A new NBA legend for a new era of “Space Jam”.
On Thursday, Entertainment Weekly shared a first look at the upcoming sequel “Space Jam: A New Legacy”, with star LeBron James on the cover with Tune Squad.
James says that the 1996 original starring Michael Jordan was “a big part of my childhood” growing up in the Midwest.
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The basketball player was first approached to star in a “Space Jam” sequel 15 years ago, but passed on the project.
“I didn’t think I was ready to do anything of that magnitude,” he says. “I wanted to continue to focus on my game and give it as much as I could.”
But after appearing on shows like “Entourage”, hosting Global’s “Saturday Night Live” and acting in the comedy “Trainwreck”, James finally feel he has what it takes.
“In my younger days, part of my thinking was, ‘Space Jam’ was so good, how can I top this?'” he says. “There’s always going to be conversations about LeBron trying to do everything Michael [did]. But I’ve gotten older, and you know who you are. You know what you stand for.”
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While James hasn’t spoken with Jordan about the sequel, he’s hopeful that Jordan will appreciate the film.
“It’s something Mike created and is his,” James says. “I held that with a lot of responsibility.”
“Space Jam: A New Legacy” is out July 16.
