Don Cheadle, who notably played James Rhodes/War Machine in seven Marvel films, is set to star alongside NBA superstar LeBron James inSpace Jam: A New Legacy. The 10-time Emmy nominee recently discussed why he signed on to play the lead villain in the highly anticipated film.
Space Jam: A New Legacyis the long-awaited sequel to 1996’sSpace Jam,whichstarred former Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan andSeinfeld’s Wayne Knight. The film saw Jordan help the Looney Tunes defeat the villainous Monstars in a game of hoops. WhileSpace Jamreceived mixed reviews, it grossed over $90 million domestically.
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InA New Legacy, Cheadle plays Al G Rhythm, a rogue A.I. that traps James’ son (played by Cedric Joe) into the WB Server-verse. In order to save his son, the four-time NBA champion must defeat AI-G’s basketball team. The live-action comedy features iconicLooney Tunes characters such as Bugs Bunnyand Daffy Duck, as well as cameos from NBA All-Stars Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, and Chris Paul. James previously acted alongside Amy Schumer and Bill Hader in Judd Apatow’s hit comedy,Trainwreck.
Cheadle toldEntertainment Weeklythat while he wasn’t the target audience for the originalSpace Jam, he always had a love for Jordan and the Warner Bros. characters. The 56-year-old said he joined the sequel because of “the conceit of the film and the opportunity to take a classic title like that and do another spin on it with the latest GOAT, being LeBron.” Cheadle added that he was excited by the opportunity to play an “innovative character” and tell a heart-warming “family story.” The movie starpraised James’ acting chopsand noted that he had “more acting to do” than Michael Jordan did in the originalSpace Jam. “He really took it seriously and was really funny and really smart and completely committed; during that same time he’s trying to put the [Lakers] together and nursing an injury and going to practice, sometimes before shooting, sometimes after shooting,” said Cheadle.
Space Jam 2was directed by Malcolm D. Lee, known for his work on comedy films such asUndercover BrotherandScary Movie 5, from a script co-written by multiple writers, including Terence Nance. Before Lee joined the project, Nance had originally been tapped to directSpace Jam 2until he departed over creative differences with the studio and producers. Recently, it was reported that the decision todelete a scene featuring Pepe Le Pew, in which the skunk would have been chastised for his inappropriate behavior, could be attributed to Nance’s exit.
Cheadle has a busy year ahead of him as he is set to reprise his role as James Rhodes/War Machine in theDisney Plus seriesArmor Wars. The series is based on a seven-issueIron Mancomic book story arc in which Tony Stark’s armor is stolen. Cheadle teased the MCU series in an interview withEntertainment Tonight, saying, “It’s going to be dope. We’re really going to have a chance to explore a lot of stuff about [James] Rhodes. I mean, you look at what we’ve done so far, there’s a lot left to be explored. So I think there’s a lot of real estates that we’re going to dig into.” As of now, not much is known aboutArmour Wars, as information about the plot and casting has yet to be released.
Space Jam: A New Legacyis scheduled to be released in select theaters and on HBO Max on July 22, 2025.
