Kobe Bryant Fans Want ‘Space Jam 2’ to Honor Him and His Daughter Gianna

Basketball fans are hoping that Space Jam 2 will honor Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna when the movie comes out. The long-awaited sequel was announced back in 2018, and is due out in just over a year. With that much time before release, fans think it would be only right for the flimmakers to get in a tribute to Bryant.

Bryant passed away Sunday, Jan. 29 in a helicopter crash, along with his 13-year-old daughter, Ginna and seven others. The tragedy sent shockwaves throughout the world of sports and the wider world of media, as Bryant was an established cultural icon.

With that in mind, fans think it would be wrong to leave him out of Space Jam 2. The movie is set to star his former teammate LeBron James, along with the Loony Tunes, of course. On Twitter, Fans imagined that there must be a way to to honor Bryant within that wacky narrative.

“I wonder what kind of tribute Space Jam 2 is going to have for Kobe,” one person tweeted on Saturday.

“I remember reading Kobe had 0 interest in being apart of Space Jam 2… but man if that ‘in memory of’ message comes up @ the end for him and Gigi…” added another with a wide-eyed emoji.

“My hubby and I think Space Jam 2 movie that is reported to be coming out in 2021 should be dedicated to Kobe Bryant and Gianna,” proposed a third person.

Some fans even went so far as to direct their tweets at James, making sure he saw them. They debated whether the character should be added with CGI, or just honored in some other way.

James is taking the role previously occupied by Michael Jordan in the first Space Jam movie, as the real athlete leading a team of cartoons. The story will presumably pit them against their nemeses, the Monstars all over again.

The original Space Jam came out in 1996, and is considered by many to be a campy classic. However, there has been a lot of doubt about whether that lightning could be captured in a bottle yet again. Previous attempts at a Space Jam sequel have all fallen apart in the early stages, including a version called Skate Jam starring Tony Hawk and Spy Jam starring Jackie Chan.

When plans for Space Jam 2 cropped up, fans were more enthusiastic. The movie is directed by Malcolm D. Lee, known for movies like Undercover Brother and Girls Trip. It is also produced by Ryan Coogler, known for Marvel’s Black Panther, among other things.

James, meanwhile, has proven his on-screen presence beyond the basketball court — particularly in the movie Train Wreck. Fans expect him to bring the same sensibility to Space Jam 2. The movie is slated for release on July 16, 2020.