The original Space Jam saw a number of beloved Looney Tunes take part in an intergalactic basketball game, with the upcoming Space Jam: A New Legacy seemingly featuring a similar showdown. The recent trailer for the upcoming film, however, confirms that it’s not just iconic cartoon characters that will appear in the adventure, as the Iron Giant, King Kong, and even the protagonists from Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange drop by (for some reason), showcasing Warner Bros.’ vast roster of familiar figures. Rather than being compared to its predecessor, this compilation of characters has fans thinking A New Legacy is giving off major Ready Player One vibes.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Both the novel and film Ready Player One took place in a futuristic world where people could embody any persona they wanted in the virtual world of the “OASIS,” allowing them to embrace beloved corners of pop culture. This meant we could see the DeLorean from Back to the Future and Keneda’s bike from Akira used to outrun the T-rex from Jurassic Park, among countless other pop-culture touchstones.
With months to go before the film is released, fans are left to speculate about the reasons for the connections between these characters, with the trailer’s resemblance to Ready Player One exciting some and disappointing others.
Scroll down to see what fans are saying about the two films before Space Jam: A New Legacy hits theaters and HBO Max on July 16th!
Krueger Going Hard in the Paint
Evidently the Space Jam sequel is also WB doing a Ready Player One sequel with cameos from Scooby-Doo, Iron Giant, The Flintstones and even Pennywise. I hope this means weโll get to see Freddy Krueger play basketball! pic.twitter.com/OdaMttLPM9
โ ๐ฏ๐. ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ (@DoctorWolfula) April 3, 2021
Could It Get Worse?
lol the only thing worse than ready player one is something *derivative* of ready player one
โ aLec robBins (@alecrobbins) April 3, 2021
Just Some DLC
looks like Ready Player One: Looney Tunes DLC https://t.co/6z6XMzzN2c
โ Elvis (@ElvisTheAlienTV) April 3, 2021
Any Different?
I’m sorry, I just logged in, how is this not Ready Player One? pic.twitter.com/j2V30n7uR7
โ Quinton Reviews ๐ฌ (@Q_Review) April 3, 2021
Interesting Idea
Warner Brothers exec: why don’t we put all of the properties we own into one movie?
โ Sage Hyden / Just Write (@sagehyden) April 3, 2021
Lego Batman, Ready Player One, Space Jam: HOW ORIGINAL. VERY UNIQUE pic.twitter.com/U2eOsvN4hI
Just a Sequel?
Why does #SpaceJam just look like a sequel for ready player one? pic.twitter.com/CO2fpLOGis
โ Corna King (@ElCornaKing) April 3, 2021
Iron Giant Love
Also: I love how much appreciation The Iron Giant has been getting in these past few years. First in Ready Player One, now #SpaceJam The impact! YOU HAD TO BE THERE. pic.twitter.com/FPfAd9jLoX
โ Ruff Worlock (@DRE3K) April 3, 2021
Already Better
Reason why Space Jam 2 is already better than Ready Player One:
โ JW Cartoonist (Commissions OPEN 4 slots left!) (@JW_Cartoonist) April 3, 2021
More toons! pic.twitter.com/C4xaITHBbI
“Next Level Sh-t”
Malcolm D Lee & Ryan Coogler took one look at Ready Player One and said โThis is good, but what if we threw Lebron and Don Cheadle in here instead?โ pic.twitter.com/hTd282ftbH
โ White Wolf on the Loose.โ๏ธ๐ฆโ ๏ธ (แฅ แฃแณแฉ) (@Tchalla_Fett) April 3, 2021
Basketball Edition
This ainโt SPACE JAM, this is READY PLAYER ONE Basketball Edition. pic.twitter.com/Pj3kgbKdEn
โ Rendy Jones (@Rendy_Jones) April 3, 2021