“We wanted to meet her with the Amazons and try to find greener pastures for her,” Lee said. “As she says in the film, there is more to her than just being a tune.”It comes as part of a larger move to reconsider Lola’s character after two and a half decades, and Lee also said he wants to make her less defined by her sexuality, as in the original film.
“It’s 2021,” he said. ‘It’s important to reflect the authenticity of strong, capable female characters. [Lola] has probably the most human characteristics of the Tunes; she has nothing like a carrot or a lisp or a stutter. Therefore, we reworked many things, not only her appearance, such as making sure she had a suitable length to her shorts and was feminine without being objectified, but gave her a real voice.
“For us, it was: let’s base her athletic skills, her leadership skills, and make her just as complete a character as the others.”
Space Jam: A New Legacy has just released its first images earlier this week, including LeBron James in action as well as a 3D animated Bugs Bunny. It is scheduled for a simultaneous release on HBO Max and in theaters on July 16th.
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.