Space Jam (partially found production material of cancelled sequels of live-action/animated sports comedy film; 1997-2003)
Space Jam is a 1996 live-action/animated sports comedy film starring the main Looney Tunes characters and legendary basketball player Micheal Jordan. The film turned out to be a hit financially and received relatively positive reviews from critics.
Due to its success, a sequel did end up releasing in 2021 as Space Jam: A New Legacy. However, before its release, there were five earlier attempts at a follow-up, with all of them getting cancelled for multiple reasons.
Space Jam 2
Status: Existence Unconfirmed
The first attempt at a follow-up, dates back to 1997, just one year after the first film's release, with Warner Bros. allowing production for a sequel to happen, with the only note being that Micheal had to be included, fearing that it wouldn't be as successful without him. According to cartoonist Bob Camp, who was interviewed in 2012 about his involvement in the film, an anonymous producer had spoken to Warner, confirming that Micheal was able to get involved with the sequel.[1]
The follow-up would've featured a brand new villain named Beserk-O! and his henchmen O!-No and O!-Yes. With Beserk-O! being voiced by comedian Mel Brooks.[1]
However, as it turns out, the aforementioned producer lied about being able to get Michael involved and when Warner found out, the entire project was shut down after a few weeks in pre-production.[1]
Since then, the only material that has resurfaced is some artwork for the film's antagonists, posted by Bob Camp in a 2008 post on his Blogger account.[2] It's unknown if any other work on the film was ever made.
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Tiger Woods Sequel
Status: Lost
In an interview with Space Jam's director Joe Pytka, he talks about how he was once pitched an idea for a sequel at a script conference, where it would've starred golf player Tiger Woods instead of Micheal Jordan, although Pytka did mention that Micheal was in the film for a small portion, possibly for a cameo. Pytka would additionally mention in another interview that he was presented a script for the film.[3]
While it remains unclear when the project was discussed, it's rumoured that it would've taken place in the year 2000, due to it being the time period in which Woods was considered a well-known celebrity by the general public.
The project ultimately didn't get anywhere due to Pytka not liking the concept, finding it strange and silly. Outside of the aforementioned details, no other information on the film is known and the script remains lost.
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Spy Jam
Status: Partially Found
In 2001, it was revealed that martial arts actor Jackie Chan was going to be involved in a sequel titled Spy Jam.[4]
Little to no information is known about the plot and the reasoning for its cancellation, although judging from what is currently available, it would've also starred Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, seemingly without the main cast of the Looney Tunes, involved in a spy mission with Chan. It speculated that after its cancellation, elements from it would end up being used in the 2003 film Looney Tunes: Back in Action due to it sharing similar themes to the cancelled project.
Currently, a mock-up poster and some artwork from the project have resurfaced. A script is also known to exist but is currently lost.
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Race Jam
Status: Existence Unconfirmed
During Spy Jam's development, another follow-up based around NASCAR was also conceptualized, with it being titled Race Jam and supposedly starring race car driver Jeff Gordon.[4][5]
Due to Spy Jam's cancellation, Race Jam's development would also get shut down. Since then, no material for the film has resurfaced, rendering it unclear if any was ever made.
Skate Jam
Status: Lost
In 2019, legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk made a tweet discussing a film he was pitched at Warner Bros. in 2003 titled Skate Jam, which would've been in production after Looney Tunes: Back in Action was released.[6] He further added in an Instagram Live in 2021 that while they were pitching the idea to him, multiple pieces of artwork and storyboards were also produced alongside "a guy doing voices". Despite him being excited to be a part of the project, after Back in Action's commercial failure, he never received an update on the film's status, likely meaning that production got shelved.
To this day, none of the artwork or storyboards have ever resurfaced.
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Interview with Bob Camp about the project. Retrieved 22 Aug '24
- ↑ 2008 Blogger post by Bob Camp about the project. Retrieved 21 Aug '24
- ↑ Interview with Joe Pytka, where the cancelled film's script is mentioned. Retrieved 22 Aug '24
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Entertainment Weekly article mentioning Spy Jam. Retrieved 22 Aug '24
- ↑ Facebook post by NASCAR about the film. Retrieved 22 Aug '24
- ↑ Tweet by Tony Hawk on the project. Retrieved 22 Aug '24