Published 17:25 IST, March 8th 2021
Pepe Le Pew edited out from 'Space Jam 2'; Here are details about the deleted scene
The controversial Looney Tunes skunk cartoon character Pepe Le Pew was scrubbed from the Lebron James starrer and will not appear in the upcoming Space Jam 2.
The famous Looney tunes French skunk Pepe Le Pew will not be appearing in the upcoming Warner Bros' Space Jam sequel, according to a report. The upcoming LeBron James starrer Space Jam: A New legacy, will not feature a filmed scene where the skunk learns an important lesson about consent. The news comes after a New York Times article by columnist Charles M. Blow said that the character perpetuates "rape culture". However, the report stated that the decision to leave Pepe Le Pew's character on the cutting room floor was made when Space Jam 2 changed directors in June 2019 with Terence Nance leaving and Malcolm D. Lee entering the project. Read on to know what happened to Pepe Le Pew's character in Space Jam 2.
Pepe Le Pew won’t be appearing in Warner Bros’ ‘Space Jam 2'
Deadline reported that Pepe La Pew, the infamous French skunk Looney Tunes character will not be appearing at all in the upcoming sequel, set for a theatrical release on July 16. In June 2019, there was a hybrid live-action animation scene that was shot and featured both Pepe Le Pew and Jane the Virgin actor Greice Santo. The website also detailed the exact scene was cut from the upcoming Space Jam sequel.
In the film, Pepe was set to appear in a black-and-white Casablanca-like Rick’s Cafe sequence. He plays a bartender who starts hitting on a woman at the bar he works at, played by Griece Santo. He slowly begins kissing her arm, which she pulls back, then slamming Pepe into the chair next to hers. Upset and shocked, she pours her drink on Pepe and then slaps him hard, sending him spinning in a stool, which is then stopped by LeBron James’ hand. Pepe then proceeds to tell his guys that Penelope the cat has filed a "restraining order" against him. LeBron James then makes a remark warning Pepe that he cannot grab the other Tunes without their consent.
According to her spokesperson, Griece Santo was reportedly upset that the scene was deleted from the film. She said that even though Pepe is a cartoon character, if anyone was going to slap a sexual harasser like him, Griece wished it would be her. Now after learning her scene was cut, she said won't have the power to influence the world through younger generations, who’ll be watching Space Jam 2, to let younger boys and girls know that Pepe’s behaviour is unacceptable.
Notably, Santo was a victim of sexual harassment and has spoken up against it. She had recorded a single Você Você with Grammy-winning producer Humberto Gatica, to empower women to stand up to sexual predators and sexual harassment. Warner Bros. Studio has also not commented on the removal of Pepe Le Pew. Space Jam: A New Legacy is directed by Malcolm D. Lee and stars LeBron James, Don Cheadle and Sonequa Martin-Green among others. The film is set to release on July 16 in theatres and on HBO Max simultaneously.
Updated 17:25 IST, March 8th 2021