Pepé Le Pew gets the axe and Lola Bunny is desexualized as director Malcolm D. Lee attempts to cure the Warner Bros. Entertainment franchise of its political incorrectness.
The highly anticipated upcoming reboot of 90s-kid-favorite live-action / animated hybrid Space Jam, is causing a bit of a fuss with fans who aren’t happy with what they’ve seen, and heard, about the new film. For sure the film won’t look the same as many remember; most notably absent will be Pepé Le Pew, the amorous French skunk long accused of sexual harassment as well as being a symbol of rape culture. Lola Bunny’s design has also been altered in the name of de-sexualization. Space Jam: A New Legacy director Malcom D. Lee explains, “we reworked a lot of things, not only her look, like making sure she had an appropriate length on her shorts and was feminine without being objectified, but gave her a real voice."
While the move to eliminate rape culture is a fantastic goal (as well as the attempt to avoid unnecessary female sexualization), fans of the original source material have taken to social media to question the necessity of Lola Bunny’s redesign.
For the "nice guys" in the back:
If the only way you can respect a woman/female character & view her as "strong and capable" is for her to not be sexy/have curves/tight clothes, then your "respect" has the same energy as rape apologist saying "she was asking for it".#LolaBunny pic.twitter.com/8Y1xv0o4Hu— Aileyn, the Friendly Neighbourhood Apostate. (@Aileyn) March 5, 2021
Twitter bullied the shit out of the dude who made the new Sonic movie and they reworked Sonic's character design to better resonate with fans... Just saying #lolabunny pic.twitter.com/y5KQhRa9bs
— good post observer (@bullxndr) March 4, 2021
Whos Agree with me?#lolabunny #SpaceJam2 #fixlolabunny pic.twitter.com/4UpVkmomgR
— Shanoneya (@shanoneya) March 5, 2021
Political correctness wasn’t the only cause for change. A studio press snap of Bugs Bunny depicts the leading rabbit in 3DCG, proof that the newest Looney Tunes offering has left the 2D world behind. A New Legacy, indeed.
How do you feel about Lee’s A New Legacy vision? Positive growth towards a more inclusive future in children’s entertainment, or unnecessary political correctness? Perhaps instead of “cancelling” Pepé Le Pew, erasing him completely for the newer generations, a rebranding could have exemplified good behavior triumphing over the inappropriate.
L.A. Lakers great LeBron James stars alongside Oscar nominee Don Cheadle (the Avengers films, Hotel Rwanda), Khris Davis (Judas and the Black Messiah, TV’s Atlanta), Sonequa Martin-Green (TV’s The Walking Dead, Star Trek: Discovery), newcomer Cedric Joe, Jeff Bergman (Looney Tunes Cartoons) and Eric Bauza (Looney Tunes Cartoons). Lee (Girls Trip, Night School) directs from a screenplay by Juel Taylor & Tony Rettenmaier & Keenan Coogler & Terence Nance. The film’s producers are Ryan Coogler, James, Maverick Carter, and Duncan Henderson, and the executive producers are Sev Ohanian, Zinzi Coogler, Allison Abbate, Jesse Ehrman, Jamal Henderson, Spencer Beighley, Justin Lin, Terence Nance, and Ivan Reitman.
Space Jam: A New Legacy is set to stream on HBO Max and premiere in theatres on July 16th, 2021.
Cybersecurity specialist by day, investigative journalist by night.
