Raptors' Patrick Patterson Pleads with Hollywood to Not Make 'Space Jam 2'

Sequels are tricky, especially when expanding upon a beloved original. This prompted Patrick Patterson to take an important stand against the making of Space Jam 2.

According to Rebecca Ford of the Hollywood Reporter, LeBron James will star in the second installment of the 1996 cult classic that featured Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes characters. (And Bill Murray, but not on defense.)

The Toronto Raptors forward is not on board. In a riveting, passionate column on the Players' Tribune, Patterson pleaded with Hollywood to leave this revered movie alone:

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To make a sequel to Space Jam would be like trying to paint the Mona Lisa again. Sure, you can probably do it, but why the hell would you want to?

With a lot of the remakes and sequels that have come out recently, I think movie studios believe that they can capture the same magic that made audiences love the originals. Either that or the first one sucked but made a lot of money anyway, so they decided to make another one.

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As Patterson pointed out, Space Jam succeeded in spite of itself. A movie where an NBA star joins forces with cartoon characters against evil cartoon characters shouldn't have worked. That absurdity, however, helped it stick.

Expecting magic to strike twice over 20 years later is a daunting proposition, especially since the sequel will come with immense expectations in a time where Bugs Bunny and Co. are not as culturally significant.

Patterson conceded that most fans of the original, including himself, will pay to see the new one despite anticipating a letdown. Nevertheless, the film buff knows recent sequels have critically flopped, and he dreads seeing another classic tainted:

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I know this thing would make money. Kids dig bright fluorescent colors and characters that act silly. It'll crush $200 million easy.

Some things are bigger than money, though. Some things are sacred. I think the rich legacy of Space Jam is one of those things. What a tragedy it would be if even one kid was deterred from watching the original Space Jam because Space Jam 2 was just horrible. We simply can't let that happen.

We were welcomed to the Space Jam once. Why can't that be enough?

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Watching someone tinker with a precious childhood memory is tough. If James' reboot doesn't match the original's zany charm, Space Jam 2 will go down as yet another unnecessary cash grab.

Yet this is all assumes the sequel will stink. If it's good, past fans will revel in nostalgia while younger viewers experience the same joy that once delighted Patterson and other loyalists as children.

Just give everyone involved in production some of Michael's Secret Stuff and hope for the best.

[Players' Tribune]