The Best Easter Eggs in The 'Space Jam: A New Legacy' Trailer

In 1995, the first Space Jam film, which featured the Looney Tunes recruiting Michael Jordan to help them win a basketball match and avoid being forced into servitude as attractions at an alien theme park, proved a surprise hit, becoming a cult classic. Rumours of a sequel swirled for years afterwards, and finally, in 2016, the movie was confirmed to be in production, with LeBron James set to star.

Now, the trailer for Space Jam: A New Legacy has arrived, and it is packed full of fun Easter Eggs for Warner Bros. fans to spot.

The Matrix

While searching for his son, Dom, who has been kidnapped and taken to the Server-verse, Lebron makes a joke based on the appearance of the strange place in which he has found himself.

"What in The Matrix hell.."

Seconds later, he is drawn into the Server-verse himself.

The line is, of course, a reference to The Matrix films, starring Keanu Reeves as Neo, and produced by Warner Bros. The Matrix franchise is set to relaunch later this year with a new film, making the reference a piece of clever cross-promotion.

Game Of Thrones

While falling into the Server-verse, Lebron falls past various different worlds, including the Emerald City of Oz, and most notably, Westeros of Game Of Thrones fame. As one of the most popular TV shows of the last decade, Game Of Thrones was an easy choice to reference from among the Warner Bros content stable.

Other Easter Eggs related to the show are scattered throughout the Space Jam: A New Legacy trailer, including a brief shot of Drogon, and various soldiers, White Walkers, and even the Night's King attending the Basketball match between the Tune Squad and the Goon Squad.

LeBron's Dream Team

After learning he must win a basketball game to secure the safe return of his son, LeBron puts together a wishlist for the perfect basketball team. The list includes Superman, Gandalf from The Lord Of The Rings, King Kong and the Iron Giant. For unknown reasons, LeBron's Dream team does not come to be, and he is forced to recruit Bugs Bunny and the former Tune Squad instead.

While neither Superman or Gandalf appear in the trailer, Kong and the Iron Giant are seen, possibly heading to watch the game. Like his significant role in 2018's Ready, Player One, the inclusion of the giant is a nice nod to The Iron Giant's enduring status as a cult classic film. Meanwhile, the character of King Kong has seen a surge in popularity following the release of the long awaited Godzilla Vs Kong, the fourth film in Legendary Pictures' Monsterverse franchise. This makes Kong's appearance in the film another fun piece of cross-promotion, as Godzilla Vs Kong will probably be available to purchase when Space Jam: A New Legacy is released.

Hanna-Barbera All-Stars

After Time Warner merged with Warner Bros. Studios in 1996, WB gained access to the full catalogue of classic animation studio Hanna-Barbera. The Space Jam: A New Legacy trailer features cameos from a wide range of Hanna-Barbera characters. In one shot, The Jetsons, The Flintstones, Magilla Gorilla, Captain Caveman, Yogi Bear, and Boo Boo are seen. Fred Flintstone will have a speaking role in the film, with Jeff Bergman confirmed to voice him as well as his Looney Tunes characters.

The Mystery Machine is seen a few times in the trailer, with Scooby and the rest of the Mystery, Inc. gang visible in a crowd scene. Other Hanna-Barbera characters seen during crowd scenes include Space Ghost, Jabberjaw, and Cheetara of the Thundercats.

Packed Crowd Scenes

Aside from those mentioned above, plenty of characters from other Warner Bros-owned franchises make appearances in the trailer. Among them are Pennywise From IT, the War Boys from Mad Max: Fury Road, and Alex DeLarge's gang from A Clockwork Orange.

While, much to LeBron's despair, Superman does not appear, the DC universe is not entirely unrepresented. The Joker, as he appeared in the 1989 Batman film, appears, as well as numerous characters from the 1960s Batman TV series, including Robin, Penguin, and Catwoman.

It seems like everybody who's anybody in the WB catalogue has turned up to watch the game of the year.

Check out the trailer for Space Jam: A New Legacy here. How many Easter Eggs can you spot?: