Don Cheadle has confirmed that Michael Jordan will, in fact, be making an appearance in the upcoming Space Jam: A New Legacy.
“Michael Jordan is in the movie,” Cheadle told Access Hollywood (opens in new tab). “But not in the way you’d expect it.” Intriguing. As Jordan’s involvement is being kept under wraps, it seems safe to assume we can expect some sort of cameo from the NBA star.
As for Cheadle, he plays an evil algorithm called Al-G Rhythm in the sequel. LeBron James takes over from Jordan as the movie’s lead, and Sonequa Martin-Green and Zendaya also star. In the movie, LeBron and his son get trapped in a digital space by a rogue A.I. – LeBron must get them home safe by leading Bugs, Lola Bunny, and the whole gang of notoriously undisciplined Looney Tunes to victory over the A.I.’s digitized champions on the court.
The first Space Jam movie was released back in 1996 and presents a fictionalized account of what happened between Jordan’s initial retirement from the NBA in 1993 and his 1995 comeback, in which he is enlisted by the Looney Tunes to help them win a basketball match against a group of aliens who intend to enslave them as attractions for their theme park.
Space Jam 2 has been in the works for a long time, but has only recently come to fruition. It’s directed by Girls Trip and Scary Movie 5 helmer Malcolm D. Lee, while Ryan Coogler and James are on board as producers.
While we wait for Space Jam: A New Legacy to arrive in theaters (and on HBO Max) on July 16, make sure you check out the best HBO Max prices.