Development: Space Jam sequel scores release date; Godzilla vs. Kong moves up; more

The long-anticipated follow-up to Space Jam finally has a release date. The sequel, starring basketball superstar Lebron James, will dribble its way into theaters on July 16th, 2021, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film is produced by Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and will be helmed by Terence Nance, the creator of the HBO series Random Acts of Flyness. While it's still two-and-a-half years away, you can always bide your time on the Space Jam website, just as it appeared back in 1996.  

Along with this announcement, Warner Bros. made a few other changes to its slate as well. Godzilla vs. Kong was moved up from May 22 to March 13 next year to avoid competition with Fast 9. The film will serve as the culmination of the Godzilla and King Kong reboots that have hit in recent years, bringing the two legendary creatures together in what's sure to be one heck of a monster mash.

Additionally, Annabelle 3 will come out a week sooner than anticipated, and will now start haunting theaters June 28.

(via The Hollywood Reporter)

Next up, Amblin Entertainment has acquired the script to the sci-fi romance Distant. Deadline reports that the company made a pre-emptive strike in acquiring the screenplay from Extinction scribe Spenser Cohen, who wrote Distant on spec. 

Amblin is reportedly fast-tracking the project, which is described as When Harry Met Sally meets The Martian. 

The story follows an asteroid miner who crash lands on an alien planet. As he tries to make his way across the harsh terrain, he finds himself running low on oxygen and hunted by strange creatures. Eventually, he meets the only other survivor: a woman trapped in her escape pod. It's quite the metaphor. 

(via Deadline)