Space Jam fans are fuming over new Lola Bunny design

You may have heard that there's a new Space Jam film on the way – and if you've been on the internet in the last 24 hours, you may have also heard that said film features a certain redesign of a certain character. Yep, Lola Bunny has been reworked, and, for better or worse (definitely worse), some corners of the internet are unhappy about it.

A mere 25 years after the original graced screens in 1996, Space Jam: A New Legacy is due for release this year. We've just been given our first glimpse of the semi-animated adventure, including the new Lola Bunny – and the film's director has even felt compelled to explained the alterations to her appearance. (If you're looking for tips on your own toons, check out our character design guide). 

The new version of Lola Bunny features a less, er, curvy silhouette, and wears baggier clothing than the previous iteration – much to the chagrin of some members of the Twitter community (more on that below).

Director Malcolm D. Lee told Entertainment Weekly that Lola Bunny's new design was intended to focus less on her physical attributes and more on the strength of her character. When he sat down to watch the original film, Lee says he was immediately 'caught off guard' by how sexualised Lola was on screen. "This is 2021," says Lee. "It's important to reflect the authenticity of strong, capable female characters."

And in perhaps the most bleakly predictable development of the week, some internet users are angry, nay, furious about the changes to their favourite animated animal:

But thankfully, the situation has also prompted plenty of mirth online:

Still, at least the new character design has got more people talking than the Space Jam: A New Legacy logo, which proved a bit of a damp squib last year. But then again, a dull logo reveal is better than a disastrous one (we're looking at you, Amazon).

While Lola Bunny might have been given a fresh coat of paint, one thing that hasn't been updated since 1996 is the original Space Jam website, where you'll find exactly the same sparkly background and garish fonts that greeted web surfers in the 90s. (Don't forget to check out our guide to the best web design tools if you fancy making something a little more contemporary).

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