Nike is going all in on the upcoming “Space Jam: A New Legacy” film, unveiling sneakers and apparel pulling on millennial heartstrings while introducing the sequel’s classic Looney Tunes characters to younger generations.
The footwear titan is taking advantage of the LeBron James tentpole pic as an opportunity to preview the Los Angeles Laker’s newest sneaker silhouette. Featuring a double-chambered Air Max heel unit and reimagined Zoom Air component for a “reliable underfoot ride,” Nike says the sneaker—shown in orange and icy blue-and-white colorways—aims to capture the movie’s “futuristic magic.”
“In designing the LeBron 19, we were definitely guided by what was happening in the film,” Jason Petrie, a footwear designer for Nike Basketball, said of the Warner Bros. Pictures creation, releasing in theaters and on HBO Max on July 16. “We wanted to give LeBron a brand-new feeling that was synonymous with an otherworldly, space-age kind of look.”
Viewers of the classic Looney Tunes cartoon franchise will recognize familiar animated faces, from Bugs Bunny, Marvin the Martian, and Tweety Bird to Sylvester, Road Runner and his nemesis, Wile. E. Coyote. An Air Force 1 silhouette is offered in toddler and adult sizing, while Bugs’ companion Lola Bunny appears on the Converse Pro Leather sneaker, complete with pink mesh trim and a fur Star Chevron logo.
The movie-themed collection includes complementary apparel as well, featuring Dri-Fit Durasheen-fabric uniforms for fans of the film’s opposing teams: the Tune Squad and the Goon Squad.
Nike hopes the animated film and fashion capsule conveys the power of sports—and the brand ability’s to help athletes perform.
“The biggest moment in the movie for our characters is the final game,” says Maverick Carter, a producer on the big-budget film. “It culminates into this epic showdown with real consequences for everyone playing. The game matters. So when a kid sees the characters wearing Nike gear, their imagination makes the connection that Nike gives you the tools to uncover the best version of yourself.”
The Space Jam: A New Legacy collection will launch in July on Nike.com, through the SNKRS app and via limited retailers.