LeBron James attends the premiere of Warner Bros "Space Jam: A New Legacy" at Regal LA Live. Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/WireImage

LeBron James cites ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ box office numbers to shut down criticism

"Space Jam: A New Legacy" is drawing mixed reviews, sitting at a mere 31% on the Tomatometer but earning an 81% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

LeBron James heard the proverbial boos and clapped back at the "haters" with cold hard facts.

Per Deadline, the James-led "Space Jam" reboot recorded "the best three-day we've seen for a family film" as well as the top-earning spot for Warners Bros. during the pandemic by grossing $31.65 million at the theaters. (The film is also available to stream on HBO Max.)

In the Malcolm D. Lee-directed movie, LeBron must save his son, Dom (Cedric Joe), from the digital space in which Al G. Rhythm (Don Cheadle) has trapped him. The path to freedom runs through a must-win basketball game: King James and the Looney Tunes form the "Tune Squad," and they have to defeat the vaunted Goon Squad. 

For what it's worth, James also has Kerry Washington on his side:

The original "Space Jam" released in 1996. Michael Jordan starred in a similar plot: the Looney Tunes sought MJ's help in a must-win basketball game against the Monstars—only then, it was to preserve their own freedom against evil alien theme park owner Swackhammer (Danny DeVito).

To be fair, despite enduring as a cult classic, Space Jam owns a 44% Tomatometer mark and 66% audience score.

To learn more about how the perennial Los Angeles Lakers All-Star and four-time champion handled carrying on Jordan's cinematic legacy, read this new Sports Illustrated piece.

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