Don Cheadle is heading from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the Looney Tunes universe, as he’s been tapped to star inSpace Jam 2. After years of rumors and speculation surrounding the sequel, production finally got underway on the follow-up to the 1996 classic recently, with NBA superstar LeBron James set to fill the shoes that were previously occupied by basketball legend Michael Jordan. James will be getting some help from Cheadle, as it turns out.
According to a new report,Don Cheadlehas signed on forSpace Jam 2in a currently unspecified role. Cheadle is coming hot off of his role inAvengers: Endgame, which has, so far, grossed $2.77 billion worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, second only to James Cameron’sAvatar. Cheadle portrays James Rhodes/War Machine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a role he took on in the wake of Terrence Howard’s exit after the release of the firstIron Man. Outside of his superhero shenanigans, the actor has starred in shows likeHouse of Liesand movies such asCrashandHotel Rwanda. Most recently, he’s been starring in the seriesBlack Mondayon Showtime.
Don Cheadle joins a cast that already includes Sonequa Martin-Green, ofStar Trek: Discoveryfame, who is said to be playing the wife ofLeBron James. As far as otherNBA All-Stars go, Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, Chris Paul of the Houston Rockets and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors are signed on. On the WNBA side, Diana Taurasi is said to be on board, as are Los Angeles Sparks duo, the Ogwumike sisters, Nneka and Chiney.
Terrence Nance, who is behind HBO’sRandom Acts of Flyness, is in the director’s chair. He’s working from a script penned by Sev Ohanian, who is known for his work onSearching, as well asBlack Pantherdirector Ryan Coogler, who is also on board as a producer on the sequel. Other producers include LeBron James on behalf of his own SpringHill Entertainment, with Duncan Henderson, and Maverick Carter also producing for the company. Justin Lin, Sev Ohanian and Jamal Henderson are on board as executive producers. Interestingly, Lin, who has directed several entries in theFast and Furiousseries, was, at one point, eyed to direct.
Plot details for the sequel are currently being kept under wraps, but it is being used as a way for Warner Bros. to reintroduce the Looney Tunes to the big screen. The original Space Jam, which was directed by Joe Pytka, remains the highest-grossing basketball movie ever made, having earned more than $230 million during its run. The movie has remained a part of the pop culture landscape in the two decades since its release.Space Jam 2is currently set to arrive in theaters on July 28, 2025. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as any further details on the project are made available. This news was previously reported byDeadline.
