‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ Makes Zendaya the Voice of Lola Bunny

Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise co-star Zendaya has already found fame in animation as the voice of Meechee in the chilly family film Smallfoot. LeBron James also starred in the Warner Animation Group movie about a family of yeti who are surprised to encounter a mythical human. Now the two will team up in the cartoon world again because Zendaya will be heard as the new voice of Lola Bunny in the upcoming Space Jam: A New Legacy, which debuted its first trailer yesterday.

Here’s the official Space Jam: A New Legacy account on Twitter confirming the news from Entertainment Weekly:

Welcome to the Jam, @Zendaya ? https://t.co/BAp4UZuwkf pic.twitter.com/Z9wYts9IFp

— Space Jam: A New Legacy (@spacejammovie) April 3, 2021

Director Malcolm D. Lee wanted to make Lola Bunny a more “fully-realized” character this time. In the first movie, she’s played up as a cartoon sex symbol and romantic foil for Bugs Bunny. She’s also drawn rather provocatively for a movie geared towards kids. She’s not quite as sexualized as Jessica Rabbit, but she certainly doesn’t need short shorts and a crop top. Lee previously said:

“This is 2021. It’s important to reflect the authenticity of strong, capable female characters. She probably has the most human characteristics of the Tunes; she doesn’t have a thing like a carrot or a lisp or a stutter. So we 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, let’s ground her athletic prowess, her leadership skills, and make her as full a character as the others.”

Having Zendaya voice Lola Bunny will also give her a different vibe. In the original Space Jam, she was voiced rather Kath Soucie, who has lent her voice to characters like Phil and Lil in the Rugrats TV series and movies and Kanga in a variety of Winnie the Pooh projects. Zendaya’s comic book movie experience should help her too, because we’ll catch up with Lola Bunny hanging out with the Amazons from Wonder Woman.

Malcolm D.Lee directs Space Jam: A New Legacy, and you can read the official synopsis below:

When LeBron James and his young son Dom are trapped in a digital space by a rogue A.I., LeBron must get them home safe by leading Bugs, Lola Bunny and the whole gang of notoriously undisciplined Looney Tunes to victory over the A.I.’s digitized champions on the court: a powered-up roster of professional basketball stars as you’ve never seen them before. It’s Tunes versus Goons in the highest-stakes challenge of his life, that will redefine LeBron’s bond with his son and shine a light on the power of being yourself. The ready-for-action Tunes destroy convention, supercharge their unique talents and surprise even ‘King’ James by playing the game their own way.

Space Jam: A New Legacy will arrive on HBO Max and in theaters on July 16, 2021.

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