Movie review
July 8, 2021 · 115 min · PG
Woke Score
Lower is better
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Space Jam: A New Legacy.
Woke representation / casting
Prominent black lead, family, and key creatives in a family sports comedy; Lola Bunny redesign presented as strong and non-objectified female character. Natural fit for LeBron but visibly intentional per director comments and media notes.
Woke political dialogue
No activist speeches, systemic critiques, or identity lectures; messages stay on fatherhood, teamwork, and personal growth.
Identity-driven story themes
Focus on father-son bonding and self-acceptance remains traditional and light; no race, gender, or queer plotlines or messaging.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Mild satire of corporate AI greed and entertainment branding; no framing of patriarchy, whiteness, or traditional norms as toxic.
Review
Space Jam: A New Legacy follows NBA star LeBron James and his young son Dom after a rogue AI traps them inside a digital Warner Bros. universe. LeBron must lead the Looney Tunes to victory in a high-stakes basketball game to escape and return home. The story centers on father-son reconnection, teamwork, and being true to yourself through straightforward family comedy beats and heavy Warner Bros. product placement. Production choices included redesigning Lola Bunny in full athletic gear instead of her original revealing outfit and cutting a Pepe Le Pew scene, both framed around modern sensitivity concerns.
Woke character or canon changes
Lola Bunny updated from original crop-top design explicitly to avoid objectification and align with "political correctness" for kids; Pepe Le Pew scene removed pre-release over sensitivity concerns.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Visible fan complaints about Lola Bunny's redesign as woke desexualization or pandering; separate criticism of Pepe Le Pew cut as cancel culture; some noted sanitization for modern audiences.
Creator track record context
Key figures including director Malcolm D. Lee, producer Ryan Coogler, casting director Kim Taylor-Coleman, and star/producer LeBron James bring histories of black representation and social justice work, though the final film stays light family fare.
Production
