Sunday June 6, Warner Bros. Pictures showed off a whole new look at Space Jam: A New Legacy starring LeBron James and the Looney Tunes.
Positioned as an episode of ESPN 30 of 30, the smart trailer – titled “The Bunny & The GOAT” – gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at several characters from the upcoming sequel, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Lola Bunny. But when it comes to Tune Squad’s female MVP, many longtime fans have been, well, less than impressed with what they heard.
The clip shows Lola’s new voice, courtesy of none other than the very talented Zendaya. But there’s just something wrong when you hear the character scoff: “So cute to watch them bicker when everyone knows it’s Lola’s team.”
Is Lola’s new voice too low? Isn’t it perfectly synchronized with the animation? Does it sound a bit too much like Zendaya’s natural voice, making it difficult to suspend disbelief? Either way, it’s a far cry from the sassy, energetic superstar we first met in Space Jam in 1996 – or even the wacky, upbeat version of the character (voiced by Kristen Wiig) introduced later in. Cartoon Network’s The Looney Tunes Show.
Plus, given the incredible caricature of the iconic voices of other Looney Tunes, this more laid-back, nonchalant voice of Lola just doesn’t seem to match her anime friends.
Fans on social media have also taken note of Zendaya’s different take on the character, although many couldn’t pinpoint what was not really working.
“I tried to raise the tone of the voice,” wrote one person on Twitter who played with the voice. “Sounds a little better, but there’s just something about the voice that doesn’t quite match Lola’s character.”
“I love Zendaya, but it sounds like her natural voice rather than a voice for Lola,” commented another, leading another fan to respond, “This is what happens when studios forget that real voice actors exist. “
It’s important to note that in the original film, Lola was played by the talented and versatile voice actress Kath Soucie, who also voiced characters like Daisy Duck, Dexter’s Mom from Dexter’s Laboratory and Les Bimbettes from La Belle and the Beast, among a litany of other roles. Initially it was announced that Soucie would return to reprise her role, but somewhere along the way she was replaced by Zendaya, likely as part of a marketing move to amplify enthusiasm for the film and attract a new one. generation of viewers.
This isn’t the first time Lola Bunny has sparked controversy, either. In March, the studio revealed that the Brave Bunny had been completely redesigned in an effort to tone down her voluptuous, admittedly “sexier” look from the original film, in which she appeared in a cropped top and very cropped shorts.
Check out the new Space Jam featurette and see some of the strongest reactions to Lola’s new voice below.
We won’t really know until later this summer if Zendaya’s more laid-back version of Lola Bunny is a slam dunk, but for now, it feels more like a ball of air – as in, she misses the mark.
Space Jam: A New Legacy will be released on July 16.
