All things move in cycles and it seems we’ve just reached the end of one and moved into another.
The age of the reboot is dead. Hopefully.
After the debacle of such critical and fan flops as Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, The Mummy and Robocop, it seems that Hollywood has finally realised that if the original fanbase is still alive and well, then sequels are the way forward.
The recent Planet of the Apes trilogy, for example, managed to retell the story from the beginning, but still exist in the same universe with a few simple nods – listen to those background radio transmissions, guys. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle used a simple named etched in a treehouse to establish it was the same world as the original movie – fun fact, but Jumaji had an unofficial sequel in Zathura already, check it out if you get a chance.
And that’s all we need… a nod or a reference. When Paul Feig talked to us (here) he stated that he rebooted Ghostbusters because he didn’t know how to continue the story. But we maintain he was overthinking the whole thing – a simple ’30 years later’ would have solved everything without greatly changing the movie.
But it seems hollywood is waking up.
Ghostbusters and Ghostbuster 2 are getting a sequel in the newly announced Jason Reitman movie. Dwayne Johnson has confirmed that the Big Trouble in Little China movie he’s working on is set in the same world as the iconic John Carpenter movie.
Fans are fans for a reason… just keep faithful to the original idea and with some simple tinkering fans old and new will come aboard.
Which takes us to Space Jam.
Space Jam is getting a sequel. Unreal, I know, but it’s happening.
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In the original movie Swackhammer (Danny DeVito), an evil alien theme park owner, needs a new attraction at Moron Mountain. When his gang, the Nerdlucks, heads to earth to kidnap Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes, Bugs challenges them to a basketball game to determine their fate. The aliens agree, but they steal the powers of real NBA basketball players, including Charles Barkley which leaves Bugs with only one choice: to get help from Michael Jordan to play the evil space aliens.
And in there we have a world of crazy cameos and a real-life/cartoon reality not seen since Who Framed Roger Rabbit or Cool World (remember that one?) and not really seen since.
In the original film, Michael Jordan had a pretty wild supporting cast behind him: Hall of Famers Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing; NBAers like Shawn Bradley and Muggsy Bogues, who were infamous for their height (or lack thereof) rather than their skills; even comedians Bill Murray and Wayne Knight suited up for the Looney Tunes.
At the moment, the only casting info we have is that of LeBron James and Bugs Bunny, but given the random cameos in the first film, there’s already speculation on who will help make up LeBron’s starting five.
We also know the new movie will be a sequel to the original -we’re guessing Swackhammer returns? – and it will be produced by Black Panther director Ryan Coogler.
“I loved his vision,” LeBron James told THR a while back.
The movie will likely start filming in 2019 during the NBA off-season.
Terence Nance, who created HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness and directed The Oversimplification of Her Beauty, will helm the movie.
The movie has been rumoured happening for a few years with Fast & Furious’ Justin Lin directing but sadly that version never transpired.
“The Space Jam collaboration is so much more than just me and the Looney Tunes getting together and doing this movie,” says James, “It’s so much bigger. I’d just love for kids to understand how empowered they can feel and how empowered they can be if they don’t just give up on their dreams. And I think Ryan did that for a lot of people.”
Count us in…
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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