One character you won’t see in “Space Jam: A New Legacy” and future Looney Tunes productions? Pepé Le Pew.
The French skunk was often seen looking for love from various characters.
He was “canceled” after a New York Times opinion piece written by Charles M. Blow said Le Pew’s actions were often too touchy-feely and unwanted.
But according to The Hollywood Reporter, the op-ed didn’t have anything to do with the longtime character being written out of the “Space Jam” sequel.
Though he appeared in the original film starring Michael Jordan, he was reportedly written out of the LeBron James-led sequel more than a year ago.
The outlet noted that “there are no current plans for the controversial cartoon skunk to return” for any future projects.
Le Pew was first introduced in 1945.
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The New York Times piece also called out another longtime character, Speedy Gonzales, who was accused of contributing to “the corrosive stereotype of the drunk and lethargic Mexicans.”
Many Latino fans quickly pushed back on Twitter saying that they loved watching him "growing up” and did not want to see him “canceled.”
Comedian Gabriel Iglesias, who voices Speedy Gonzalez in the sequel, weighed in on Twitter, writing: “I am the voice of Speedy Gonzales in the new Space Jam. Does this mean they are gonna try to cancel Fluffy too? U can’t catch me cancel culture. I’m the fastest mouse in all of Mexico.”
Last week, EW revealed that director Malcolm D. Lee also reimagined Lola Bunny’s character to “reflect the authenticity of a strong, capable female.”
"She probably has the most human characteristics of the Tunes; she doesn't have a thing like a carrot or a lisp or a stutter. So we reworked a lot of things, not only her look, like making sure she had an appropriate length on her shorts and was feminine without being objectified, but gave her a real voice. For us, it was, let's ground her athletic prowess, her leadership skills, and make her as full a character as the others,” he said.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film is set to hit theaters and HBO Max simultaneously on July 16.
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