8 CGI designs that movie fans hated - from 'Cats' to 'Sonic the Hedgehog'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Malcolm Lee has defended the redesign of <keyword id="10871941" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lola-bunny">Lola Bunny</keyword> for the "<keyword id="1937558" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Space-Jam">Space Jam</keyword>" sequel.</li><li>The "Space Jam: A New Legacy" director thought her original design was oversexualized.</li><li>In a new interview he said he was surprised people cared about a cartoon bunny "not having boobs."</li></ul>The director of "Space Jam: A New Legacy" says he did not expect the redesign of Lola Bunny to receive a backlash.Lola Bunny was introduced in the first "Space Jam" (1996) movie as a romantic interest for the "<keyword id="2236146" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="looney-tunes">Looney Tunes</keyword>" character Bugs Bunny. After the release of the <a href="https://ew.com/movies/space-jam-new-legacy-cover-lebron-james/">first look</a> of Lola in the "Space Jam" sequel in March, some critics on <a href="https://www.insider.com/lola-bunny-space-jam-2-redesign-old-new-before-after-2021-3">social media</a> complained about the change.Malcolm Lee, the director of the sequel, told <a href="https://ew.com/movies/zendaya-space-jam-lola-bunny-interview/?utm_campaign=entertainmentweekly_entertainmentweekly&amp;utm_content=manual&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_term=60ec72bd64bb4f0001e9ba5364bb4f0001e9ba53">Entertainment Weekly</a> that he did not think the new look would start a "super weird" discussion about the character's body."I had no idea that people would be that up in arms about a bunny not having boobs," he said. "Listen, I understand people don't want things to change, but I think we needed some evolution with her, not by objectifying her but by making her strong and still feminine."<div type="image" title="Lola Bunny in Space Jam 2" height="1032" width="1376" msid="84376033" hostid="261"></div>Among the many commentators were women such as the former pro golfer Paige Spinarac, who told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/14308688/paige-spiranac-golf-space-jam-lola-bunny-breasts/">The Sun</a> that the redesign implied women couldn't be both sexy and strong. To this, Lee said: "And, yes, we had all these other women who were like, 'Oh, you can't be strong and have big boobs?!' Sure you can, but we're talking about a cartoon bunny, not women!"The 51-year-old director also praised <keyword id="1655181" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Zendaya">Zendaya</keyword>, who voices Lola Bunny in the coming sequel. "Zendaya's having a great moment right now," he said. "She's taking ownership of her image, her brand, her business. She's really the embodiment of Lola, to tell you the truth. That's the kind of projection of Lola that we wanted to have."Zendaya also seemed surprised by the response to the new look, telling <keyword id="4578" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="entertainment">Entertainment</keyword> Weekly: "I didn't know that was going to happen either! I definitely know we love her, but I didn't know it was going to be as much of a focus as it was. But I understand, because she's a lovable character. She's very important, so I get it."In March, Lee told <a href="https://ew.com/movies/space-jam-new-legacy-lola-bunny/">Entertainment Weekly</a> that he felt that the character was oversexualized and so wanted to redesign Lola for the sequel to be "feminine without being objectified."<div type="image" title="Zendaya red carpet" height="1200" width="1600" msid="84376034" hostid="261"></div>"Lola was not politically correct," he said, adding: "This is a kids' movie, why is she in a crop top? It just felt unnecessary, but at the same time, there's a long history of that in cartoons."For us, it was, let's ground her athletic prowess, her leadership skills, and make her as full a character as the others."There have also been questions raised about other "Looney Tunes" characters. Pepé Le Pew, who the New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow and others have accused of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/03/opinion/suess-books-race-bias.html">normalizing rape culture</a>, had his scene from the <a href="https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a35763686/space-jam-2-a-new-legacy-pepe-le-pew-scene/">coming film removed</a> despite some saying the scene would be <a href="https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a35806215/space-jam-2-pepe-le-pew-cut-rape-culture-lola-bunny/">educational to young boys</a>. At the same time, criticisms about the <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/space-jam-sequel-speedy-gonzales-backlash-b1813879.html">harmful stereotypes portrayed</a> by Speedy Gonzales have not stopped the character's appearance in the "Space Jam" sequel.

'Space Jam 2' director says he had 'no idea' people would be 'up in arms' about Lola Bunny desexualization

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="4578" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="entertainment">Entertainment</keyword> Weekly revealed an updated <keyword id="6373314" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Design">design</keyword> for "Space Jam" character <keyword id="10871941" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lola-bunny">Lola Bunny</keyword> on Thursday.</li><li>The redesign for the film's upcoming sequel depicts Lola in a less sexualized manner.</li><li>The redesign prompted a strong response online, with some calling it an example of "<keyword id="9289051" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cancel-culture">cancel culture</keyword>."</li></ul>The latest online <keyword id="24504" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="culture">culture</keyword> war is about Lola Bunny - the character from the 1996 film "Space Jam" starring Michael Jordan. And yes, the conversation is about her being less sexualized in the upcoming sequel "Space Jam: A New Legacy." The point guard for the Tune Squad, the team comprised of <keyword id="2236146" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="looney-tunes">Looney Tunes</keyword> characters and also Michael Jordan (in the first film, at least) now wears a full-length uniform instead of the crop top she sports in the first film. Her design - <a href="https://ew.com/movies/space-jam-new-legacy-cover-lebron-james/">as revealed in Entertainment Weekly's Thursday cover story about the sequel</a> - is noticeably much less sexualized than in "Space Jam."The redesign has prompted strong reactions online, leading to some calling it an example of cancel culture and drawing criticism from conservative media personalities. "I can almost hear the one on the right scolding me to wear a mask as she drives by in her Subaru," <a href="https://twitter.com/JesseKellyDC/status/1367672560041816064?s=20">right-wing radio host Jesse Kelly wrote in a tweet on Thursday</a>, referencing Lola Bunny's redesign.The debate also touches on what it means to be a "strong female character" and how that intersects with aesthetics. Hilariously, the conversation is all swirling around a sexy cartoon rabbit. <h2>Lola Bunny is heavily sexualized in 'Space Jam,' and her new design is an attempt to change that </h2>There's little ambiguity in "Space Jam" that Lola Bunny is supposed to be sexy. She enters the Tune Squad's practice gym for the first time in a pair of short shorts and a cropped tank top. A saxophone wails in the background as Bugs Bunny noticeably fawns over her. Lola's eyes ignite in a burst of fire after Bugs calls her "doll" and she proceeds to land a slam dunk over his head, sauntering away from the hoop as she adjusts the strap of her tank top. Even Tweety Bird remarks, "ooh, she's hot" and makes a sizzling noise.Later in the film, she's introduced as "the heartthrob of the hoops" as he saunters out. By the end of the film, she and Bugs are smooching on the court.<div type="image" title="lola bunny on the court space jam" height="893" width="1191" msid="81421492" hostid="261"></div>From early images of "A New Legacy," it seems that things are quite different for Lola this time around. Now, she's wearing full-length shorts and a jersey that covers her midriff; her curves aren't nearly as accentuated.<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMBD45WnM8w" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Entertainment Weekly (@entertainmentweekly)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote>Entertainment Weekly reported that while Lola is still going to be the strongest player on the Tune Squad in the upcoming film (with the exception of LeBron James, of course), she's reluctant to return to her old team and Bugs Bunny after branching out on her own. Director Malcolm D. Lee told Entertainment Weekly that he wanted to make Lola a more fully realized character in the sequel, working to center her athletic skills and leadership."Lola was very sexualized, like Betty Boop mixed with Jessica Rabbit," he told Entertainment Weekly. "Lola was not politically correct…. This is a kids' movie, why is she in a crop top? It just felt unnecessary, but at the same time there's a long history of that in cartoons."Sexualized animal designs in cartoons, even when they're not humanoid, is relatively par from the course even in a post-"Space Jam" world. Just look at <a href="https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Stitch">Stitch</a> from "Lilo and Stitch" and his <a href="https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Angel">mate/female counterpart Angel</a>, who is pink and has vague curves clearly meant to be indicative of breasts, or these deer from the animated film "Open Season."<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-✨aaaa✨ (@worm_rights) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1282458259102859270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2020</a></blockquote><h2>Lola's redesign evoked a strong response online, including from conservative media personalities</h2>"Lola Bunny" <a href="https://twitter.com/haasch_palmer/status/1367571775903707142?s=20">trended on Thursday</a> with the Twitter-given description, "People share their feelings about Lola Bunny following newly released images from Space Jam: A New Legacy," which is a very diplomatic way of saying that people were yelling about how they couldn't be horny for a cartoon rabbit.The news about Lola's most recent redesign comes on the heels of<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hasbro-drops-mr-from-potato-head-toys-sparks-backlash-online-2021-2"> conservatives including Piers Morgan and Colorado Representative Lauren Bobert expressing outrage</a> over Hasbro dropping the "Mr." from its Potato Head line of toys, blaming activists and "woke" culture. Lola Bunny evoked a similar response, with conservatives including the aforementioned Kelly and former Daily Caller editor Scott Greer expressing their disapproval of the redesign. Greer spoke about it on his podcast, invoking <a href="https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/martin-niemoeller-first-they-came-for-the-socialists">Martin Niemöller's "First they came..." poetic confessional</a> about apathy in the face of rising Nazism in Germany and tying the incident into a broader "cancel culture" discussion. "First they came for Mr. Potato Head… then they came for Lola Bunny…. So what will they go after next?" he said.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Barry McCockiner (@UltraWeedHater) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1367627150367608843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2021</a></blockquote>Aside from "cancel culture" and a general interest in sexualizing the rabbit, <a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/2021/03/05/the-case-for-sexy-lola-bunny-why-redrawing-a-beloved-space-jam-character-misses-the-mark.html">others have argued that</a> changing the design to focus on Lola's athletic prowess implies that her sexiness and skill cannot coexist. Much of the discourse was centered around a viral tweet that has since been deleted that juxtaposed an image of the redesign against what was supposedly official art of Lola from the first "Space Jam" film. Journalist Ryan Broderick <a href="https://www.garbageday.email/p/please-stop-posting-about-lola-bunny">reported in his newsletter Garbage Day </a>that the image could actually be traced back to erotic art sites and appeared to be very sexy fan art.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Ryan Broderick (@broderick) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1368221432048717825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2021</a></blockquote><h2>Since the redesign, there's been an influx in Lola love on social media</h2>This is far from the first time animated characters have been updated for modern times. In 2018, DreamWorks' "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power" unveiled updated designs for its characters that were notably less beholden to a certain sexualized body type and featured more practical costuming. While those designs also prompted outrage, <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2018/7/17/17581728/netflix-she-ra-remake-animation-new-design">they also inspired an outpouring of support</a>, and there's been a similar response around Lola as well. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-dawn (@dawnf1re) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1367965969335816192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Kros (@Krossan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1368051711567355905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2021</a></blockquote>There's also been an influx in incredibly explicit Lola Bunny art on Twitter and other social media platforms; Luke Winkie <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2021/03/space-jam-2-lola-bunny-redesign-reddit-pepe-le-pew.html">reported in Slate</a> that <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/LolaBunnyNSFW/">r/LolaBunnyNSFW</a>, a subreddit dedicated to not safe for work Lola Bunny art, had been in "free fall" since the redesign announcement but that artists were committed to producing explicit Lola art for audiences who craved it.As of now, the "Space Jam" debate has continued after <a href="https://deadline.com/2021/03/pepe-le-pew-space-jam-2-new-york-times-rape-culture-controversy-1234708688/">Deadline reported</a> that Pepe Le Pew, the skunk character that New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow <a href="https://deadline.com/2021/03/new-york-times-columnist-raises-a-stink-about-pepe-le-pew-1234708479/">said in a tweet "added to rape culture,"</a> would not appear in the sequel. As media, from the "Space Jam" films to Hasbro toys to Dr. Seuss books, continues to be updated, it's going to continue to incite discourse: and in this specific case, it happened to be about a cartoon bunny's breasts.

The latest culture war is over the sexy 'Space Jam' rabbit Lola Bunny and her new toned-down design

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"<keyword id="1937558" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Space-Jam">Space Jam</keyword>" director <keyword id="1696603" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Joe-Pytka">Joe Pytka</keyword> says it took him five tries to finish watching "A New Legacy."</li><li>Pytka criticized <keyword id="112378" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="LeBron-James">LeBron James</keyword> as the leading man as well as the sequel's <keyword id="312142" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bugs-Bunny">Bugs Bunny</keyword> storyline.</li><li>"The truth is that LeBron ain't Michael," Pytka told TMZ, according to a story published Wednesday.</li></ul>Joe Pytka, who directed 1996's original "Space Jam" <keyword id="6356021" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="movie">movie</keyword>, claims it took him five tries just to finish watching the sequel, "A New Legacy."The director slammed the LeBron James-led sequel in a reported conversation with <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2021/07/21/original-space-jam-director-rips-sequel-lebron-aint-michael/">TMZ, published on Wednesday</a>. According to the publication, Pytka thought the 2021 film was boring and an uninteresting mess. Pytka also wasn't particularly impressed with the sequel's choice to cast James in the main role."The truth is that LeBron ain't Michael," Pytka reportedly told TMZ.Pytka pointed out to TMZ that the 1996 film's plot contained references to Jordan's personal life (<a href="https://www.insider.com/michael-jordan-fathers-death-prompted-retirement-baseball-the-last-dance-2020-5">like the NBA star's brief professional baseball career</a>) while the sequel didn't get as intimate in its portrayal of James. <div type="image" title="michael jordan space jam" height="848" width="1130" msid="84663101" hostid="261"></div>Even though Pytka might argue that "Space Jam" and "A New Legacy" have totally different approaches in how they treat their main characters, the two movies actually <a href="https://www.insider.com/space-jam-sequel-references-original-alien-villains-cameo-2021-7">have remarkably similar plots</a>. Both revolve around NBA superstars trapped in alternate dimensions, forced to play basketball in exchange for their freedom. More importantly, both the 1996 movie and the 2021 sequel feature Bugs Bunny and the rest of the beloved <keyword id="2236146" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="looney-tunes">Looney Tunes</keyword> crew - although Pytka <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2021/07/21/original-space-jam-director-rips-sequel-lebron-aint-michael/">reportedly told TMZ</a> that he thought Bugs' storyline in "A New Legacy" is "heartbreaking."Pytka <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2021/07/21/original-space-jam-director-rips-sequel-lebron-aint-michael/">told the publication</a> that he thought the new sequel makes Bugs look "like one of those fluffy dolls you buy at an airport gift shop to bring your kid when your business trip has taken too long."The "Space Jam" director's criticism of the sequel doesn't stop with James and Bugs.He also reportedly told TMZ that he wasn't impressed with the movie's soundtrack or the supporting cast in "A New Legacy," including NBA stars Damian Lillard and Anthony Davis. (The Pytka-directed "Space Jam" included Bill Murray and NBA greats like Charles Barkley and Larry Bird in supporting roles alongside Jordan.)<div type="image" title="bugs bunny in space jam" height="2247" width="2997" msid="84663102" hostid="261"></div>Pytka isn't "A New Legacy's" only critic (although this reporter personally thought <a href="https://www.insider.com/space-jam-2-review-lebron-james-better-actor-michael-jordan-2021-7">the 2021 movie was an entertaining one-time watch</a> with a solid acting effort from James).Movie critics at large have panned the sequel's <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/review-space-jam-2-roadrunner-and-the-misplaced-hand-wringing-over-digital-manipulations">weak plot</a>, with some even <a href="https://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/space-jam-a-new-legacy">calling it a "two-hour commercial" for Warner Bros.</a>, the movie studio behind it, because it's packed with dozens of references to other WB-owned movies and TV shows, like "Harry Potter," "Games of Thrones," and even "Casablanca."Beyond Pytka's and critics' complaints, fans of the original also <a href="https://www.insider.com/space-jam-director-defend-lola-bunny-redesign-zendaya-sexualized-2021-7">didn't like how the new movie desexualized the cartoon character Lola Bunny</a> (who spent most of the first "Space Jam" in tiny shorts and a crop top), calling her less-sexy redesign <a href="https://www.insider.com/lola-bunny-space-jam-2-redesign-old-new-before-after-2021-3">an example of "cancel culture."</a>For his part, "A New Legacy" director Malcolm D. Lee <a href="https://www.insider.com/space-jam-director-defend-lola-bunny-redesign-zendaya-sexualized-2021-7">defended Lola's new toned-down look</a> earlier this month, telling <a href="https://ew.com/movies/zendaya-space-jam-lola-bunny-interview/?utm_campaign=entertainmentweekly_entertainmentweekly&amp;utm_content=manual&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_term=60ec72bd64bb4f0001e9ba5364bb4f0001e9ba53">Entertainment Weekly</a> he "had no idea that people would be that up in arms about a bunny not having boobs."

'Space Jam' director slams the new sequel and claims it took him 5 tries just to get through it

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Warning: Spoilers ahead for "<keyword id="1937558" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Space-Jam">Space Jam</keyword>: A New Legacy."</li><li>"Space Jam: A New Legacy" contains several funny nods to 1996's "Space Jam" with <keyword id="56589" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Michael-Jordan">Michael Jordan</keyword>.</li><li>Both Bugs and Lola Bunny point out that the two films have similar plots.</li></ul>Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Space Jam: A New Legacy."The iconic alien villains from 1996's "Space Jam" make a brief comeback in <a href="https://www.insider.com/space-jam-2-review-lebron-james-better-actor-michael-jordan-2021-7">the sequel, "Space Jam: A New Legacy."</a>In the original film, the tiny cartoon aliens work with their evil boss, theme-park owner Swackhammer (voiced by Danny DeVito), to force the Looney Tunes cartoons to work at their intergalactic park. The aliens are ultimately unsuccessful when the Tunes crew beats them in a <keyword id="36237" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="basketball">basketball</keyword> game with a little help from NBA legend Michael Jordan. Flash-forward several decades and the aliens, now minus Swackhammer, appear to still be holding onto a 25-year-old grudge against the Looney Tunes group in "A New Legacy."The "Space Jam" cartoon antagonists show up for a brief moment during yet another fast-paced basketball game in the sequel, this time with the Tune Squad and sequel protagonist <keyword id="112378" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="LeBron-James">LeBron James</keyword> squaring off against the evil Al-G Rhythm (voiced by Don Cheadle).As James scores a very impressive point, the aliens sigh loudly in disappointment. They're on-screen for less than two seconds, so this cameo is very easy to miss if you don't know to keep an eye out for it. <div type="image" title="alien villains from &quot;Space Jam&quot; (1996) in &quot;Space Jam: A New Legacy&quot;" height="1316" width="1754" msid="84525103" hostid="261"></div>It's not particularly surprising that the aliens make an appearance <a href="https://www.insider.com/is-michael-jordan-in-new-space-jam-movie-funny-cameo-2021-7">in "A New Legacy."</a>Both the 1996 movie and the 2021 sequel have a very similar premise. The two films each revolve around NBA superstars trapped in alternate dimensions, forced to play basketball in exchange for their freedom. About 30 minutes into "A New Legacy," Bugs Bunny (voiced by Jeff Bergman) gets a little meta and acknowledges the plot similarities between the two <keyword id="406" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Movies">movies</keyword> when James asks Bugs to join his basketball team. "So, you want me, a talking cartoon bunny, to play with you, an NBA superstar, in a high-stakes basketball game?" Bugs asks James.Before James can answer, Bugs looks at the camera with a slight smirk and says: "Sounds awfully familiar."A few minutes later, Bugs tries to recruit Lola Bunny (voiced by Zendaya) to join James' team by arguing that this is the cartoons' "big chance" to play basketball with an NBA superstar. "Been there, done that," Lola reminded Bugs, in another funny nod to "Space Jam.""Space Jam: A New Legacy" is out now in theaters and on HBO Max.

The new 'Space Jam' sequel has a few references to the original - including a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo from the 1996 movie's iconic alien villains

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"<keyword id="1937558" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Space-Jam">Space Jam</keyword>: A New Legacy" is entertaining, but messy in spots. It's also too long.</li><li>Still, <keyword id="112378" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="LeBron-James">LeBron James</keyword> is a better actor than <keyword id="56589" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Michael-Jordan">Michael Jordan</keyword>. </li><li>Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Space Jam: A New Legacy."</li></ul>Sorry Michael Jordan, but LeBron James wins this game. Comparisons between the Jordan-led "Space Jam" (1996) and James' "Space Jam: A New Legacy," out in theaters and on HBO Max on Friday, are inevitable. Both movies have very similar plots, each featuring one of the biggest basketball players of their time."Space Jam: A New Legacy" follows James as he and his fictional son Dom (Cedric Joe) are stuck inside a computer server-universe controlled by the manipulative Warner Bros. artificial intelligence software Al-G Rhythm (Don Cheadle).Like Jordan in the original film, James is forced to team up with Bugs Bunny (voiced by Jeff Bergman), Lola Bunny (voiced by Zendaya), Sylvester (also voiced by Bergman), and the rest of the "Looney Tunes" crew to play a high-stakes basketball game against Al-G and his team. <h2>James delivers a stronger acting performance than Jordan</h2><div type="image" title="Don Cheadle and Lebron James in Space Jam" height="2247" width="2997" msid="84445339" hostid="261"></div>"Space Jam" was <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/11/15/20-years-later-space-jam-is-the-movie-we-never-knew-we-needed/">a commercial success, making over $200 million</a> in the global box office, but Jordan's subpar acting chops didn't exactly earn positive <keyword id="52147" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="reviews">reviews</keyword> from movie critics then, who <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170513231353/http://www.bostonphoenix.com/archives/1996/documents/00443452.htm">said the NBA star acted "wooden" in the film</a>. James, however, is a better actor than his predecessor despite spending a good chunk of the movie as a cartoon. (Jordan remained live-action throughout the '90s version.) He's not a good actor, but he's certainly better at it than Jordan and it's genuinely endearing watching James struggle while trying to bond with his onscreen son. Despite James' star power and charisma, the real stars of the movie are Cheadle, an occasionally funny line in the script, and the "Looney Tunes" cartoons.The cartoon characters make a nostalgic comeback in the sequel, bringing back all of their decades-old antics like painting fake tunnels on the side of a mountain.Still, a few things are noticeably different. Not only is the sequel less about basketball, but "A New Legacy" also has some mature themes that might've been missing from the 1996 movie. For instance, Granny (voiced by Candi Milo) from "Sylvester &amp; Tweety Mysteries" is seen enjoying a martini.<div type="image" title="lola bunny in space jam" height="2159" width="2879" msid="84445345" hostid="261"></div>Lola Bunny is also <a href="https://www.insider.com/space-jam-director-defend-lola-bunny-redesign-zendaya-sexualized-2021-7">desexualized in the sequel</a>, compared to the Jordan-led "Space Jam," where the bunny is seen wearing a crop top and hip-hugging shorts. The 2021 version wastes no time making that point. Lola's first scene is less about her look and more about sending a message that she's the most capable athlete in the "Looney Tunes" crew. You immediately root for her. Despite these changes, "A New Legacy" heavily relies on "Looney Tunes" nostalgia and maybe even anticipates that the children who watched and enjoyed "Space Jam" in 1996 will be back as adults to watch the sequel.The latest movie is filled with skits that older "Looney Tunes" viewers will instantly recognize: Bugs eating a carrot, Sylvester unsuccessfully resisting trying to eat Tweety (voiced by Bob Bergen), and the Tasmanian Devil (voiced Jim Cummings) spinning into a vortex that sucks up everything in its path.Except in this film, Bugs briefly gets drunk while chatting with James. <div type="image" title="bugs bunny in space jam" height="2247" width="2997" msid="84445354" hostid="261"></div>Other bright spots in a cast that's stacked with cartoons and NBA stars include Cedric Joe and Sonequa Martin-Green, who are delightful in their roles as Dom and James' on-screen wife, Kamiyah, along with Cheadle as Al-G.Al-G is a villain with no backstory and you don't need one to take an instant liking to him anyway. Above all, Al-G wants to be taken seriously which is, frankly, a ridiculous request because he's a character in "A New Legacy," a movie that works best when it leans into its silly premise. The script tries to make the most of the movie's ridiculous yet entertaining plot with hilarious one-liners like Bugs saying it "sounds awfully familiar" when the cartoon rabbit is asked to play basketball with an NBA superstar. It's just as funny watching Al-G tell the 6'9"-tall James, "I thought you'd be taller" when the two meet for the first time. <h2>Sadly, the movie fumbles the ball more than once</h2><div type="image" title="lebron james in space jam" height="2247" width="2997" msid="84445363" hostid="261"></div>Despite earnest performances by its cast (both real and cartoon), "A New Legacy" tries to cram so much into the plot yet only has a total running time of two hours.The movie, produced and distributed by Warner Bros., includes a dozen too many nods to other movies and TV shows from the studio like "Games of Thrones," "Harry Potter," "The Flintstones," and, bafflingly, "The Matrix" series. In a busy montage, each "Looney Tunes" character is given a movie-star introduction, featuring scenes recreated from various Warner Bros. movies.Unfortunately for the viewer, you are not given a moment to enjoy the references because the film has already moved on to the next scene in the sequence. It's confusing and feels like a messy vanity project for the studio.For most of "A New Legacy," the script avoids being messy by finding the right balance between being silly and being serious, but it stops being entertaining whenever it leans too far in either direction.<div type="image" title="lebron james and bugs bunny in space jam" height="1079" width="1439" msid="84445369" hostid="261"></div>A few people around me laughed at a conversation between Kamiyah and James during the climactic basketball game even though the exchange is meant to be tense.Despite some missteps, "Space Jam: A New Legacy" has the potential to keep the audience engaged and ends with a plot twist that many will see coming from a mile away. Still, viewers should stick around for it anyway - for nostalgia's sake."A New Legacy" is an entertaining one-time watch. "Space Jam: A New Legacy" is in theaters and on HBO Max July 16.

'Space Jam: A New Legacy' tries to juggle too much but LeBron James outshines Michael Jordan as a leading man

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"<keyword id="12513010" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cowboy-bebop" source="Orion">Cowboy Bebop</keyword>" costume designer Jane Holland defended her costume for Faye Valentine.</li><li>Fans have complained about Faye's (Daniella Pineda) costume in the live-action <keyword id="11949125" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="reboot" source="Orion">reboot</keyword>.</li></ul>The costume designer for <keyword id="11892922" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword>'s "Cowboy Bebop" defended Faye Valentine's costume in an interview with Insider.In September<a href="https://screenrant.com/cowboy-bebop-faye-valentine-daniella-pineda-backlash-absurd/">,</a> <a href="https://screenrant.com/cowboy-bebop-faye-valentine-daniella-pineda-backlash-absurd/">Screen Rant</a> reported that Netflix received complaints on social media about Daniella Pineda's costume as Faye in the live-action reboot. Faye is known for her skimpy outfits and femme fatale persona in the original <keyword id="12188992" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="anime" source="Orion">anime</keyword> series.Jane Holland, the costume designer for the show, told Insider that Pineda's costume isn't so different from the anime.<div type="image" title="Cowboy Bebop" height="900" width="1200" msid="87649321" hostid="261"></div>"The sort of threads that I was pulling on to kind of draw it together came from the same place and the same thought process that I had to go through for Spike and for Jet," Holland said of the male characters played by <keyword id="12513011" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="john-cho" source="Orion">John Cho</keyword> and Mustafa Shakir.She continued: "I feel like it's a respectful rendition of the anime. I do have to say, as a woman, I felt resistant to the idea of the lead female character being gratuitous or overtly sexualized. It's not about it not being revealing, it's not about any of that, it's actually got all of those elements. But my take on it is that it's designed by a woman and it was made by a lot of women, and it's worn by a woman. So the same elements are there but they have just manifested in a different way."Holland also said it would be easier for Pineda to work in this outfit than if she was dressed how Faye is in the anime."It's definitely aesthetically driven but there's a practical element as well," the costume designer said. "There's a lot of action. we filmed over a long period of time through different seasons. We had a lot of night shifts in Oakland so Jet and Spike were fine, because they had practical, much more practical clothing, in the anime. [Pineda] needed that as well."<div type="image" title="Cowboy Bebop" height="2400" width="3199" msid="87649322" hostid="261"></div>Holland also explained that she had other callbacks to Faye's original backstory in Pineda's costume such as fastening, which had a "tiny little labyrinth" engraved on it to represent Faye trying to find herself due to her amnesia."And then, down the back of her leggings, there's this abstract print. It's the top view of block letters of 'Babes in Arms,' which is the name of the musical that the song My Funny Valentine comes from. And Faye Valentine's episode, when she's cryogenically frozen, [is called] My Funny Valentine," Holland added. Holland admitted during her interview with Insider that she was "ignorant" about how much fans cared about the live-action reboot before signing on to the show, adding that a group of fans told her: "Don't fuck it up."In September, Pineda herself responded to the backlash with a satirical apology posted to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18183095290125102/?hl=en">her Instagram Story.</a> At the beginning of the video, she apologized for not looking exactly like the anime character because she is not "Six foot" with "double D sized breasts" and a "two-inch waist."About her costume, Pineda added: "Anyway, like I was saying that original costume, they made a couple of them, but like I said they sort of got slurped up in my various crevices never to be retrieved again so we really needed to build something that could withstand the test of time.""Space Jam 2" received a <a href="https://www.insider.com/lola-bunny-space-jam-2-redesign-old-new-before-after-2021-3">similar backlash</a> after Lola Bunny <a href="https://www.insider.com/space-jam-director-defend-lola-bunny-redesign-zendaya-sexualized-2021-7">was desexualized in the sequel.</a>

You Searched For "lola bunny" and got 8 results

8 CGI designs that movie fans hated - from 'Cats' to 'Sonic the Hedgehog'

Ayomikun Adekaiyero

'Space Jam 2' director says he had 'no idea' people would be 'up in arms' about Lola Bunny desexualization

Ayomikun Adekaiyero

The latest culture war is over the sexy 'Space Jam' rabbit Lola Bunny and her new toned-down design

Palmer Haasch

'Space Jam' director slams the new sequel and claims it took him 5 tries just to get through it

Debanjali Bose

The new 'Space Jam' sequel has a few references to the original - including a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo from the 1996 movie's iconic alien villains

Debanjali Bose

'Space Jam: A New Legacy' tries to juggle too much but LeBron James outshines Michael Jordan as a leading man

Debanjali Bose

'Cowboy Bebop' costume designer says she was 'resistant' to make Faye Valentine 'overtly sexualized' like her anime version

Ayomikun Adekaiyero

A mom is making Halloween costumes for her kids every day in October, and the details are incredible

Max Kalnitz