Justin Lin says that he’s “getting closer every day” to filming Space Jam 2

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Do you know what time it is? That's right, it's time to bust out your SPACE JAM 2 bingo cards, and give yourself a chip if you have a space marked August 1st, 2017! It's been a while since we last heard of any news regarding FAST & FURIOUS director Justin Lin's followup to the 1996 Looney Tunes theatrical animation SPACE JAM. Then, while promoting his upcoming CBS series S.W.A.T., Lin explained to IGN that he's asked Warner Bros. "for a playground and the time to really explore [the possibilities of a sequel], and that's what we've been doing so far." 

For quite some time, the SPACE JAM 2 project has remained in flux, and most recently, even Lin admits to there being more than a few challenges that come with adapting the Looney Tunes characters to film. When asked to comment about the involvement of Lebron James for the film's lead, Lin explained that, "…We have actors who are also professional athletes, so schedule is something that's tough. I've been really wanting to push that genre but to do that you need the right amount of time. so there's a logistical challenge. But also creatively to do a sequel 20 years later with a new cast and also," Lin commented. "So I feel like I've gone done nine different iterations already and we're going to keep going, but we're getting closer every day."

Following that exchange, Lin was asked about who would go on to fill the Nikes belonging to LeBron's co-star in the film. If you recall, the legendary Bill Murray was the Larry Bird to Michael Jordan's, well … Michael Jordan, in the original. Lin replied by saying, "There are so many sports and also Space Jam fans. I just run into them, and everybody's volunteering to be in the movie." At this time, we also know that Lin is contemplating the return of the villainous "Monstars" for the sequel, but has stated that the film is "going through different iterations."

I suppose the takeaway from this interview is that SPACE JAM 2 is still happening, and that Justin Lin wants to take his time with it in an effort to make the movie special. Personally, I'm totally cool with waiting for Lin and his team to find the right angle for this project. I make no bones about enjoying the original SPACE JAM a great deal, and really hope that SPACE JAM 2 can earn the Looney Tunes characters a big payday at the box office, down the line.