Space Jam 2 has been given an official release date. 90s kids have been waiting a long time to see a new NBS star team up with the Looney Tunes for a sequel to the 1996 animated classic and that time has finally come. LeBron James officially signed on to produce and star in the movie last fall and things are getting serious, as Warner Bros. has locked down a summer 2021 release date for the long-awaited sequel.

Warner Bros. recently did some light shuffling around with their release schedule and, in the course of that shuffling, they locked down July 16, 2021, for Space Jam 2. That puts it right in the heart of the summer movie season. On the flip side, the original opened in November. The summer season has become increasingly crowded in recent years and studios tend to reserve those prime spots for titles they feel have a chance to cast the widest possible net, as anything else, with a big budget anyway, is likely to be buried. This implies a decent deal of confidence in the package they've put together. And with good reason.

LeBron James is a massive star. Outside of the fact that he's the biggest name in the NBA right now, much like Michael Jordan was when he starred in the first Space Jam, he's also been working on breaking into the entertainment industry. He starred in Trainwreck opposite Amy Schumer and recently voiced a character in the animated Smallfoot. He's also launched his own production company, SpringHill Entertainment, which is involved in the sequel as well. The company's official Twitter account shared the news of the release date, along with an image of James alongside Bugs and Lola Bunny. Rightfully, James is sporting a Tune Squad jersey. The image looks like a quick photoshop job intended to get the point across, but it does that job perfectly well.

Beyond having a huge star, Ryan Coogler, the director behind Creed and the Oscar-nominated Black Panther, has signed on to produce the project. Up-and-comer Terence Nance, the man behind HBO's Random Acts of Flyness, has been tapped to direct. Recently, LeBron James confirmed that filming will begin this summer during the NBA offseason. With a 2021 release date, that will give them plenty of time to work around the Los Angeles Lakers star's busy schedule.

Space Jam was released in 1996 and has since gone on to become a major source of nostalgia and has remained popular over the years. It grossed $230 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing basketball movie ever made, a record that still stands. Beyond the movie itself, this could help, in some way, add fuel to the debate over who is the greatest of all time; Michael Jordan or LeBron James, a debate that has been raging on for years now. We'll be sure to keep you posted as any further details are made available. Be sure to check out the image from the SpringHill Entertainment Twitter account below.