'Space Jam 2' trailer takeaways: from an animated version of LeBron James to 'Game of Thrones' reference

The highly anticipated film is set to hit cinemas 25 years after the original

Basketball star LeBron James gets animated in 'Space Jam: A New Legacy'.

LeBron James in 'Space Jam: A New Legacy'. The movie combines live action with hand-drawn animation with CGI effects.

LeBron James and Lola Bunny, voiced by actress and singer Zendaya, in 'Space Jam: A New Legacy'. The film features numerous Looney Tunes characters.

LeBron James and Tweety in 'Space Jam: A New Legacy'. The NBA legend plays a fictionalised version of himself and is also a producer.

An animated LeBron James and Bugs Bunny in 'Space Jam: A New Legacy'. The film is a sequel to 1996's 'Space Jam', starring basketball legend Michael Jordan.

Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny in 'Space Jam'. IMDb

The long-awaited trailer for Space Jam: A New Legacy has officially arrived, 25 years after the first Space Jam hit cinemas.

The premise once again sees an NBA superstar – this time LeBron James – teaming up with a host of Looney Tunes characters to face off against a squad of baddies.

In the sequel, James plays a fictionalised version of himself and must triumph at a basketball game to win back his son after they both accidentally get sucked into the Warner "Servererse", where they are confronted by an AI-generated Don evil Cheadle.

The two-and-a-half minute trailer garnered more than five million views within 24 hours, after first being unveiled on Saturday. However, the film won't be released in cinemas and HBO Max until Friday, July 16.

So, while there's still a little bit of a wait until the film hits the big screen, here are four interesting takeaways from the Space Jam: A New Legacy trailer.

There's a 'Looney Tunes' version of LeBron James

Unlike in the first Space Jam, which starred Michael Jordan, the trailer shows a Looney Tunes version of James and the 2D animation is a cartoonishly accurate portrayal of the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player. While Jordan also teamed up with characters from the Looney Tunes gang in the original, and had plenty of interactions with them, he was never given the animated treatment in the film to match his teammates.

Warner Bros characters will make cameos in the film

Blink and you might miss them, but there's a tonne of Warner Bros Easter eggs throughout the trailer. From seeing different planets that are homes to other Warner Bros television and films (such as Game of Thrones, The Wizard of Oz, The Flintstones and even Metropolis and Gotham City – home to Superman and Batman), there's plenty for fans to be excited about.

At one point, one of the scenes from the basketball court shows a bunch of Warner Bros characters as spectators, such as an agent from The Matrix, Pennywise the Clown from It, characters from A Clockwork Orange and different versions of the Joker.

The Goon Squad is made up of NBA and WNBA stars

In the original, Jordan had to face off against the Monstars, large and muscular monsters who stole talents from NBA players but didn't bear any resemblance to them. However, this time around, the Goon Squad will comprise of a mix of NBA and WNBA players and feature their actual likeness in the film. Some spotted in the trailer include Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Diana Taurasi and Damian Lillard.

What's up with the 'Space Jam 2' soundtrack? 

Fans are given a small preview of the soundtrack as a new version of the Space Jam theme song is played in the background of the trailer.

It sounds like a more edgy yet modern take on the 1996 original Space Jam theme song by the Quad City DJ's.

The first film also made a smash hit out of R Kelly's I Believe I Can Fly, which peaked at No 2 on the Billboard 100, so it'll be interesting to see if there's another track that can follow a similar successful path.