Here is why Lola Bunny has received a makeover for Space Jam: A New Legacy - and when the movie will be released

Kids of the 90s will be served the ultimate throwback this year, when 1996 Warner Bros. movie Space Jam is revamped for a modern day audience. New images from the 2021 version, Space Jam: A New Legacy, have now been released, revealing the cast and raising questions over the restyling of characters. So, what is the new movie about, will it feature the same cast and how has it been made more family friendly? This is what you need to know. What is Space Jam: A New Legacy about? The kids movie is not a sequel, director Malcolm D Lee has confirmed. However it will be a follow on from the 1996 classic which featured US basketball legend Michael Jordan, and everyone’s favourite fictional characters. The 90s version saw Jordan save Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and their gang from the “Monstars”, as they attempted to imprison them and exploit them as attractions at their failing theme park. In the new version, modern day US basketball star LeBron James will assume a very similar role to that of Jordan - saving the Looney Tunes characters from The Goon Squad. The LA Lakers legend joked of his role: "It's one of the biggest games, if not the biggest game, I've ever played in. "The Goon Squad is probably the best team ever assembled in basketball history." James plays the role of a dismayed father whose son, Dom, isn’t into sports, preferring to spend his time gaming. Dom becomes the target for computerised-villain Al G Rhythm, and is sucked into the virtual "Server-verse" world, where Rhythm intends to steal his Instagram followers. James must save his son and a basketball game is the only way to do this, but first he must assemble a winning team - the Looney Tunes are the obvious choice. Who else is in the cast? LeBron James will star as himself, alongside his young son Dom who is played by Cedric Joe (Modern Family, Good Trouble). Screen newcomer Alex Huerta will star as a young LeBron James, while the villainous algorithm will be played by Don Cheadle (Hamburger Hill, Colours). The famous Looney Tunes characters will also return to the silver screen - including Eric Bauza as the voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Marvin the Martian, Tweety, and Pepé Le Pew. Voice actor Jeff Bergman will provide the voices for Sylvester and Foghorn Leghorn, while Kath Soucie will voice the revamped version of Bugs Bunny’s girlfriend, Lola Bunny. Porky Pig, Speedy Gonzales and Roadrunner are also expected to make a return. Why has Lola Bunny changed her appearance? The first pictures of Space Jam: A New Legacy showed Lola Bunny as a young, sporty rabbit - with more realistic proportions and costumes (as realistic as a talking cartoon rabbit can be). Lola is the female counterpart of Bugs Bunny, and in the 1996 version of Space Jam she debuted in thigh-high drawstring shorts and a racy crop top. Throughout history there have been some notable sexualised characters, most notably Jessica Rabbit. Jessica Rabbit’s creators, animator Richard Williams and director Robert Zemeckis, have openly described her as the “ultimate male fantasy”. The new Lola Bunny has had a wardrobe clear out and is a far cry from sharing the same status as her 20th century Toon neighbour. Now, she wears a loose fitting basketball vest, track shorts and short cycling leggings underneath. The change in outfit is thought to be more family friendly and moving away from the over sexualisation of females in film. Director of Space Jam: A New Legacy told Entertainment Weekly: "This is 2021. It's important to reflect the authenticity of strong, capable female characters." When will Space Jam: A New Legacy be released? Space Jam: A New Legacy will be released in the UK cinemas on 16 July 2021.