The Space Jam 2 cast is beginning to fill out, as Sonequa Martin-Green is in talks to star in the movie alongside LeBron James. Reportedly, Martin-Green will be portraying James' wife, though it's not clear if she'll be playing the NBA star's real-life wife Savannah Brinson or an original character. James will in fact be playing himself in the movie, in addition to co-producing with SpringHill Entertainment partner Maverick Carter and Black Panther helmer Ryan Coogler. With Terence Nance (Random Acts of Flyness) set to direct, the project will shoot this summer during James' off-season as a Los Angeles Laker.
In the original movie from 1996, NBA legend Michael Jordan played himself, along with a handful of other top basketball stars like Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, and Muggsy Bogues. Using a mixture of live-action and animation, the movie featured the NBA greats teaming up with Bugs Bunny and his Looney Tunes pals to take on a dastardly alien team in a high-stakes basketball game. The movie made over $230 million worldwide upon its release, becoming the highest-grossing basketball movie of all time. It has maintained a cult following in the years since, with many fans calling for LeBron James to star in a proper sequel. Fans of the first movie can be happy knowing that it's finally a go, and will be hitting the big screen in a little over two years.
Sonequa Martin-Green's breakout role as an acting star came in 2012 when she was cast on The Walking Dead. Her character, Sasha Williams, joined the series in Season 3 along with her brother Tyreese (Chad Coleman). Known for her sharpshooting skills, Sasha had become a beloved character on the series, making her sudden exit in 2017 a bit of a surprise. Refusing to let herself become a pawn to use for Negan's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) negotiating, Sasha commits suicide, leaving her zombified self to attack Negan as a walker. The actress later reprised the role for a guest appearance in Season 9.
Despite her status as a fan favorite performer on the series, Martin-Green departed The Walking Dead after being cast on the new Star Trek: Discovery series on CBS All Access. On the acclaimed series, Martin-Green portrays the lead character, Michael Burnham. Serving as a prequel, the show is set about ten years before the events of the original Star Trek series. After a successful first season aired in late 2017, a second season was ordered, which premiered on the streaming service earlier this year. A third season is currently in the works, which will bring Martin-Green back once again for some new intergalactic adventures.
Martin-Green has clearly done an incredible job when it comes to performing on the small screen. It's certainly nice to see her given the opportunity to shine in such a high profile movie release as well. You can see her in Space Jam 2 when the sequel premieres in theaters on July 16, 2021. This information comes to us courtesy of Variety.