“We wanted to meet her with the Amazons, trying to find greener pastures for her,” said Lee. “As she says in the film, there is more to her than just being a Melody.”This comes as part of a larger move to reconsider Lola’s character after two and a half decades, with Lee also saying he wants to make her less defined by her sexuality, as she was in the original film.
“It is 2021,” he said. “It is important to reflect the authenticity of strong and capable female characters. [Lola] it probably has the most humane characteristics of the Tunis; she has nothing like a carrot, nor a lisp or stutter. So, we reworked a lot of things, not just her appearance, like making sure she was an appropriate length in her shorts and was feminine without being objective, but it gave her a real voice.
“For us, it was, we will substantiate her athletic prowess, her leadership skills and make her a character as complete as the others.”
Space Jam: New Legacy has just seen its first images revealed earlier this week, including LeBron James in action, as well as a 3D animated Bugs Bunny. A simultaneous streaming launch on HBO Max and in theaters is planned on July 16.
Rebekah Valentine is an IGN reporter. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.