As a child of the '90s, I have experienced things that many kids today will never experience. Some of those things include: orange VHS tapes, beating Pokémon red or blue on Game Boy Color, blowing into a N64 cartridge to get it to work, and seeing the greatest movie of all time, “Space Jam," in theaters.
The movies in the 1990s were spectacular. “Pulp Fiction,” “Titanic,” and “The Big Lebowski,” to name a few. The best movie of all was “Space Jam,” and this week Warner Bros. announced a deal with LeBron James' production company. Last month Warner Bros. put a trademark on the term, “Space Jam." All of this indicates that a second “Space Jam” is in the works. But it shouldn’t be. Why? Because the first “Space Jam” is a perfect movie.
The original “Space Jam” has everything you would want in a good movie. A great story, excellent cast, and top-notch music. The plot of the original was so good. Cartoon aliens, the Monstars, threaten to take over Toon Town and enslave Bugs Bunny and the rest of the of the Looney Tunes gang. Bugs challenges them to a basketball game and enlists the help of Michael Jordan in order to beat the Monstars and save the Looney Toons.
Besides Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny, the supporting cast of “Space Jam” was brilliant. Wayne Knight, Bill Murray, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Daffy Duck, Lola Bunny, and Foghorn Leghorn all played crucial roles in the movie. You know what also made the original “Space Jam” great? The music. R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly,”, Seal’s, “Fly like an Eagle,” “The Monstars Anthem,” by LL Cool J, “Lets Get Ready to Rumble,” and possibly the greatest movie theme song of all time. All of these songs fit with the movie on all levels. The songs made you feel like you were actually at a basketball game between the Looney Toons and Michael Jordan against the Monstars. 
Michael Jordan was the perfect athlete to cast as the lead role in the movie. Jordan was the most dominant and popular athlete in the world in 1996. Jordan and the Bulls won six titles in the 1990s, and built one of the greatest basketball dynasties of all time. Michael Jordan was the face of basketball around the world, and had far greater sponsorships than any other athlete of the period. Plus he had a Ferrari 512 Testarossa, so he looked like a boss when he arrived for a game.
If “Space Jam” is made again today, it needs to encompass all the parts that made the original movie so good. Wayne Knight will get replaced, so my pick would be Zach Galifianakis to play the role of a team representative. Bill Murray should be replaced with Bill Murray because every great movie needs to have Bill Murray in it. The story needs to be good as well. Maybe Warner Bros. should make the movie set in the city of Cleveland, and have LeBron call upon Bugs Bunny and the rest of the Looney Tunes to save the city or something along those lines.
The only part of the original that could not be replicated is the music of the original. The sequel might have music from Skrillex or David Guetta, which wouldn’t fit as well with the movie as the original '90s soundtrack.
Ultimately, what will make a “Space Jam” sequel terrible is LeBron James. While Jordan was the most dominant and popular athlete of the '90s, LeBron is arguably the most hated athlete of the last decade. Jordan fit the role of hero better than anyone else could, because Jordan was a basketball hero in real life, nailing game-winning shots time and time again. LeBron, on the other hand, couldn’t play hero in a movie because he doesn’t play hero in real life. If the game is on the line, LeBron usually is the one inbounding the ball. While LeBron looks to pass, Jordan would look to shoot.
At the end of the day, a “Space Jam” sequel will probably happen. Will the movie make money? Yes. Will the movie be as good as the original? No. Will I be happy about the sequel? No. Will I see it? Yes.
A second “Space Jam” is coming and I need to accept that. But the one thing that I will not accept is Foghorn Leghorn living through the game. That rooster needs to die again.
