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The reboot of the movie тАЬSpace JamтАЭ┬а added a powerful name to its roster.
Zendaya will be joining the cast of тАЬSpace Jam: A New LegacyтАЭ as Lola Bunny. LeBron James of course stars in the role played by Michael Jordan in the 1996 film. EW broke the news which was later confirmed by the official тАЬSpace JamтАЭ Twitter account.
Welcome to the Jam, @Zendaya ? https://t.co/BAp4UZuwkf pic.twitter.com/Z9wYts9IFp
тАФ Space Jam: A New Legacy (@spacejammovie) April 3, 2021
The news came the same day that тАЬSpace JamтАЭ dropped its first official trailer.
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Director Malcolm D. Lee has previously said he found the depiction of Lola in the original movie to be problematic and sought to make her more тАЬfully-realizedтАЭ in his version, making Zendaya the perfect choice given her considerable acting chops.
In early June, ESPN aired a mockumentary тАЬ30 for 30тАЭ titled тАЬThe Bunny & The GOATтАЭ promoting the film. In the clip, fans got their first glimpse of Zendaya voicing Lola.
Zendaya as the voice of Lola Bunny for #SpaceJamANewLegacy pic.twitter.com/wdFmmd9bd9
тАФ DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 6, 2021
Lee spoke to EW┬аin March about the original movie, which he watched for the first time in 2019, saying, ┬атАЬLola was not politically correct. This is a kidsтАЩ movie, why is she in a crop top? It just felt unnecessary, but at the same time thereтАЩs a long history of that in cartoons.тАЭ
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Lee, perhaps best known for directing тАЬGirls TripтАЭ wanted his version of Lola to тАЬreflect the authenticity of strong, capable female characters.тАЭ He added, тАЬWe reworked a lot of things, not only her look, like making sure she had an appropriate length on her shorts and was feminine without being objectified, but gave her a real voice. For us, it was, letтАЩs ground her athletic prowess, her leadership skills, and make her as full a character as the others.тАЭ
тАЬSpace Jam: A New LegacyтАЭ also stars Don Cheadle and is produced by тАЬBlack PantherтАЭ director Ryan Coogler.
