Space Jam director says the sequel is 'doomed'

Joe Pytka, the director behind the nostalgically adored Space Jam, thinks that a sequel to his 1996 movie is doomed, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Pytka said that the only reason Space Jam worked 20 years ago was because there was a perfect mix of current NBA players, recently retired players and Michael Jordan.

"They all had a persona that complemented the film," Pytka told The Hollywood Reporter. "There are none around like that now.

"Don't do it. It's doomed."

The director added that the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, who's set to produce and star, isn't even the biggest name in the NBA right now. He pointed out the Golden State Warriors' Steph Curry is the new hot player. Production on the film will be longer than usual as they work around players' schedules for training. On top of regular post-production, by the time the movie hits theaters it will already feel outdated.

In the new film, James will take Jordan's place as he ventures into Toon World to play a very important game of basketball. Justin Lin (Star Trek Beyond) will helm the feature, but there's no word on which other NBA players will join James on screen.

Space Jam 2 is currently in its pre-production phase.