Rumors of a sequel to the 1996 film Space Jam have been swirling and with Jordan Brand releasing a new Space Jam collection for the film’s 20th anniversary, and promoting it through a Monstars-themed campaign, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before production for Space Jam 2 starts.
While fans of the film are excited at the prospects of the film, original Space Jam director Joe Pytka calls the thought of a sequel “ridiculous” because LeBron James and Stephen Curry, who are likely the leading candidates to replace Jordan, “are not Michael Jordan.”
From Entertainment Weekly:
“I think it’s ridiculous to try and make a different movie out of it,” he declares. “I can’t see it. I can’t imagine how it could be what that film was. Not that Space Jam is a great movie, but it had something that touched that period of time because of who those athletes were and it doesn’t exist anymore.”
A few years ago, Pytka says representatives for Atlanta Hawks center Dwight Howard approached him to helm a sequel. He turned down that overture due to his belief that a new film wouldn’t work without the unprecedented global reach and appeal of the original production’s star.
“I’ve worked with LeBron and I’ve worked with Steph Curry, and as good a player as LeBron is and as good a player as Steph Curry is, they’re not Michael Jordan,” he argues. “We will never see another player like him. He was a transcendent figure, much like Muhammad Ali. He was beyond his sport. These guys aren’t.”
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