Casting Space Jam 2
To call Space Jam a national treasure would be, by all accounts, an absolute undersell. For many of today’s best athletes, they look at Michael Jordan’s performance as an all-time classic and the Tune Squad as some of the best sports-related comedy in history. Given its guaranteed spot in the cult classic pantheon, studios and producers have long wanted to revive the series and plenty of athletes — LeBron James, Blake Griffin, and Kevin Durant — have all said they’d love to reprise Jordan’s role.
Today, we’ve got our own attempt at recasting the iconic movie — who would your picks be? Whatever they are, we’re pretty confident that this cast would help shatter some serious box office records!
LeBron James as LeBron James
(Space Jam: Michael Jordan)
The hero and the best player in the game — this is a no-brainer. LeBron James may be the closest comparison to Michael Jordan we’ll ever see and, perhaps, the Tune Squad’s best chance to defeat this self-proclaimed “mean team,” much like MJ did in the original. In a miraculous and superhuman effort, LeBron would fire up the likes of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Taz before dunking on the Monstars to end their short, but nightmarish, reign. The only missing storyline would be something similar to Jordan’s baseball cameo… maybe the Cleveland Browns would have something to say about this.
Kristaps Porzingis as Blanko
(Space Jam: Shawn Bradley)
Even though he was a klutz in his original form, this tall, blue, and friendlier Monstar was still a force on the defensive end. Blanko skied above everyone on the court and could swat any shot (or player). Cue Kristaps Porzingis, who’ll bring a similar, unique presence on the court to Shawn Bradley’s role in the first film. Porzingis probably wouldn’t be so happy about this guy’s IQ nor the precedence this would set for him getting dunked on for the rest of his career though.
Should Porzingis be unavailable due to his fame in the NYC limelight, we hope Timofey Mozgov would be willing to step into this role.
Isaiah Thomas as Nawt
(Space Jam: Muggsy Bogues)
Short, vocal, and all over the court, Nawt was a nightmare for the Tune Squad defense. Although a bit taller than Muggsy Bogues’ stature of 5’3, Isaiah Thomas is still the little guy, as Boston fans love to call him, and may be just as scary as this Monstar in today’s NBA landscape.
DeMarcus Cousins as Bang
(Space Jam: Patrick Ewing)
If you remember Space Jam, you’ll recollect that not only does Bang breathe fire on the court, but to say he brings a physical presence would be quite the understatement. Look no further than Demarcus “Boogie” Cousins, who would certainly have no problem breathing fire on other players, referees, and reporters alike. Cousins is also a rebounding and scoring machine, much like Ewing was in his heyday with the Knicks.
Draymond Green as Pound
(Space Jam: Charles Barkley)
Is there a more fitting NBA superstar than Draymond Green to play this bossy Monstar? This NBA Champion would love nothing more than to wreak havoc on the Tune Squad, that much is clear. Green, an undersized forward who can play any position on the court, shows a lot of similarities to the “Round Mound of Rebound” in both attitude and style of play as well.
Russell Westbrook as Bupkus
(Space Jam: Larry Johnson)
Bupkus, the Monstar who shows no fear of Michael Jordan, is loud and cocky. If someone were to ask who can bring this level of swag to any arena (whether on Earth or not) on any given night, there’s only one answer –- Russell Westbrook. Westbrook would have no problem assimilating to this role and easily packs the same offensive punch that Larry Johnson once brought to the league.
Kevin Hart as Swackhammer
(Space Jam: Danny DeVito)
Truthfully, we’d be more than happy to recast Danny DeVito in this role again given its note-perfect match the first time around. But if the studio wants to go with somebody who dominates today’s spotlight, Kevin Hart would slot in well. Loud, brash, and hilarious, Hart would bring plenty of bravado to any role a la Swackhammer.
Woody Harrelson as Bill Murray
(Space Jam: Bill Murray)
Boom, you didn’t think this could get any better but here we are: Woody Harrelson. Subbing in for the legendary Bill Murray is one of the finest actors of this generation, both in drama and comedy. In fact, Harrelson’s even got some basketball chops himself, starring in both White Men Can’t Jump and Semi-Pro — so why not go for the basketball trifecta and score a role in Space Jam 2?
A boy can only dream.
What would you dream cast be?
(All photos belong to Warner Bros. and their fantastic film — we do not claim to own these photos at all, just celebrating an iconic movie!)
