After the success of its Marvel crossover in 2018, Epic Games has since expanded its crossovers to include franchises like Star Wars, DC, The Walking Dead, Aliens, and more. According to a recent leak, Epic is preparing for yet another big Fortnite crossover. The only difference is that this time, it’s an actual, real-life basketball superstar who’ll be joining the game next.
Is the Fortnite Lebron Skin Confirmed?
A lot of information about Epic Games and Apple was revealed during the Epic v. Apple trial. However, one of the few things that people might have missed back then was Epic planning Fortnite skins for Lebron as early as June 2020. Fast forward to July 2021 and a reliable source of Fortnite leaks have come out to claim that it’s only a matter of time before the Fortnite Lebron skin is released. If true, it wouldn’t be the first time that Epic has released a skin based on a major celebrity. The “Icon Series” is specifically aimed at adding popular figures as playable skins in Fortnite. So far, we’ve seen soccer superstars Neymar Jr. (Brazil), Harry Kane (England), and Marco Reus (Germany) appear as Fortnite skins.
— Shiina (@ShiinaBR) July 5, 2021 The timing of the Fortnite Lebron skin also makes a lot of sense. Lebron’s feature film, Space Jam: A New Legacy, is set to premiere on July 14, 2021. The movie is already shaping up to be one of summer 2021’s biggest successes, and additional marketing could only serve to help it more. Because of this, seeing Lebron in Fortnite would send even more people to theaters. Another thing that adds legitimacy to the leak is its source: ShiinaBR. ShiinaBR is one of the most reliable sources of Fortnite leaks. The user is widely credited for talking about the Alien crossover in Fortnite way before it was confirmed, amongst others. There are only a few weeks left before Spam Jam: A New Legacy premieres and we’re already seeing a massive effort to promote Lebron James’ latest feature film. Case in point, a few weeks ago, we learned that the new Space Jam movie tie-in game is going to be available on the Xbox Game Pass at launch. Adding Lebron as a playable skin in Fortnite would just be the latest among them. While basketball fans might be happy to know that they can play Fortnite as Lebron James soon, not everyone is happy with Epic Games’ decision. Fans are disappointed with how Epic has handled the Icon Series. The line of skins was a huge success at launch after it kicked things off with a playable Ninja skin, who is arguably the most popular Fortnite player in the world. However, the recent inclusion of superstar athletes that have little to no relation to Fortnite is something that many fans have spoken out against. Thus, adding Lebron James feels a lot like rubbing salt to the proverbial wound. Here’s to hoping that Epic starts going back to what made the Icon Series so popular in the first place, and starts paying homage to celebrities and content creators that are important within the Fortnite community.
