Tony Bancroft, one of the two credited directors behind Disney’s Mulan (1998), has announced that he is working on the much-anticipated Space Jam 2. Bancroft announced on Twitter that he started working on the film in January, and has just been sent to work from home in the wake of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.
“Just one more Looney chapter in the making of Space Jam 2,” Bancroft said on Twitter. “Have Cintiq will travel.”
Bancroft is a high-profile animator, and he’s far from the only big name attached. The film is being directed by Malcolm D. Lee (Girls Trip), produced by Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), and stars LeBron James in the Michael Jordan equivalent role (alongside several Loony Toons). It will also feature numerous other basketball players. As with the original film, it will mix live-action and animated characters together on screen.
Bancroft’s Mulan has been remade as a live-action film by director Niki Caro (Whale Rider). The film was due to release on March 27, but it has been delayed, again due to the coronavirus.
Back in 2016, Space Jam director Joe Pytka claimed that the sequel was “doomed.” It remains to be seen if this is the case, however–the film is in post-production, with the live-action portions having been shot, and is targeting a 2021 release.