sfn|Lyons|1996a|p=8}} Falk pitched the idea to several major studios, without a story or script written.<ref name="WaPost2016"/> One of them was Warner Bros., which tried to create more "adult, sophisticated material" that deviated from the formula set by [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Disney]] in the animated film market.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt1"/> After Warner Bros. initially rejected Falk's pitch, he called the consumer products division leader, Dan Romanelli, reacting in surprise the studio would turn down a project having potential of high-selling merchandise.<ref name="WaPost2016"/>

Pytka was informed about the project only months before the start of principal photography; in addition to being hired as director, he also revised the script, including writing a scene where Jordan hits a home run after he returns to Earth that was filmed, but ultimately never used.<ref name="2016EW"/> [[Spike Lee]] was also interested in helping Pytka with the screenplay, but Warner Bros. blocked him from the project out of dissatisfaction from how he funded ''[[Malcolm X (1992 film)|Malcolm X]]'' (1992).<ref name="2016EW"/>

=== Casting ===
According to Pytka, it was difficult to get most actors involved with ''Space Jam'' due to its odd premise: "I mean, they're going to work with an animated character and an athlete — are you serious? They just didn't want to do it."<ref name="2016EW"/> Before [[Wayne Knight]] was cast as Stan, his initial choices were [[Michael J. Fox]] and [[Chevy Chase]], whom he had worked with on [[Doritos]] commercials; Warner Bros. rejected both actors.<ref name="2016EW"/> [[Jason Alexander]] also turned down the role.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2009-09-10/news/0909070267_1_bugs-bunny-space-jam-movie|work=Chicago Tribune|title=His Airness vs. Air: The making of 'Space Jam' Jordan conquers another challenge: The movies |access-date=October 11, 2021|archive-date=November 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110025637/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2009-09-10/news/0909070267_1_bugs-bunny-space-jam-movie|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Nathan Lane]] said Pytka rejected him for the part because he appeared "too gay."<ref>{{cite news|last=Tapp|first=Tom|title=Nathan Lane Says Homophobia Kept Him From Landing 'Space Jam' & Other Projects|url=https://deadline.com/2025/03/nathan-lane-space-jam-homophobia-1236348470/|date=March 24, 2025|publisher=Deadline|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref>

The easiest actors to obtain were the NBA players, except for [[Gheorghe Mureșan]].<ref name="2016EW"/> [[Bill Murray]]'s appearance was present in the script from the beginning, but the filmmakers were unable to book him until filming started; Murray held out until Jordan personally asked him to be in the film.<ref name="2021TheRinger">{{cite web|last=Phillips|first=Lior|date=July 14, 2021|url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2021/7/14/22575900/quad-city-djs-space-jam-original-theme-song-soundtrack|title=Hoop There It Is|work=[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]]|access-date=September 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>[https://uk.news.yahoo.com/bill-murray-says-made-michael-184525488.html Bill Murray Says He Made Michael Jordan Personally Ask Him to Be in “Space Jam”]</ref>

Reitman, serious about the voice actors for the established ''Looney Tunes'' characters being far better than their original voice actor, [[Mel Blanc]], and not just replications, was very involved in the voice casting.{{Sfn|Bittner|1996|p=55}} [[Joe Alaskey]], one of Blanc's successors since the latter's death, was put by Reitman through a set of auditions, which lasted for months until Alaskey grew tired of auditioning and backed out from the project.<ref name="Vulture">{{cite news|last1=Greene|first1=James|title=Sufferin' Succotash! Looney Tunes Voice Actor Joe Alaskey On Bugs Bunny, Geraldo, & Why He Wasn't In 'Space Jam'|url=https://www.vulture.com/2012/12/sufferin-succotash-looney-tunes-voice-actor-joe-alaskey-on-bugs-bunny-geraldo-why-he-wasnt-in-space-jam.html|access-date=April 9, 2021|work=Vulture.com|date=December 3, 2012|archive-date=April 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410221102/https://www.vulture.com/2012/12/sufferin-succotash-looney-tunes-voice-actor-joe-alaskey-on-bugs-bunny-geraldo-why-he-wasnt-in-space-jam.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Bob West]] auditioned for the film, sending a tape of himself doing the ''Looney Tunes'' characters' voices.<ref>{{cite web|title=Voice Demos|url=https://bobwest.com/voice-demos/|publisher=Bob West|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref> [[Billy West]] learned of ''Space Jam'' through Reitman on ''[[The Howard Stern Show]]'', who was producing Stern's film ''[[Private Parts (1997 film)|Private Parts]]'' (1997). Reitman was impressed by West's voice talent and asked him if he could audition for ''Space Jam''. West accepted, and after doing an audition, he landed the roles of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd.<ref>{{cite interview|last=Dur|first=Taimur|url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-billy-west-bugs-bunny-space-jam/|title=INTERVIEW: Billy West reveals how The Howard Stern Show led to voicing Bugs Bunny in Space Jam|website=The Beat|date=July 14, 2021|archive-date=July 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714183644/https://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-billy-west-bugs-bunny-space-jam/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Jack Lemmon]] was considered for the role of Porky Pig, but [[Bob Bergen]] auditioned for the role and got the part instead.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kerman|first=Byron|title=Homemade Ham: Bob "Porky Pig" Bergen Returns to the Playpen|url=https://www.stlmag.com/culture/Homemade-Ham-Bob-ldquoPorky-Pig-rdquo-Bergen-Returns-to-the-Playpen/|date=May 19, 2011|publisher=St. Louis Magazine|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Gencarelli|first=Mike|title=Interview with Bob Bergen|url=https://mediamikes.com/2011/09/interview-with-bob-bergen/|date=September 21, 2011|publisher=Media Mikes|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref> The voice actors were not given a screenplay to work with, so they had to ad-lib the characters' lines.<ref name="Fueled">{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp-uMYeIhHc|title=Space Jam: Voicing the movie with Bob Bergen|date=December 28, 2019|publisher=YouTube|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref><ref name="BobonSJ">{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdYleYbYi04|title=Bob Bergen on Space Jam, Michael Jordan and Misleading Premiere.|date=August 4, 2024|publisher=YouTube|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref> The casting directors originally planned several voice cameos; however, that did not work out, and [[Danny DeVito]] ended up being the only celebrity voice actor in the film, which was for Mr. Swackhammer, who was originally planned to be played by [[Jack Palance]].{{Sfn|Bittner|1996|p=55}} Swackhammer was also planned to be a live-action character until the very final days of development, with [[Dennis Hopper]] possibly playing the role due to his friendship with Pytka.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt1"/>

{{Blockquote|One thing I heard was that Ivan Reitman, when they were thinking about going ahead with this movie, had phoned up [[Robert Zemeckis]] about ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]'' and asked, "Do you have any advice on what we should do to make a movie like this?" And he said,
"Don't do it, it nearly killed me."|Neil Boyle, supervising animator<ref name="CartoonBrewpt1"/>}}

=== Scale ===
The Classic Animation faction of Warner Bros., which animated the commercials and was located in [[Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles]], was originally planned to be the only company responsible for ''Space Jam''. However, after only a week, the animation work was so complicated that Warner Bros. contacted more studios, including reassigning the Feature Animation division in [[Glendale, California|Glendale]] from working on ''[[Quest for Camelot]]'' (1998) to ''Space Jam''. Ten of Classic Animation's members, including the production's animation director [[Tony Cervone]], were taken out of the faction to become involved all throughout production, and development artists were reassigned to animating jobs, including supervising animator Bruce Woodside, who had little faith in the project: "Like so many other animators, I adore the classic Warner Bros. characters, but I really had little hope that tying them to the massive anchor of an apparently doomed marketing scheme could actually give them a successful second life in features".<ref name="CartoonBrewpt1">{{cite web|last=Failes|first=Ian|date=November 15, 2016|url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/oral-history-space-jam-part-1-launching-movie-144935.html|title=The Oral History of 'Space Jam': Part 1 – Launching the Movie|work=[[Cartoon Brew]]|access-date=June 29, 2020|archive-date=June 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630025508/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/oral-history-space-jam-part-1-launching-movie-144935.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Other animators and artists working on the film included Chuck Gammage,<ref>{{cite web|title=Chuck Gammage|url=https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/about/teaching/faculty/chuck-gammage|publisher=Mohawk College|access-date=October 12, 2025}}</ref> Darren Vanderburg,<ref>{{cite web|title=3WM DirectorReel DarrenVandenburg Showreel 01.05.15|url=https://vimeo.com/126595600|date=May 1, 2015|publisher=Vimeo|access-date=October 11, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222231125/https://vimeo.com/126595600|archive-date=December 22, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Darren Vandenberg|url=https://inkubus.london/talent/darren-vandenberg/|publisher=INKUBUS LONDON|access-date=October 11, 2025}}</ref> Dave Spafford,<ref name="Spafford1">{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x66uzm9yoco&t=1332s|title=Who Hired Dave Spafford? - Stay 'Tooned! with Phil Machi|date=May 25, 2019|publisher=YouTube|access-date=October 11, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Spafford2">{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVEy4ksQ90E|title=Space Jam Animator Says Director Was Incompetent! {{!}} Looney Tunes Review|date=January 19, 2020|publisher=YouTube|access-date=October 11, 2025}}</ref> Hiram Maxem,<ref>{{cite web|title=Hiram Maxem|url=https://vimeo.com/hiram|publisher=Vimeo|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref> Gary Dunn,<ref>{{cite web|title=About Me|url=https://www.mr-dunn-characterdesign.com/about|publisher=Gary Dunn|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=CGI Classical 2D Feature/Commercial Showreel|url=https://www.mr-dunn-characterdesign.com/reel|publisher=Gary Dunn|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref> Denis Couchon,<ref>{{cite web|title=Denis Couchon Demo Reel 2D|url=https://vimeo.com/1112808368|date=August 25, 2025|publisher=Vimeo|access-date=October 11, 2025}}</ref> Neil Boyle,<ref>{{cite web|title=Biography|url=https://www.neilboyle.co.uk/biography|publisher=Neil Boyle|access-date=11 October 2025}}</ref> Pepe Valencia,<ref name="SPARKFX">{{cite web|title="Space Jam" at 25: The Animators Behind the Classic|url=https://sparkfx.eventive.org/films/6039aca097719000ba2aa95f|publisher=SPARK FX|access-date=October 12, 2025}}</ref> [[Tom McGrath (animator)|Tom McGrath]],<ref name="Spafford3">{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVEy4ksQ90E&t=750s|title=Space Jam Animator Says Director Was Incompetent! {{!}} Looney Tunes Review|date=January 19, 2020|publisher=YouTube|access-date=October 11, 2025}}</ref> and Uli Meyer.<ref>{{cite web|title=Contact|url=https://www.ulimeyer.com/contact|publisher=Uli Meyer|access-date=11 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Adamson|first=Heather|title=Uli Meyer interview|url=https://www.koreropress.com/news/uli-meyer-interview/|date=2 August 2022|publisher=Korero Press|access-date=11 October 2025}}</ref>

After Cervone was hired as animation director, [[Jerry Rees]] contacted [[Bruce W. Smith]] about being another animation director on the film; Rees was fired by the time Smith joined, and Pytka hired Smith to direct the animation sequences alongside Cervone.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt1"/> Before January 1996, when animation production was put into overdrive, none of the animators' drafts or concepts for how the film should look met with Reitman's approval;{{Sfn|Lyons|1996b|p=13}} Bill Perkins joined that month as animation art director, and when first arriving at the Sherman Oaks division, "we only had around eight months to do about 52 minutes of animation" and "it was just kind of a little skeleton crew."<ref name="CartoonBrewpt1"/> Cervone highlighted Reitman's role as supervisor: "It started off as a string of gags with no structure, and he helped a lot with that."{{Sfn|Bittner|1996|p=56}} The drafting process involved the animators and artists using the original cartoons as references.{{Sfn|Lyons|1996b|p=13}} Ultimately, they went with [[Bob Clampett]]'s style of animation due to being wilder than [[Chuck Jones]]' style.{{Sfn|Bittner|1996|p=55–56}}

Production of ''Space Jam'' totaled around 19 months, with filming taking up ten of them;<ref name="CartoonBrewpt1"/> this was half the time of any other film of its kind according to Smith.{{Sfn|Bittner|1996|p=57}} The animation was done at a very
quick pace by more than 700 workers from 18 studios in London, Canada, California and Ohio,<ref name="CartoonBrewpt1"/>{{Sfn|Bittner|1996|p=57}} starting January 1996 by the recently joined producers Ron Tippe and [[Allison Abbate]].{{Sfn|Lyons|1996b|p=11}}  In trying to track the huge amount work done at the 18 studios, Tippe hung stills of all the shots throughout the Feature Animation faction's hallways, with completed ones marked in red.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt2"/>

Features about the film's production, including one from the official website, emphasized its state-of-the art computer technology when it came to its [[live-action/animated film|live-action/animation]] hybrid; "this film could have not been made two years ago," claimed Cervone in 1996.{{Sfn|Lyons|1996b|p=13}} Due to its mixture of various art mediums as well as the "broad sense of humor and entertainment" unique to the ''Looney Tunes'', Smith considered ''Space Jam'' an important part of diversifying the animation industry.{{Sfn|Lyons|1996b|p=10}} ''Space Jam'' broke the record for amount of composited shots in a featured film,<ref name="Lyonsp12"/> "roughly 1,043" according to Tippe,{{Sfn|Lyons|1996a|p=8}} as well as a record number of FX shots, with around 1,100 in a single 90-minute film; ''[[Independence Day (1996 film)|Independence Day]]'' (1996), released the same year, had 700 FX shots within two hours of screen time.{{Sfn|Bittner|1996|p=54}} Tippe claimed the film would have, at most, "multiple characters, multiple levels of effects and, in some cases, up to 70 elements" in one shot.{{Sfn|Lyons|1996a|p=9}}

=== Filming ===
''Space Jam'' was one of the first-ever productions to be shot on a [[virtual studio]].<ref name="CartoonBrewpt1"/> Jordan filmed in a 360-degree [[green screen]] room with [[match moving|motion tracker]]s; around him were green-suited
NBA players and improv actors from the Groundlings Theatre and School serving as placement identifiers for the animated characters, with a CGI background replica of a real-life setting chroma-keyed in.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt1"/>{{Sfn|Lyons|1996|p=8}}{{Sfn|Lyons|1996b|p=13}} Although Bill Murray initially came in only to work on the golf course scene, he then wanted to be in the climactic basketball game after Pytka showed him the process of how he directed the live-action/animation scenes.<ref name="2016EW"/>

Concept drawings and discussions between the animators and Pytka about how the animation would be incorporated into the live-action shots took place on set during shooting, and re-writes to the script would be done daily.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt1"/> As an experienced commercial and music video director working on a sports film, Pytka took on fast, unlimited camera movements and [[Dutch angle]]s;{{Sfn|Lyons|1996b|p=13}}<ref name="CartoonBrewpt1"/> this made integrating the characters into the shots challenging for the animators.{{Sfn|Lyons|1996b|p=13}} To connect the real and animated worlds together, blue-screen shots of miniatures by [[Vision Crew Unlimited]] were used; these include a [[Christo]]-inspired interpretation of [[The Forum (Inglewood, California)|The Forum]] arena for exterior shots, city rooftops for a transition scene with a wide skyline view of Chicago serving as the chroma-keyed background,<ref name="CartoonBrewpt3"/> and space ship parts initially produced by [[Boss Film Studios]] for a [[Philip Morris USA|Philip Morris]] advertisement.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt2"/>

===Music===
{{Main|Space Jam: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture}}
The [[Space Jam: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture|soundtrack]] sold enough albums to be certified as 6-times Platinum.<ref name="platinum">{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com|title=RIAA Gold and Platinum Searchable Database|access-date=January 23, 2009|archive-date=February 23, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223204053/http://riaa.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> The song "[[I Believe I Can Fly]]" by musical artist [[R. Kelly]] earned him three Grammy Awards.<ref>{{cite web|title=Grammy- Past Winners Search|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards?artist=R.%20Kelly&field_nominee_work_value=&year=1997&genre=27|publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences|access-date=October 28, 2013|archive-date=February 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225092126/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards?artist=R.%20Kelly&field_nominee_work_value=&year=1997&genre=27|url-status=live}}</ref> Other tracks included a cover of the [[Steve Miller Band]]'s "[[Fly Like an Eagle (song)|Fly Like an Eagle]]" (by [[Seal (musician)|Seal]]), "[[Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)]]" (by [[B-Real]], [[Busta Rhymes]], [[Coolio]], [[LL Cool J]], and [[Method Man]]), a cover of [[Cheech & Chong]]'s "[[Basketball Jones featuring Tyrone Shoelaces|Basketball Jones]]" (by [[Barry White]] & [[Chris Rock]]), "[[I Turn to You (All-4-One song)|I Turn to You]]" (by [[All-4-One]]) and "[[For You I Will (Monica song)|For You I Will]]" (by [[Monica (singer)|Monica]]). The film's [[Space Jam (song)|title song]] was performed by the [[Quad City DJ's]].

==Animation and design==

===Technology===
''Space Jam'' was one of the earliest animated productions to use digital technology. 2D animation and backgrounds were first done on paper with pencil at the Sherman Oaks studio before being scanned into [[Silicon Graphics Image]] files through [[Cambridge Animation Systems]]' software Animo and were then sent to [[Cinesite]] via a [[File Transfer Protocol]], for its team to touch upon, digitally color, and composite into shots in [[Photoshop]] before being sent back to Sherman Oaks.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt2">{{cite web|last=Failes|first=Ian|date=November 16, 2016|url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/oral-history-space-jam-part-2-perils-new-tech-144937.html|title=The Oral History of 'Space Jam': Part 2 – The Perils of New Tech|work=Cartoon Brew|access-date=July 2, 2020|archive-date=July 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701020408/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/oral-history-space-jam-part-2-perils-new-tech-144937.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Unlike previous projects that used the [[Cineon]] [[Digital intermediate|digital film system]], Cinesite used the quicker Inferno and Flame systems for ''Space Jam''.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt2"/> The film's Holly [[render farm]] consisted of 16 [[central processing unit]]s, four [[gigabyte]]s of [[shared memory]], and took up one million dollars of the film's budget, "on top of which the deskside boxes had 256 megabytes of RAM to splurge on whatever scene you needed to create and render," explained Privett.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt3">{{cite web|last=Failes|first=Ian|date=November 18, 2016|url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/oral-history-space-jam-part-3-reflections-beloved-film-144939.html|title=The Oral History of 'Space Jam': Part 3 – Reflections on A Beloved Film|work=Cartoon Brew|access-date=July 8, 2020|archive-date=July 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702033749/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/oral-history-space-jam-part-3-reflections-beloved-film-144939.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cinesite had begun developing [[proprietary software]] for motion tracking when working on ''[[Under Siege 2: Dark Territory]]'' (1995), which involved most of its shots incorporating a digital background; this made the company prepared for ''Space Jam'', which consists of a bunch of moving camera shots with 3D backgrounds to be added.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt2"/> The CGI backgrounds moved around with the motion trackers via Cinesite's [[proprietary software]] Ball Buster, which identified the markers through algorithm.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt2"/> To avoid mistakes in the visuals as much as possible, Cinesite artists worked on the film by frame instead of viewing each shot as a whole; those, such as Jonathan Privett were dissatisfied with the method, primarily because it put them under much pressure: "We much preferred the good old fashioned run-at-24-fps, just-as-the-viewer-sees-it approach."<ref name="CartoonBrewpt2"/>

===Backgrounds===
The design of the stadium was heavily dictated by that of the film's many characters, and it was such a long process that it went through 94 revisions, explained Cinesite digital effects supervisor Carlos Arguello: "Tasmanian Devil was brown so we couldn't have a wooden brown upper level, and there were so many colorful characters, and Michael Jordan and everybody had to look good in all the scenes."<ref name="CartoonBrewpt3"/>

For scenes that take place in the stadium, shortcuts were made. For [[crane shot]]s of the crowd of 15,000 people in the final basketball sequence, it was created with live-action extras, cloned animated crowd members, and a few computer-generated characters walking around the aisles in the stadium.<ref name="Lyonsp12">{{cite magazine|last=Lyons|first=Mike|title=Space Jam: Special F/X|magazine=Cinefantastique|volume=28|number=6|date=December 1996|page=12}}</ref> When these shots involved camera movements, a few 2D extras were animated to reflect the angle of the camera, but much lighting was added to distract from the crowd, thus minimizing this work.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt3"/> The reflections of the floor on the gym were also "fake[d]" as [[ray tracing (graphics)|raytracing]] would've meant rendering it for four days per a few frames.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt3"/>

===Characters===
Abbate suggested the hurried workflow of the animators bled into the character animation, resulting in a quick-witted style the ''Looney Tunes'' cartoons are most known for.{{Sfn|Lyons|1996a|p=8}}

Although the animators had to work with almost 100 characters, they were the most focused on Bugs and Daffy not only because they were principal characters, but also because they were the most recognizable Warner Bros. characters to general audiences.{{Sfn|Bittner|1996|p=55}} [[Digital sculpting|Sculpting]] was incorporated the most on Bugs and Lola, including in "beauty shots" or sequences where Bugs and Lola are together.<ref name="CartoonBrewpt3"/> Perkins conceived the idea of the villains being secondary colors, as the main Looney Tunes were either primary colors, black, or brown.{{Sfn|Lyons|1996b|p=13}}

There was extensive experimentation with [[motion blur]] with the 2D characters, particularly Tweety; as Simon Eves explained, "The workflow was that an artist would track some specific points on the sequence of 2D character-on-black that came from the animation house, and I think it was able to take a basic roto shape as well, and then it would generate an interpolated motion vector field which could be applied as a variable directional blur. The field would deform based on the relative motion of the tracking points on the camera, to produce more accurate blur as the character deformed."<ref name="CartoonBrewpt2"/>

==Release==

[[Warner Bros.]] released ''Space Jam'' through its [[Warner Bros. Family Entertainment|Family Entertainment]] division on November 15, 1996. It premiered at [[Grauman's Chinese Theatre]]. During the premiere, the voice actors were not invited and were moved into a small theater to watch the film.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ryan|first=Kyle|title=Voice Actor Billy West|url=https://www.avclub.com/billy-west-1798208513|date=June 14, 2005|publisher=The A.V. Club|access-date=December 1, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913183657/https://www.avclub.com/billy-west-1798208513|archive-date=September 13, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Ellis|first=Jackson|title=Interview: Billy West|url=https://verbicidemagazine.com/interview-billy-west/|date=November 7, 2006|publisher=Verbicide Magazine|access-date=December 22, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251222004519/https://verbicidemagazine.com/interview-billy-west/|archive-date=December 22, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Liu|first=Ed|title=Toon Zone News Interview Series: "A Life in Voice Acting" with Bob Bergen (Part 2)|url=https://animesuperhero.com/toon-zone-news-interview-series-life-voice-acting-with-bob-bergen-part-2/|date=June 2, 2008|publisher=Anime Superhero|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref>

===Home media===
[[Warner Home Video]] released the film on [[VHS]], [[DVD]], and [[LaserDisc]] on March 11, 1997.<ref>{{cite news|title=New Video Releases|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/07/arts/new-video-releases-963070.html|work=The New York Times|page=B15|date=March 7, 1997|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-date=December 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229192403/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/07/arts/new-video-releases-963070.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The VHS tape was reprinted and re-released through Warner Home Video's catalog promotions: ''The Warner Bros. 75th Anniversary Celebration'' (1998), ''Century Collection'' (1999), ''Century 2000'' (2000) and ''Warner Spotlight'' (2001). The film was re-released on DVD on July 25, 2000. On October 28, 2003, the film was once again re-released as a 2-disc, special-edition DVD including newly made extras such as a commentary track, a featurette, production notes, and an hour of previously released ''Looney Tunes'' shorts and a television special.

On November 6, 2007, ''Space Jam'' was featured as one of four films in Warner Home Video's 4-Film Favorites: Family Comedies collection DVD (the other three being ''[[Looney Tunes: Back in Action]]''—which was released seven years after ''Space Jam''—''[[Osmosis Jones]]'' and ''[[Funky Monkey (film)|Funky Monkey]]''). On February 8, 2011, the first disc of the previous 2-disc edition was released by itself in a film-only edition DVD and on October 4, the film was released for the first time in widescreen HD on [[Blu-ray]] which, save for the ''Looney Tunes'' shorts, ported over all the extras from the 2003 2-disc edition DVD.

A double DVD release, paired with ''Looney Tunes: Back in Action'', was released on June 7, 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01FCBUHS6/|title=Space Jam/Looney Tunes: Back in Action|website=[[Amazon.com]]|date=December 17, 2016|access-date=December 24, 2016|archive-date=July 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702031957/https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FCBUHS6/ref=redir_mobile_desktop/142-8161032-9936164?_encoding=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0|url-status=live}}</ref> On November 15, 2016, Warner Bros. released another ''Space Jam'' Blu-ray to commemorate the film's 20th anniversary.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.warnerbros.com/news/articles/2016/10/20/space-jam-20th-anniversary|title="Space Jam" 20th Anniversary|agency=Warner Bros.|date=October 20, 2016|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-date=February 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226094104/https://www.warnerbros.com/news/articles/2016/10/20/space-jam-20th-anniversary|url-status=live}}</ref>

On July 6, 2021, the film arrived on [[Ultra HD Blu-ray]] to celebrate the 25th anniversary and the release of ''[[Space Jam: A New Legacy]]''.

===Other media===
''Space Jam'' later expanded into a [[media franchise]] which includes comics, video games and merchandise. The ''Space Jam'' franchise is estimated to have generated {{US$|6 billion|long=no}} in total revenue. This includes a wide variety of merchandise, such as [[Air Jordans]], [[Bugs Bunny]] shirts, [[Happy Meals]], [[Mugsy Bogues]] jerseys, and [[Tweety]] gowns.<ref name="highsnobiety">{{cite news|title=Let's Be Honest, 'Space Jam' Actually Sucked|url=https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/space-jam-review/|work=[[Highsnobiety]]|date=September 29, 2018|access-date=April 23, 2020|archive-date=October 18, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20191018072021/https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/space-jam-review/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The film was adapted into a [[graphic novel]] published by [[DC Comics]] through their imprint "Warner Bros. Family Entertainment Reading" that published the "Looney Tunes", "Tiny Toon Adventures", "Animaniacs" and "Pinky & The Brain" monthly comic books. The special issue was written by David Cody Weiss and drawn by Leonardo Batic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/b/batic_leonardo.htm|title=Leonardo Batic|website=lambiek.net|access-date=April 26, 2018|archive-date=April 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426213341/https://www.lambiek.net/artists/b/batic_leonardo.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

A [[Space Jam (pinball)|licensed pinball game]] by [[Sega]], a [[Space Jam (video game)|video game]] for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], [[Sega Saturn]] and [[MS-DOS]] by [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]], and a handheld [[LCD]] game by [[Tiger Electronics]] were released based on the film.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Celebrity Sightings|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=92|date=May 1996|page=21}}</ref>

==Reception==
===Box office===
''Space Jam'' grossed $90.5&nbsp;million in the United States, and {{US$|159.7&nbsp;million|long=no}} in other territories, for a worldwide total of $250.2&nbsp;million.<ref name="BOM">{{cite Box Office Mojo|id=0117705|title=Space Jam|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref>

Domestically, it debuted to $27.5&nbsp;million from 2,650 theaters, topping the box office. The film then made $16.2&nbsp;million in its sophomore weekend but it dropped to second place behind ''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'' and $13.6&nbsp;million in its third place behind ''Star Trek: First Contact'' and ''[[101 Dalmatians (1996 film)|101 Dalmatians]]''.<ref name=NUM/>

In China, the film was released in 1997 and grossed {{CNY|24.1&nbsp;million|link=yes}}.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Plasser|first1=Gunda|title=Southern California and the World|date=2002|publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group]]|isbn=978-0-275-97112-0|page=54|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=upaN7waaW7AC&pg=PA54|access-date=June 16, 2020|archive-date=June 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616194200/https://books.google.com/books?id=upaN7waaW7AC&pg=PA54|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Critical response===
On review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]], ''Space Jam'' holds an approval rating of 43% based on 89 reviews, with an average rating of 5.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "While it's no slam dunk, ''Space Jam''{{'}}s silly, Looney Toons-laden slapstick and vivid animation will leave younger viewers satisfied – though accompanying adults may be more annoyed than entertained."<ref>{{cite Rotten Tomatoes|id=space_jam|type=m|title=Space Jam|access-date=April 22, 2025}}</ref> [[Metacritic]] assigned the film a weighted average score of 59 out of 100 based on 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite Metacritic|id=space-jam|type=movie|title=Space Jam|access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/|title= Cinemascore|url-status= live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/|archive-date= 2018-12-20}}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] and [[Gene Siskel]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' and ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' both gave ''Space Jam'' a thumbs up,<ref name="Roger Ebert 1996-11-15"/> although Siskel's praise was more reserved.<ref name="Chicago Tribune 1996-11-15"/> In his review, Ebert gave the film three-and a-half stars and noted, "''Space Jam'' is a happy marriage of good ideas—three films for the price of one, giving us a comic treatment of the career adventures of Michael Jordan, crossed with a ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon and some showbiz warfare. ... the result is delightful, a family movie in the best sense (which means the adults will enjoy it, too)."<ref name="Roger Ebert 1996-11-15">{{cite news|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/space-jam-1996|title=Space Jam Movie Review & Film Summary (1996)|last=Ebert|first=Roger|author-link=Roger Ebert|work=Chicago Sun-Times|date=November 15, 1996|access-date=October 1, 2014|via=[[RogerEbert.com]]|archive-date=October 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006130857/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/space-jam-1996|url-status=live}}</ref> Siskel focused much of his praise on Jordan's performance, saying, "He wisely accepted as a first movie a script that builds nicely on his genial personality in an assortment of TV ads. The sound bites are just a little longer."<ref name="Chicago Tribune 1996-11-15">{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bulls/ct-space-jam-review-michael-jordan-20200510-ak23zpwp6rfh7jf5p4rc24oixy-story.html|title=Mj Delivers on the Screen In 'Space Jam'|last=Siskel|first=Gene|author-link=Gene Siskel|date=November 15, 1996|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=October 1, 2014|archive-date=June 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605212929/https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bulls/ct-space-jam-review-michael-jordan-20200510-ak23zpwp6rfh7jf5p4rc24oixy-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Leonard Maltin]] also gave the film a positive review (three stars), stating that "Jordan is very engaging, the vintage characters perform admirably ... and the computer-generated special effects are a collective knockout."<ref name="LM 2010 Movie Guide">{{Cite book|last=Maltin|first=Leonard|author-link=Leonard Maltin|date=August 4, 2009|title=Leonard Maltin's 2010 Movie Guide|url={{Google books|WRGnKhowF4gC|Leonard Maltin's 2010 Movie Guide|plainurl=yes}}|publisher=[[Penguin Group]]|isbn=978-1-101-10876-5|access-date=October 1, 2014|via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> [[Todd McCarthy]] of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' praised the film for its humor as well as the Looney Tunes' antics and Jordan's acting.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=McCarthy|first=Todd|date=November 17, 1996|url=https://variety.com/1996/film/reviews/space-jam-1200447624/|title=Film Reviews: Space Jam|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=December 2, 2011|archive-date=June 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629054357/http://variety.com/1996/film/reviews/space-jam-1200447624/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Although [[Janet Maslin]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' criticized the film's animation, she later went on to say that the film is a "fond tribute to [the ''Looney Tunes'' characters'] past."<ref name="NYTimesCast" /> Michael Wilmington of the ''Chicago Tribune'' complained about some aspects of the movie, stating, "...we don't get the co-stars' best stuff. Michael doesn't soar enough. The Looney Tunes don't pulverize us the way they did when [[Chuck Jones]], [[Friz Freleng]] or [[Bob Clampett]] were in charge." Yet overall, he also liked the film, giving it 3 stars and saying: "Is it cute? Yes. Is it a crowd-pleaser? Yup. Is it classic? Nope. (Though it could have been.)" ''[[TV Guide]]'' gave the movie only two stars, calling it a "cynical attempt to cash in on the popularity of Warner Bros. cartoon characters and basketball player Michael Jordan, inspired by a Nike commercial." Margaret A. McGurk of ''[[The Cincinnati Enquirer]]'' gave the film {{frac|2|1|2}} stars out of four writing, "Technical spectacle amounts to nothing without a good story."<ref>{{cite news|last=McGurk|first=Margaret|title=Dazzle of 'Space Jam' can't hide its lame story|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24283887/dazzleofspacejamcanthideitslames/|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|page=26|date=November 15, 1996|access-date=April 4, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|archive-date=July 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702031957/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24283887/dazzleofspacejamcanthideitslames/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}}</ref>

According to author Kevin Sandler, critics disliked the film's representation of the ''Looney Tunes'' characters' personalities. Sandler stated, "''Space Jam'' appear[s] to have replaced identity and irreverence with milquetoast and merchandising. This decontextualization has turned each character into a soulless, calculated, and crass commercial entity, a set of mannerisms and catchphrases without point or purpose. The comedy no longer springs from a conflict between opposing personalities; they are now all friends living in someplace called 'Looney Tune Land'. Instead, the comedy comes from the characters going out of character or reprising old scenes out of context."<ref>Sandler, Kevin (1998). [https://books.google.com/books?id=zd_WTZZjvqkC&pg=PA14 ''Reading the Rabbit: Explorations in Warner Bros. Animation''], p. 14. Rutgers University Press. {{ISBN|0813525381}}</ref><ref>Pomerance, Murray (2001). [https://www.google.com/books?id=RbCE31IKK48C&pg=PA140 ''Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls: Gender in Film at the End of the Twentieth Century''], pp. 140–143. State University of New York Press. {{ISBN|079144886X}}</ref> Veteran ''Looney Tunes'' director [[Chuck Jones]] was critical of the film and its premise, opining that Bugs Bunny would not have enlisted help from others in resolving a conflict, and that Porky Pig would never say, "I wet myself."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.looper.com/211131/the-untold-truth-of-space-jam/|title=The Untold Truth Of Space Jam|first=Brian|last=Boone|date=May 20, 2020|website=Looper.com|access-date=February 27, 2022}}</ref> He was also invited to a screening of the film on the Warner Bros. lot after production had wrapped, and left after watching it.<ref>{{cite web|title=Whammyman on Twitter: "I was animating for Chuck Jones on the Warner Bros lot when ''Space Jam'' was made, and Chuck was invited to a special screening on the lot when the film was finished. From what our executive producer told me, when the movie was over, Chuck just got up and left. He did not like it."|url=https://twitter.com/WhamJam33/status/1623188559686508545|date=February 8, 2023|publisher=Twitter|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref> During a dinner celebration with the animation staff of ''Space Jam'' and executives, Jones was asked to deliver a congratulatory speech to the animators' work, but upon instead sharing his opinions on the film, was forcefully escorted off the lot by security.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sagal|first1=Peter|last2=Chioke I'Anson|first2=Chioke|last3=Fletcher|first3=Tiera|title=Not My Job|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/10/19/771365192/not-my-job|date=October 19, 2019|publisher=NPR|quote=Chuck Jones was [one of] the original creator[s] of ''Looney Tunes'' - Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, all the rest. He was invited to make a speech to the filmmakers who [had made] ''Space Jam'', which used all [the] characters. Jones, who is, of course, a genius, hated the movie, thought it disrespected [the] characters and made his feelings known. He insulted the film with such vigor that he had to be escorted off the Warner Bros. lot.|access-date=October 11, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Green|first=Katie|title=25 Years Later: Space Jam|url=https://leftlion.co.uk/features/2021/03/space-jam-25-years-later/|date=21 March 2021|publisher=LeftLion|access-date=11 October 2025}}</ref> ''[[Looney Tunes: Back in Action]]'' director [[Joe Dante]] disliked the film's representation of the ''Looney Tunes'' brand and the characters' personalities, and later developed ''Back in Action'' to more closely represent said personalities.<ref name="TRAILERS FROM HELL.COM">{{cite web|title=TFH PRESENTS THE MOVIES THAT MADE ME with your hosts Josh Olson & Joe Dante|work=Trailers From Hell|url=https://trailersfromhell.com/podcast/mailbag-2/|access-date=October 12, 2025}}</ref> ''Back in Action'' writer [[Larry Doyle (writer)|Larry Doyle]] described the film as "awful".<ref>{{cite news|last=Weinman|first=Jaime|title=More Dead Horses and the Beating Thereof, or Further Information On the Larry Doyle Looney Tunes|url=https://macleans.ca/uncategorized/more-dead-horses-and-the-beating-thereof-or-further-information-on-the-larry-doyle-looney-tunes/|date=July 8, 2009|publisher=Maclean's|access-date=November 8, 2025}}</ref>

Animation historian Charles Gardner stated, "...the efforts to idolize Michael [Jordan] simply predominate the first part of the picture, making it obvious where the producers' priorities lie, rendering Bugs [Bunny] and the ''Looney Tunes'' gang more or less nothing more than window dressing to a vanity project for the star." He also described the film as "a slog to get through".<ref name="Gardner">{{cite web|last=Gardner|first=Charles|title=Cartoons About Cartoons (Part 35)|url=https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/cartoons-about-cartoons-part-35/|date=May 14, 2025|publisher=Cartoon Research|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref>

===Accolades===
* 1997 [[American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers#Awards|ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards]]
** '''Won''': Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures ([[Diane Warren]] for the song "[[For You I Will (Monica song)|For You I Will]]")
** '''Won''': Top Box Office Films ([[James Newton Howard]])
* 1997 [[Annie Awards]]
** '''Won''': Best Individual Achievement: Technical Achievement
** Nomination: Best Animated Feature
** Nomination: Best Individual Achievement: Directing in a Feature Production ([[Bruce W. Smith]] and [[Tony Cervone]])
** Nomination: Best Individual Achievement: Producing in a Feature Production (Ron Tippe)
* 1997 [[Grammy Awards]]
** '''Won''': Best Song Written Specifically for Motion Picture or for Television ([[R. Kelly]] for the song "[[I Believe I Can Fly]]")
* 1997 [[MTV Movie Awards]]
** Nomination: Best Movie Song ([[R. Kelly]] for the song "[[I Believe I Can Fly]]")
* 1997 [[Satellite Awards]]
** Nomination: Best Motion Picture- Animated or Mixed Media ([[Daniel Goldberg (producer)|Daniel Goldberg]], [[Joe Medjuck]], [[Ivan Reitman]])
* 1997 World Animation Celebration
** '''Won''': Best Use of Animation in a Motion Picture Trailer
* 1997 [[Young Artist Awards]]
** Nomination: Best Family Feature- Animation or Special Effects

==Legacy==
===Cultural influence===
The Monstars make a cameo in the ''[[Pinky and the Brain]]'' episode "Star Warners". Jordan, who was a spokesman for [[MCI Communications]] before the film was made, would appear with the ''Looney Tunes'' characters (as his "''Space Jam'' buddies") in several MCI commercials for several years after the film was released before MCI merged with [[MCI Inc.|WorldCom]] and subsequently [[Verizon Communications]].<ref name="Porter">{{cite book|last=Porter|first=David L.|title=Michael Jordan: A Biography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XIGuhn9guK0C|year=2007|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-33767-3|access-date=October 29, 2016|archive-date=July 22, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722032214/http://books.google.com/books?id=XIGuhn9guK0C|url-status=live}}</ref> Bugs had previously appeared with Jordan as "Hare Jordan" in Nike ads for the Air Jordan VII and Air Jordan VIII.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc61UtYUgbs ''Hare Jordan & Air Jordan'' - Air Jordan VII] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702032034/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc61UtYUgbs|date=July 2, 2021}} YouTube (created by Nike and Warner Bros.)</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2URMB4NGbo8 ''Hare Jordan & Air Jordan'' - Air Jordan VIII] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109151529/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2URMB4NGbo8|date=January 9, 2015}} YouTube (created by Nike and Warner Bros.)</ref> In the next theatrical ''Looney Tunes'' film, ''[[Looney Tunes: Back in Action]]'', Jordan appears in archive footage from this film as one of the disguises of Mr. Chairman ([[Steve Martin]]). In 2013, [[Yahoo! Screen]] released a parody of [[ESPN]]'s ''[[30 for 30]]'' about the game shown in the film. The short dates the game as taking place on November 17, 1995, although Jordan's real-life return to basketball when it occurred on March 18.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5T8srsvI6c ''ESPN 30 for 30'' Short - Tune Squad vs. Monstars (the ''Space Jam'' Game)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006045128/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5T8srsvI6c&gl=US&hl=en|date=October 6, 2014}} YouTube (created by Yahoo! Screen and Warner Bros.)</ref> In April 2019, the website [[SBNation]] ran a [[mockumentary]] [[April Fools Day]] episode of its popular Rewinder series on Jordan's climactic shot.<ref name="Rewinder">{{cite web|date=2010-04-04|title=Michael Jordan's life-saving dunk from Space Jam gets a deep rewind|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DppXWDwf258|access-date=2021-04-24|website=Secret Base|archive-date=April 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424171036/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DppXWDwf258|url-status=live}}</ref> The Nerdlucks appeared in the ''[[Teen Titans Go!]]'' original film ''[[Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam]]'' which aired on [[Cartoon Network]] on June 20, 2021, and was released on digital on July 27, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/robin-co-cheer-on-the-tunes-in-teen-titans-go-see-space-jam-original-movie/|title=Robin & Co. Cheer on the Tunes in 'Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam' Original Movie|date=May 27, 2021|access-date=May 27, 2021|archive-date=May 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527173431/https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/robin-co-cheer-on-the-tunes-in-teen-titans-go-see-space-jam-original-movie/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The film's official website, spacejam.com, was created in 1996 alongside promotion of the film, and remained unchanged but active for 25 years prior to the release of the film's sequel, an unusual aspect to film promotion websites. The site was one of the earliest film promotion websites, and included a number of unrefined web design facets, such as heavy use of [[animated GIF]]s. While the site's content had been moved under Warner Bros.'s site around 2003, the site's design gained a resurgence of interest around 2010 as an historical artifact of the early days of the web, and Warner Bros. returned the site to the spacejam.com address in response.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/space-jam-forever-the-website-that-wouldnt-die-70507/|title='Space Jam' Forever: The Website That Wouldn't Die|first=Erik|last=Malinowski|date=August 19, 2015|access-date=April 3, 2021|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|archive-date=April 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210403200558/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/space-jam-forever-the-website-that-wouldnt-die-70507/|url-status=live}}</ref> Following the release of ''[[Space Jam: A New Legacy]]''{{'s}} first trailer in April 2021, the website was updated for promotion of the new film, though the 1996 content remained available as a separate landing page.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/3/22365635/space-jam-sequel-new-legacy-first-trailer-1996-website|title=25 years later, Space Jam has a new website – and the first trailer for the sequel|first=Sean|last=Hollister|date=April 3, 2021|access-date=April 3, 2021|work=[[The Verge]]|archive-date=April 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210403181839/https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/3/22365635/space-jam-sequel-new-legacy-first-trailer-1996-website|url-status=live}}</ref>

A television film [[Crossover (fiction)|crossover]] with ''[[Teen Titans Go!]]'', ''Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam'', aired on [[Cartoon Network]] in June 2021. The film features the [[Teen Titans]] meeting the Nerdlucks and providing humorous commentary over the original film. The movie's length is slightly abridged, omitting the opening credits and several scenes that do not feature the Looney Tunes, and the soundtrack is replaced by an original score.<ref>{{cite web|last=Liu|first=Narayan|date=May 27, 2021|title=Cartoon Network Goes Meta with ''Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam'' Movie|url=https://www.cbr.com/cartoon-network-goes-meta-with-teen-titans-go-see-space-jam-movie/|access-date=May 27, 2021|work=[[Comic Book Resources]]|archive-date=May 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527162239/https://www.cbr.com/cartoon-network-goes-meta-with-teen-titans-go-see-space-jam-movie/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Sequel==
{{Main|Space Jam: A New Legacy}}
A sequel to ''Space Jam'' was planned as early as 1996. As development began, ''Space Jam 2'' was going to involve a new basketball competition with [[Michael Jordan]] and the Looney Tunes against a new alien villain named Berserk-O!. Artist [[Bob Camp]] was tasked with designing Berserk-O! and his two henchmen. [[Joe Pytka]] would have returned to direct while Cervone and his creative partner [[Spike Brandt]] signed on to direct the animation sequences. However, Jordan did not agree to star in a sequel, and Warner Bros. eventually cancelled plans for ''Space Jam 2''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://animatedviews.com/2012/artist-bob-camp-recalls-the-ill-fated-space-jam-2/|title=Artist Bob Camp recalls the ill-fated "Space Jam 2"|publisher=Animated Views|date=November 30, 2012|access-date=2014-06-18|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111145537/https://animatedviews.com/2012/artist-bob-camp-recalls-the-ill-fated-space-jam-2/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Several potential sequels, including ''Spy Jam'' with [[Jackie Chan]] that would end up becoming the basis for ''[[Looney Tunes: Back in Action]]'', ''Race Jam'' with [[Jeff Gordon]], ''Golf Jam'' with [[Tiger Woods]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mrwavvy.com/interview-space-jam/|title="Space Jam" Director Reveals Spike Lee Almost Wrote the Film, Scrapped Tiger Woods Sequel|date=November 15, 2016|work=Mr. Wavvy|access-date=November 16, 2020|archive-date=February 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216221624/http://mrwavvy.com/interview-space-jam/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/space-jam/260047/the-space-jam-2-you-never-saw-almost-featured-tiger-woods|title=The Space Jam 2 You Never Saw Almost Featured Tiger Woods|date=November 15, 2016|access-date=June 4, 2017|archive-date=May 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170529113117/http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/space-jam/260047/the-space-jam-2-you-never-saw-almost-featured-tiger-woods|url-status=live}}</ref> and ''Skate Jam'' with [[Tony Hawk]] were all discussed but never came to be.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/tonyhawk/status/1081641577078874112/photo/1|title=Production still|first=Tony|last=Hawk|publisher=Twitter|date=2019-01-05|access-date=2020-08-30|archive-date=July 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701090205/https://twitter.com/tonyhawk/status/1081641577078874112/photo/1|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2014, Warner Bros. officially announced development of a sequel that would star [[LeBron James]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2014/02/lebron-james-space-jam-sequel-dick-ebersol-687208/|title=Ebersols Aboard To Produce And Script Warner Bros' 'Space Jam 2′ As A Starring Vehicle For LeBron James|last=Busch|first=Anita|publisher=Deadline|date=February 21, 2014|access-date=February 21, 2014|archive-date=February 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222200815/http://www.deadline.com/2014/02/lebron-james-space-jam-sequel-dick-ebersol/|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 (film)|Trainwreck]].''<ref name="losangelestimes1">{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-lebron-james-warner-bros-space-jam-rumors-20150722-story.html|title=LeBron James signs with Warner Bros., stokes rumors of 'Space Jam' sequel|work=Los Angeles Times|date=July 22, 2015|access-date=July 22, 2015|archive-date=July 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723111134/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-lebron-james-warner-bros-space-jam-rumors-20150722-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/video/lebron-james-ill-help-pay-for-hundreds-of-kids-to-go-to-college-504652867549|title=LeBron James: I'll help pay for hundreds of kids to go to college|work=TODAY.com|access-date=November 16, 2020|archive-date=February 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217014530/https://www.today.com/video/lebron-james-ill-help-pay-for-hundreds-of-kids-to-go-to-college-504652867549|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/space-jam-2-sequel-lebron-james/|title=LeBron James Hopeful for 'Great Things' in 'Space Jam 2′|publisher=Collider|last=Trumbore|first=Dave|date=August 14, 2015|access-date=February 18, 2020|archive-date=December 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207042205/https://collider.com/space-jam-2-sequel-lebron-james/|url-status=live}}</ref> By 2016, [[Justin Lin]] signed onto the project as director, and co-screenwriter with Andrew Dodge and Alfredo Botello.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/space-jam-sequel-finds-director-834978|title=Justin Lin Circling 'Space Jam' Sequel Starring LeBron James (Exclusive)|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=May 2, 2016|access-date=May 3, 2016|last=Ford|first=Rebecca|archive-date=August 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802141704/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/space-jam-sequel-finds-director-834978|url-status=live}}</ref> By August 2018, Lin left the project, and [[Terence Nance]] was hired to direct the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/space-jam-2-terence-nance-lebron-james/|title='Space Jam 2': Terence Nance in Advanced Talks to Direct Lebron James (Exclusive)|website=The Wrap|last=Gonzalez|first=Umberto|date=August 3, 2018|access-date=August 5, 2018|archive-date=August 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803214011/https://www.thewrap.com/space-jam-2-terence-nance-lebron-james/|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2018, [[Ryan Coogler]] was announced as a producer for the film.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://twitter.com/SpringHillEnt/status/1042488739832913920|title=SpringHill Ent. on Twitter|work=Twitter|access-date=2018-09-19|archive-date=June 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627024341/https://twitter.com/SpringHillEnt/status/1042488739832913920|url-status=live}}</ref> Filming would take place in California<ref name="McNary">{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/lebron-james-space-jam-2-california-tax-credit-1203032209/|title=LeBron James' 'Space Jam 2' Set to Film in California|last=McNary|first=Dave|date=2018-11-19|work=Variety|access-date=2018-11-20|archive-date=November 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119195912/https://variety.com/2018/film/news/lebron-james-space-jam-2-california-tax-credit-1203032209/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="MovieWeb">{{Cite news|url=https://movieweb.com/space-jam-2-location-shoot-california/|title=Space Jam 2 Will Shoot in California|date=2018-11-19|work=MovieWeb|access-date=2018-11-20|archive-date=November 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120021159/https://movieweb.com/space-jam-2-location-shoot-california/|url-status=live}}</ref> and within a [[Studio zone|30-mile radius]] of [[Los Angeles]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.darkhorizons.com/space-jam-2-to-film-in-california/|title="Space Jam 2" To Film in California - Dark Horizons|date=2018-11-19|work=Dark Horizons|access-date=2018-11-20|archive-date=November 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120003802/http://www.darkhorizons.com/space-jam-2-to-film-in-california/|url-status=live}}</ref> Prior to production, the film received $21.8&nbsp;million in tax credits as a result of a new tax incentive program from the state.<ref name="McNary"/><ref name="TheWrap">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thewrap.com/space-jam-2-among-15-film-projects-to-receive-73-3-million-in-california-tax-credits/|title='Space Jam 2' Among Projects to Receive California Tax Credits|date=2018-11-19|work=TheWrap|access-date=2018-11-20|archive-date=November 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120022712/https://www.thewrap.com/space-jam-2-among-15-film-projects-to-receive-73-3-million-in-california-tax-credits/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-space-jam2-tax-credit-20181119-story.html|title='Space Jam 2,' starring LeBron James, to receive $21.8-million tax break to shoot in California|last=Ng|first=David|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=November 19, 2018|access-date=2018-11-20|archive-date=November 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119195314/https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-space-jam2-tax-credit-20181119-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2019, after releasing the official logo with a promotional poster, ''Space Jam 2'' was announced to be scheduled for release on July 16, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/SpringHillEnt/status/1098763688083746816|title=Announcement|publisher=Twitter|date=2019-02-22|access-date=2020-08-30|archive-date=March 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328065535/https://twitter.com/SpringHillEnt/status/1098763688083746816|url-status=live}}</ref> Principal photography began on June 25, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/1078659-production-begins-on-lebron-james-space-jam-2|title=Production Begins on LeBron James' Space Jam 2|date=June 26, 2019|website=ComingSoon.net|access-date=June 26, 2019|archive-date=June 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626220148/https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/1078659-production-begins-on-lebron-james-space-jam-2|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/lebron-james-space-jam-2-filming-start/|title=Space Jam 2: Lebron James Confirms Start of Production|date=June 25, 2019|website=ScreenRant|access-date=June 26, 2019|archive-date=June 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626195707/https://screenrant.com/lebron-james-space-jam-2-filming-start/|url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=July 16, 2019|title=Malcolm D. Lee Takes Over As Director On 'Space Jam 2'|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|url=https://deadline.com/2019/07/space-jam-2-malcolm-d-lee-directing-lebron-james-sequel-looney-tunes-1202646887/|url-status=live|access-date=May 12, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716153338/https://deadline.com/2019/07/space-jam-2-malcolm-d-lee-directing-lebron-james-sequel-looney-tunes-1202646887/|archive-date=July 16, 2019}}</ref> In May 2020, James officially revealed the title and logo of the film, as ''Space Jam: A New Legacy''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ankers|first=Adele|date=May 1, 2020|title=Space Jam 2 Has an Official Title|url=https://sea.ign.com/news/160017/space-jam-2-has-an-official-title|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718061637/https://sea.ign.com/news/160017/space-jam-2-has-an-official-title|archive-date=July 18, 2021|access-date=July 18, 2021|website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> On March 4, 2021, it was confirmed that the sequel would also feature various characters in the Warner Bros. film and television archive.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Haylock|first=Zoe|date=March 4, 2021|title=The Space Jam Sequel Will Send LeBron James Through the Warner Bros. Film Archive|url=https://www.vulture.com/2021/03/everything-we-know-about-space-jam-2-a-new-legacy-2021.html|url-access=limited|url-status=live|access-date=March 5, 2021|archive-date=March 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305114302/https://www.vulture.com/amp/2021/03/everything-we-know-about-space-jam-2-a-new-legacy-2021.html|website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]}}</ref>

Jordan was reportedly set to make a cameo in ''A New Legacy'', as the makers teased the fans in June 2021 that "Jordan will appear in the film, but not in the way you would expect it." In fact, as shown in the film, he appeared in various pictures from his career and the ''Space Jam'' film. In a scene, [[Sylvester the Cat|Sylvester]] claimed to have found Jordan, but he actually found actor [[Michael B. Jordan]], who thus made the cameo expected to be made by the former Bulls star.

After the release of ''A New Legacy'', a third film was in talks by Lee with [[Dwayne Johnson]] involved as the lead, transitioning on the sports genre from basketball to [[professional wrestling]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Sanchez|first=Gabrielle|date=July 21, 2021|title=Space Jam: A New Legacy director Malcom D. Lee is down to make a third film starring Dwayne Johnson|url=https://www.avclub.com/space-jam-a-new-legacy-director-malcom-d-lee-is-down-1847336241|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210724025932/https://www.avclub.com/space-jam-a-new-legacy-director-malcom-d-lee-is-down-1847336241|archive-date=July 24, 2021|access-date=July 24, 2021|website=[[The A.V. Club]]}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|left=yes|Film|United States|1990s|Comedy|Cartoon|Sports}}
* [[List of basketball films]]

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="NYTimesCast">{{cite news|first=Janet|last=Maslin|title=Icons Meet: Bugs, Daffy And Jordan|date=November 15, 1996|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/15/movies/icons-meet-bugs-daffy-and-jordan.html|access-date=September 12, 2010|archive-date=October 31, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101031035842/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/15/movies/icons-meet-bugs-daffy-and-jordan.html|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite magazine|last=Bittner|first=Drew|title=Space Jam|magazine=[[Starlog]]|date=December 1996|issue=233|pages=52–57}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Lyons|first=Mike|title=Space Jam|magazine=[[Cinefantastique]]|volume=28|number=4/5|date=November 1996a|pages=7–9}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Lyons|first=Mike|title=Space Jam|magazine=Cinefantastique|volume=28|number=6|date=December 1996b|pages=10–11, 13}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://www.warnerbros.com/space-jam Page from Warner Bros.]
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{Mojo title}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
* {{TCMDb title}}

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[[Category:Space Jam| ]]
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