Lil Baby refuses to take a break after completing the rollout for My Turn, sharing the video for his latest single “Real As It Gets” featuring Louisville rapper EST Gee ahead of his All-Star weekend matchup with their mutual homeboy Jack Harlow. The video is a stripped-down affair, utilizing an empty parking lot, a crowd of people, a few luxury cars, and a whole lot of jewelry to highlight the two rappers’ boastful rhymes.
Despite being an absolute juggernaut through 2020 — even outselling Taylor Swift — Lil Baby has yet to take a break in 2021. Already he’s released a collaboration with Russ, another with collaboration with Lil Durk, and teased a potential joint album with the latter thanks to their working chemistry on songs like “3 Headed Goat.” This is in addition to starring in his first-ever Super Bowl commercial and plotting to open his own restaurant in Atlanta, proving he’s got even bigger plans for the future of his career.
Meanwhile, EST Gee is already looking like he’s about to have a similar year to Lil Baby’s 2018. After appearing on Jack Harlow’s That’s What They All Say single “Route 66” just days ago and now getting a similar co-sign from Lil Baby (who also appeared on Harlow’s debut album), the Kentuckian has been placed in prime position for a big breakout, provided he can capitalize on the additional looks.
Oh, you thought blockbuster season was reserved for the summer months? That’s cute.
After a year in lockdown, Hollywood decided to do us all a favor and bring some of the year’s most anticipated movie events to our living rooms and you know what? We deserve this. That’s why hosts Britt Ellis and Taylour Chanel are celebrating the spectacle of it all in the latest episode of Obsessed.
The ladies are here to bring you the only Spring Movie & TV guide you’ll need, breaking down the action-packed features and inventive sci-fi series we’ll all be talking about in a couple of months. So yes, that means Britt is hyped for the creature-feature of the century, Godzilla vs. Kong, while Taylour’s feeling a bit “meh” about all the CGI overstimulation. But both pop culture gurus are ready to see Emma Stone bring Disney’s biggest baddie to life in Cruella. They’re also here for HBO’s Victorian steampunk fantasy adventure, The Nevers, and for Michael B. Jordan’s spy thriller, Without Remorse, coming to Amazon Prime. Finally, they’re ready to dive into how moviegoing has changed thanks to the pandemic, before predicting what the industry’s “new normal” might look like moving forward.
So really, are you not entertained?
Check out the latest episode of Obsessed for everything you need to add to your binge-watching queue this spring.
Blind tasting whiskey can reveal a lot, thanks to fewer preconceived notions clouding the experience. You’re literally going in blind! Where that can really get interesting is when you start blind tasting whiskeys from the same source but not the same label.
This week, we’re tasting six separate brands that are all made at the iconic Heaven Hill Distillery. All together, Heaven Hill makes a lot of booze. Way more than just six whiskeys. Still, unless you’re deep in the industry, you may not realize that, for example, Larceny and Rittenhouse are cooked off the same stills and rest in the same warehouses. Or that budget brands like Evan Williams and premium brands like Elijah Craig have the same mash bills and are aged in the same place.
To sort through this, we decided to see where the similarities and differences fall with six whiskeys made in the same place. But we’re not sticking to one mash bill from Heaven Hill. We’re ranking six of their whiskeys which include rye whiskey, a wheated bourbon, budget bourbons, and premium bourbon.
There’s a bit of a cinnamon toast nose that leads towards a hint of maple bar. The taste leaves that behind and blows out your senses with how hot it is. Once you get past that bold heat, there are touches of rummy sweetness and dry wood (not cedar or pine — more reedy) with a hint of savory fruit on the very end.
Goddamn! This was hot and nearly blew out my sense of taste. I needed a break and a whole glass of water to get back on track.
Taste 2:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a bit of old vanilla husks that’s more woody than sweet on the light nose. A sense of apple peels, stems, and seeds arrive with a very light spice. That lightness is very approachable (after the last sip) while leading towards a note of … banana, I think.
When it comes to heft, this is the polar opposite of the last dram.
Taste 3:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Toffee leads to dried fruit and a very minor note of savory fruit. There’s a clear cinnamon vibe on the taste that’s touched by vanilla and dark chocolate … and a hint of dried wicker. The end leads you towards a cherry tobacco smoothness that’s a nice last touch.
Yeah, this is the rye. But damn, it’s going down well with that cinnamon and cherry.
Taste 4:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a vanilla vibe on the nose that’s subtle-yet-warm. The taste has this berry bramble like you’re falling through the stems and leaves and end up on a bed of blackberries and blueberries (hello, Elijah Craig). The sip touches on mild notes of vanilla and pepper with a hint of oak with a real velvet body tying everything together. The end leads towards a mild dried floral fragrant note along with those dark berries.
This is a keeper.
Taste 5:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a very, very slight vanilla and caramel hit on the nose. The taste is pure water that feels like it’s been dropped with essential oils of vanilla, oak, “spice,” and maybe apple. Wow. This is watery.
I’m honestly a little shocked.
Taste 6:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a classic nose of vanilla cake that leads towards cornbread. The taste is light yet peppery with hints at slightly musty oak and tobacco chew. The end is short but really leaves you nodding with a nice balance of tobacco, vanilla, and corn.
This was created as an export-only bourbon for the European market. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, it was the best-selling bourbon in that market. In 2013, it was released on the U.S. market as a bargain bourbon from Heaven Hill via Borco bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was so watery it was almost offensive. Seriously, this tasted like I left a rocks glass out overnight with a pour of bourbon over ice in it and then woke up and drank it the next morning while downing a few Aspirin. Hard pass.
This is Heaven Hill’s entry point bourbon. The stuff is matured (for up to four years) in Heaven Hill’s massive warehouses and blended to be quaffable at a very affordable price and accessible proof.
Bottom Line:
This was shockingly more nuanced and deeply flavored than PennyPacker, even though it’s the same ABV and likely the same mash bill. I’m not the biggest fan of Old-Style — it is what it is and that’s fine — but I got a whole new respect for it this time around. There’s a least a there there when it comes to the taste, albeit fairly light with very middle-of-the-road “bourbon” flavors.
This is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after wheated bourbons on the market. The mash amps up the wheat with 68 percent corn supported by 20 percent wheat and 12 percent malted barley. The juice then spends six to eight years maturing in Heaven Hill’s vast warehouses. It’s then small-batch blended and bottled with zero fussing at barrel proof.
Bottom Line:
Hum… This was a slap in the face as the first dram. It really took a minute to get over since it was so warm. That being said, there’s a lot going on in this dram once you get past the initial warmth and it’s worth digging into more. Though, I’m definitely going to do that on the rocks going forward.
This rye is very much a bourbon drinker’s rye. The mash bill is only 51 percent rye with 37 percent corn, and 12 percent malted barley. The juice then matures under the federal regulations allowing it to be “bottled-in-bond” and is barely proofed down to 100 proof with that soft Kentucky limestone water before bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was a nice change of pace in this tasting. The cinnamon really popped and gave it away, of course. Still, this is perfectly drinkable and I’m looking forward to making a Sazerac with it.
The juice is standard Evan Williams that’s barreled in a federally overseen warehouse. Then, after those barrels are blended, the juice is just brought down to 100 proof, allowing a bit more of that Heaven Hill craft to shine in the bottle.
Bottom Line:
This continues to be a whiskey I really can’t get enough of. It’s been my go-to (non-scotch) highball mixer recently. For the price, you just cannot beat this bottle.
This expression is all about finding the best barrels in the Heaven Hill warehouses and letting that whiskey shine on its own. These are released three times a year and have been winning award after award. The whiskey in the bottle is generally at least 12 years old and bottled with no cutting down to proof or filtration whatsoever, thereby letting the barrel shine on its own.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the nicest drams I’ve had in 2021 (the year is young, I know). But that rush of berries is really hard to beat. This stands out as a fine whiskey all around. Moreover, the ABVs are higher than the Larceny, yet this doesn’t punch you in the senses at all.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
There were a couple of throughlines, though they were subtle. That dry reed and stem note popped up throughout. There was a savory fruit note that also seemed to peek in every now and then. It was kind of a melon note but could be more like a squash.
Did these whiskeys all feel like they were from the same distiller?
A few did, yes. You can kind of see how Old-Style gets to Evan Williams and how that can become Elijah Craig with a lot of luck in the warehouse. The Rittenhouse even felt familiar. The biggest stand out was the Larceny, by far. And the less said about the PennyPacker the better.
Overall, that Elijah Craig is what I want to drink more of while Evan Williams is what I can afford to drink more of.
A couple weeks ago I rewatched The Empire Strikes Back, a movie I’ve probably seen more times than any other movie. It’s just a movie that, for me, I see from a new perspective almost every time I watch it. The thing I always find so fascinating about it is the sharp contrast from the last scene of the original Star Wars to the opening scenes of The Empire Strikes Back: We jump from a literal victory ceremony to the Rebel Alliance living on an ice planet being attacked by frozen ice planet bears. It’s such a great way to signify, oh, things have changed without actually explaining to the audience that things have changed.
But I’m truly fascinated by the role of Han Solo on Hoth. I’m convinced, as presented in 1980 and not counting any more recent canon, he’s not a true member of the Rebel Alliance at this point and seems to be more of a freelancer who is just there “helping out.” (I’ve written about this before, but he’s referred to as “Captain” because he’s the captain of the Millennium Falcon, he wears no military gear like everyone else, and seems to just be able to leave anytime he wants.) At times, to the people actually in the Rebellion with a military rank, he seems like the equivalent of “your boss’s friend who is kind of a jerk,” but you have to humor this person or your boss will get mad. And the more I watch this movie the more I’m convinced people in the Rebel Alliance find him very annoying. And here is a list of proof:
1. I’ll See You In Hell
Okay, this one is pretty obvious, but let’s just start here. Yes, this is a heroic moment for Han, but then he has to confirm everyone’s suspicions about him by yelling at some more Rebel soldier who was just giving sound advice. Han confirms that Luke hadn’t checked back in for the night, so Luke still somewhere out there in the cold as night swiftly approaches. Han asks about taking a Snowspeeder, but is informed they aren’t adapted to the cold yet. He informs everyone in the room that he will take a Tauntaun to find his friend. This is when a Rebel soldier gives Han good advice that the Tauntaun will freeze to death before the first marker. Han ignores this, and saddles up anyway on the doomed beast. Then as an added “eff you,” tells the wise soldier, “I’ll see you in hell.”
What? Why? There’s no way this wasn’t talked about later in the commissary. “Look, I was just trying to tell this guy what would happen. Who does he think he is anyway? What is he even doing here to begin with? Why do I have to wear military fatigues and he just waltzes around in pirate gear? Screw him anyway.” Anyway, guess what, Han’s Tauntaun froze to death just as he was told.
2. Could Be A Speeder? One of Ours?
If this were a trial, this might be exhibit A. Some strange transmissions are being picked up at Echo Base, which, as a viewer, we know is from an Imperial Probe Droid that were sent throughout the galaxy in search of the Rebel base. Han, who seems to be just hanging out at the base with nothing much to do, decides to stick his nose into the conversation and starts barking out his theories, based on nothing, with the expert technician who actually knows what he’s doing. This is kind of a remarkable scene, because Han starts suggesting that the transmissions could be from one of the Rebellion’s own vehicles. The technician, who doesn’t have time for any of this nonsense, just abruptly cuts Han off and says, “No.” Not, “Hm, I don’t think so.” Or, “Well, that’s a good guess but we don’t have any speeders out there.” Just a flat-out, “No,” delivered in a tone that reads, “Please leave me alone and why are you here anyway?”
3. It’s A Good Bet The Empire Knows We’re Here
Oh, speaking of that prior scene … then it gets worse. Han decides, on his own, with no actual order from an authority, to go investigate the transmission. It’s almost like Rebellion leadership decided, “Well, I guess we can’t really stop him. He just hangs out here.” So Han and Chewbacca go out to investigate and come across an Imperial probe droid looking for any proof of the Rebels whereabouts. So the big plan Han and Chewbacca have is for Chewbacca to yell at it, then Han shoots it, forcing the probe droid to self-destruct. Now, yes, the probe droid would have eventually found proof and probably already had the proof. But Han could have just let it be, then warned the base and maybe given the Rebel fleet a bit more time to evacuate. By just “shooting it,” that left little to doubt about what was going on there. I bet there were many conversations that went something like:
“Wait, we have to evacuate? What happened?”
“Oh, would it surprise you to learn that Han Solo was involved?”
“Ugh, that guy. Why is he even here anyway? What a loser.”
4. I Can Arrange That
Look, I love the exchange between Han and Leia in the corridors of Echo Base. It’s what makes The Empire Strikes Back a great movie. But just for a second, take yourself out of watching it as a viewer and put yourself in the shoes of the numerous Rebel soldiers who have to make their way around Han and Leia arguing in the hallway. Look at how annoyed everyone looks:
Lucasfilm
There’s no way they aren’t all thinking, “What the hell? This is how these two spend their time?” Which just adds to the gossip around the base that Han is just a derelict who, while everyone is just trying to do their best and fight the Empire, he’s getting into love spats with one of the leaders of the Rebellion. Han is literally making a huge scene in a hallway while people are trying to save lives. Honestly, if I were in the Rebellion, I would hate Han Solo: This jerk who just wanders around the base wearing his civilian clothes causing trouble for everyone.
5. I’ll Come Right Back And Give You A Hand
Sneaking this one on here, but the Millennium Falcon is a big starship that is falling apart and is taking up some prime parking real estate inside Echo Base. Again, if I were a Rebel pilot trying to find a space for my X-Wing or my Snowspeeder, I would be very annoyed room has to be made for someone’s personal smuggling freighter who just seems to be hanging out on the base causing trouble. Not to mention anytime he needs to know something he starts screaming, “Deck officer! Deck officer!,” and starts ordering people around even though it seems like he doesn’t really have the authority to do that.
6. I Have A Price On My Head
Has anyone noticed General Rieekan doesn’t look too upset when Han tells him that he has to leave? Rieekan makes absolutely no argument as to why Han should leaves, kind of smiles, and basically says, “Oh, darn the luck. Well you know owing money to someone is a terrible thing, so I think you’re right to want to leave and pay that off. You’re a good fighter, but don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.” Never once does Rieekan say, “Well once you get that debt paid off you’ve always got a place here in the Rebellion. Nope, Rieekan acts like they will never see each other again and seems totally fine with that outcome. And then Leia is standing there with a look on her face that reads, “Well … maybe this is for the best.” Which then instigates the argument the two have out in the hallway. I have no doubt anyone around who heard this conversation between Han and Rieekan sighed in relief, “Oh finally.”
In the end, this is all better for us, the viewer. Because in Return of the Jedi Han finally takes the title of general in the Rebellion, and I assume is better liked. But it makes for a far less interesting version of the character.
Daisy Ridley hasn’t forgotten — she also hasn’t forgotten that the senator criticized her Star Wars character, Rey, while defending Gina Carano. After Cruz praised the fired The Mandalorian actress for not playing an “emotionally tortured Jedi,” Ridley responded, “I am very happy to be an emotionally tortured Jedi… who doesn’t leave their state when it’s having a terrible time.” The Chaos Walking star was asked about dunking on Cruz (it’s Seth Rogen approved!) during Wednesday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
“What was weird was I had no idea,” Ridley told fellow Cruz-hater Jimmy Kimmel, “and I was doing interviews and somebody goes, ‘Oh, did you hear what Ted Cruz said?’ I was like, ‘Ted Cruz is talking about me? Like what?’ So they said it and I responded and I couldn’t remember what I said, because you know you have that heart-pounding thing of like, ‘Oh my god, why has he said something about me?’ And then we entered the interview and I was like, ‘I said something about American politics and people hate when actors talk about politics.’ I thought, ‘Oh my God, what have I done?’” At least she is used to pissing off the worst people (no one teach Ted Cruz the term “Mary Sue”).
Ridley had nothing to worry about. Following her diss, she heard from J.J. Abrams, Josh Gad, and LucasFilm marketing head Lynne Hale, who called her a “badass.” Plus, as Kimmel noted, Democrats don’t like Ted Cruz, “but Republicans also don’t like Ted Cruz.” There is one bad thing about Ridley criticizing him, however. “Sadly, I will tell you, he’s going to be very excited that Rey mentioned his name tonight,” Kimmel said. “He’ll be tapping his feet together like a seal tonight.” You can watch the clip above.
Hobbies are a spectacular thing. They can prevent boredom, help you learn something new, pick up an instrument, or, in the event you’re a QAnon follower with too much time on your hands, they can even prevent you from looking like a dumba** who can’t read a map.
Unfortunately, a handful of QAnon members don’t have hobbies — or, arguably, enough brain cells — so they’ve sunk hours into a new conspiracy theory that posits our nation’s capital has “dissolved” because GPS services like Google Maps and Apple Maps have started leaving out the “D.C.” when offering directions for would-be insurrectionists.
Currently, the group is awaiting the return of their leader, Donald Trump. Before 1933, presidents were sworn in on March 4th, and many QAnon followers believe this is the day Trump will make his big comeback. But, in case that doesn’t happen, the group has another bizarre rabbit hole to dive into with this map business. A search of Washington D.C. only brings up the city’s name, not the district. Some QAnon members think there’s a hidden meaning in this omission. They claim that the missing initials are proof the capital has been “dissolved.”
According to Newsweek, a user on the encrypted messaging app Telegram posted a question asking whether the capital had always been referred to as just “Washington” on map services or whether a change had been made.
Another user replied: “I just searched Washington DC on my iPhone Apple Maps & it just shows Washington, no DC. This is the same for Google maps & mapquest. DC is dissolved.”
The theory even made the rounds on Twitter:
Google on left. Duck duck go on right. Try it yourself. Maps show Washington DC as Washington now. Just a weird coincidence. pic.twitter.com/VFQp4IxTel
The only problem? Residents in Alexandria and other D.C. neighborhoods quickly snuffed out theories that D.C. wasn’t a district anymore and that the nation’s capital had somehow been secretly dismantled. “I’ve lived in Alexandria [Virginia] for 4 years and it has always shown Washington on mapquest, Waze, Google maps, etc.. since it’s Washington, D.C. it just shows the immediate locality.. not the state,” another Telegram user wrote. Others posted photos of maps from as far back as the ’80s to prove this omission was actually commonplace.
“It always said Washington in the middle of the map and then Washington dc at the bottom,” one user confirmed. “This is normal because the name would cover too much of the map.”
At this point, QAnon might want to hit up that Zorp cult from Parks and Rec for pointers on how to pivot when your apocalyptic conspiracy theories don’t pan out. They couldn’t do any worse.
You’ve probably seen the words “straight whiskey” on plenty of whiskey bottles over the years, but you might not know what the designation means. It’s pretty simple actually — a whiskey (in the U.S.) can have the title of “straight” if it’s fermented from a cereal grain mash bill and distilled to no more than 80 percent ABV (160 proof). Also, according to US regulations, it has to be aged in new, charred oak barrels for a minimum of two years and at no more than 62.5 percent ABV when the maturation process begins.
If the juice meets these criteria, it can be labeled as a “straight” whiskey. Since a large portion of whiskeys on your local liquor store shelves do hit these marks, it’s not a particularly unusual designation.
To help you pick a straight whiskey ideal for fighting off the last chill of winter 2021, we reached out to a handful of bartenders and asked them to tell us their picks for closing the season strong. Check their picks below!
Kings County Empire Rye Whiskey
Kings County
Cory Coose, bartender at Tak Room in New York City
This is a tough choice given all other whiskeys, but this one has just a fantastic profile, beginning on the nose with winter spices and rounded out flavors from the good bit of malted barley. It finishes off with some warm bread on the palate. It’s a simple and elegant way of doing Rye.
Ben Potts, owner and bartender at The Sylvester in Miami
Rittenhouse is a great straight rye whiskey with a great price tag and a lot of flavor. It’s spicy, rich, and full of caramel and vanilla sweetness. Perfect for mixing and sipping neat.
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey is my favorite not only because of its charcoal mellowing, but also because of its true rock-n-roll heritage in ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine. I think of Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin backstage chugging from the bottle, Keith Richards of the Stones stepping from the limo with a bottle in tow, and Michael Anthony of Van Halen pounding on his JD bottle-shaped bass while swigging on stage. It might not seem underrated, but it definitely is.
Andy Printy, beverage director at Chao Baan in St. Louis
Daviess County Straight Bourbon from Lux Row distilling has recently resurfaced as a label, but has roots on the Kentucky/Indiana border dating back to the late 1800’s. To me, it’s exactly what you want out of something so straightforward. The “mixed” mash bill of both high rye and wheated bourbons starts with a touch of oak and stone fruit on the nose, while the palate imparts strong amounts of corn, dank lumber and honey without ever losing the sharp peppery tones of the rye. Ideal for cocktails and pouring over a large cube of ice.
Blake Jakes, director of beverage for The Kennedy Bar in Pensacola, Florida
Wild Turkey is consistently amazing. The Russell family can do no wrong when it comes to making whiskey. I love the bite it has and still retains such a smooth end note. It’s hard to match.
Old Forester 86 has been a staple bourbon whiskey that won’t break the bank but will suit your glass nicely. With notes of charred oak, vanilla, and leather, it’s the mellow sipper you need for the end of winter.
I am going to have to go extremely local here and go with New Riff Kentucky Straight Rye. They are doing a killer job for a relatively young distillery. Their limited ryes, such as the Balboa, are stupid good. But their straight rye, with its cinnamon, caramel, and subtle spice, is perfect for an old fashioned or on its own.
Marta De La Cruz Marrero, food and beverage supervisor at Burlock Coast in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Bulleit Bourbon is unique because it has a bold, spicy character with a finish that’s distinctively clean and smooth. Medium amber in color, with gentle spiciness and sweet oak aromas, the mid-palate is smooth with tones of maple, oak, and nutmeg. The finish is long, dry, and satiny with a light-tasting toffee flavor that lingers long after the final sip. Simply combine our bourbon whiskey with cloves, lemon juice, brown sugar and hot water.
My favorite straight whisky is Jefferson’s Ocean Bourbon. It is uniquely aged at sea and the barrels feel the love from all of the elements, heat, ocean water, the movement of the ship. These things greatly affect the outcome of the final product. You taste much more of the barrel on the delightful small batch bourbon as the temperatures are warmer and the movement of the barrel allows the full integration of the flavors from the wood and elements. Salinity, caramel, and warm baking spices combine for this perfect sipping bourbon.
Omar Rodríguez-López has remained busy over the past decade, but his most famous project, The Mars Volta, has not. The group broke up in 2013, and between then and now, there have been occasional rumors of a reunion. Now, the most promising sign of new material from the band since the break-up has arrived, as the band is teasing… something.
Through his Clouds Hill company, Rodríguez-López has shared a brief teaser video captioned, “COMING SOON #THEMARSVOLTA.” In the video, in brief flashes, the text “The Mars Volta” and “La Realidad De Los Sueños” (which translates to “the reality of dreams”) can be seen. So far, that’s all the info available about whatever this is.
Back in 2019, the band’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala said a “new chapter” of the band is “happening” and also added, “What it’s NOT going to be is your ‘fav member lineup’ playing their ‘classic records’ in full etc. Maybe we’ll play old sh*t, who knows how we feel. Just remember our past campaigns never relied on playing requests or going fully backwards …it’s new sh*t, new people, left turns , tangent inconsistencies, mazapan dreams and churro wishes. I will say this though, when [Rodríguez-López] played me a grip of new sh*t I f*cking cried. Like Claire Daines in Romeo & Juliet cried. Yeah it was f*cking weird. It’s in its infancy right now. No deadlines, no ball tripping, no drama, just 2 grown ass men using essential oils and bold new perfumes shooting ideas and scooting their ass across the f*cking lawn trying to get rid of these worms.”
This is the most tantalizing sign of new music from the group in a long time, so stay tuned.
The Mars Volta is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Details are emerging about the plot and production of Space Jam: A New Legacy, the sequel to the legendary Michael Jordan-starring Looney Tunes film from the late-1990s. The star of the new film, of course, is LeBron James, who through his production company and star power got the film off the ground and made it one of the most anticipated releases of 2021. But James admitted in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that he was nervous that fans would see him as purely imitating Jordan rather than forging his own path, which is why he initially said no to the role.
“In my younger days, part of my thinking was ‘Space Jam was so good, how can I top this?’ ” James told EW’s Derek Lawrence. “There’s always going to be conversations about LeBron trying to do everything Michael [did]. But I’ve gotten older, and you know who you are. You know what you stand for.”
James was offered the opportunity for a Space Jam sequel all the way back in 2005, when he had hardly achieved much in the NBA at all, but said no in order to focus on his playing career. But as he built up his media empire and accomplished many of his on-court goals, he softened to the idea. Once the braintrust of producer Ryan Coogler, director Malcolm D. Lee (Spike’s brother) and co-star Don Cheadle were brought on-board and began to craft a story around James as a father, James was sold.
Take a deep breath before you try to digest what the story will be: Cheadle basically plays a fussy Artificial Intelligence who is jealous of James’ Instagram following and uses James’ son’s computer to try to steal James’ followers by challenging the King to a basketball game. Effectively, James is literally doing all of it for the ‘Gram (and his son).
Space Jam 2 will have the challenge of being one of the first movies released in theaters since last spring, though it will also go straight to HBO Max like all of Warner Bros.’ 2021 films. That’s something even Jordan never had to deal with.
As HBO Max approaches the one year anniversary of its launch, the burgeoning WarnerMedia streaming service is already prepping a move to boost its subscriber base by offering a lower price tier that it hopes will bring in users who initially balked at HBO Max’s cost of $15 a month. Naturally, this new tier would be supported by advertising, which HBO Max is trying to employ in a less obtrusive way than its competitors. However, it’s interesting to note that while streaming services like Hulu and Peacock started out with ads then later offered an ad-free experience, HBO Max is going in reverse after realizing that its current price was perhaps a bit too high, especially in the current economic climate. Via Deadline:
“It turns out that most people on this planet are not wealthy,” [WarnerMedia CEO Jason] Kilar said during a virtual appearance at Morgan Stanley’s Technology, Media & Telecom conference. “If we can wake up and use price and be able to kind of invent and do things elegantly through advertising to reduce the price of the service, I think that’s a fantastic thing for fans.”
The ad-based price tier will reportedly launch later this year after HBO Max “works out the kinks.” However, despite the blatant appeal to reel in more users, the streaming service still maintains that it is two years ahead of schedule thanks to releasing Wonder Woman 1984 on the platform on Christmas Day 2020. As reported back in January, the film’s simultaneous HBO Max and theatrical release nearly doubled subscribers, and the streaming service is hoping to see that trend continue as more brand new blockbusters hit the platform like Godzilla Vs. Kong later this month.
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