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Original ‘Space Jam’ Director Slams ‘A New Legacy’
Joe Pytka, the director of the 1996 original Space Jam, isn't playing ball with the newly released sequel Space Jam: A New Legacy. In a recent interview with TMZ, the 82-year-old filmmaker shared his unfiltered opinion on the latest Warner Bros. film.
For starters, Pytka shared that it took him five tries to get through the entire movie, which he called “an uninteresting mess.” He also drew comparison between the two films’ stars, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. “The truth is that LeBron ain’t Michael,” Pytka said. He argued that when Space Jam was released, Jordan was one of the biggest celebrities in the world. The original film also tied more into Jordan’s personal life, whereas the new movie doesn't offer a personal connection to James. However, Pytka did say that James is an impressive athlete and a good actor.
Another aspect of the film that Pytka didn’t appreciate? The updated animation style used on Bugs Bunny and the rest of the Looney Tunes gang. “He looked like one of those fluffy dolls you buy at an airport gift shop to bring your kid when your business trip has taken too long,” Pytka stated. The director also didn't think the film’s supporting cast was as memorable as the one in the original, which included Charles Barkley, Muggsy Bogues, Shawn Bradley, and Bill Murray. In addition, he found the new soundtrack “insignificant.”
Despite all this, Space Jam: A New Legacy slam dunked at the box office over opening weekend, earning a total of $31.7 million. It surpassed Marvel’s Black Widow for the number one spot, and had the fifth highest grossing opening of the year. Space Jam: A New Legacy is playing now in theaters, and is streaming exclusively on HBO Max.
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