No, those aren’t their stunt doubles: That’s the very real cast of Spaceballs 2. Spaceballs, a broad, silly, ridiculous parody of Star Wars, introduced “Ludicrous Speed,” “Just plain Yogurt,” and “Lord Helmet” to the galaxy. Now, nearly 40 years later, the Schwartz awakens. We don’t know a ton about the upcoming film: “While the title and plot details are being kept under wraps, the title is rumored to be the name of the movie, and plot details are being described as information about what happens in the story,” the press release offers. But we do know it’s the Return of Moranis.
Mel Brooks, the film’s creator, said in 2014 that he’d only want to do a sequel if Rick Moranis was on board. The Canadian treasure, who played the Darth Vader–esque Dark Helmet in the original franchise, retired from acting in the ’90s after his wife died of cancer. Spaceballs 2 will be Moranis’s first time back on the big screen since 1996’s Big Bully. Below, the returning cast members joining Moranis, all the newcomers, and when we can finally see the film.
Who’s returning?
Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet will be accompanied by several original cast members.
➼ Mel Brooks, the film’s creator, who plays both Yogurt (their version of Yoda) and the villainous leader President Skroob in the original film. Brooks is now 99 years old, but he acted as recently as 2023, in The History of the World, Part II.
➼ Bill Pullman, who played the Han Solo– and Luke Skywalker–esque hero Lone Starr.
➼ Daphne Zuniga is back as Princess Vespa of Druidia, Spaceballs’s more spoiled version of Princess Leia.
➼ George Wyner is returning as Colonel Sandurz. Sandurz, an underling of Dark Helmet’s, is not a direct parody of any Star Wars character but plays a part similar to that of General Veers or Admiral Piett in the original series.
Who’s joining the cast?
As seen in the full cast photo released September 25, production has begun on the film with a few new faces, though their roles are unclear:
➼ Book of Mormon star Josh Gad will also serve as producer. John Candy, who played the Chewbacca parody Barf in the original Spaceballs, died in 1994. Perhaps Gad will fill a furry hole in the heart of the film.
➼ Meme icon and Nope star Keke Palmer, who we predict will either play a new-generation character, like Rey, or replace the late Joan Rivers as femme C-3PO parody Dot Matrix.
➼ Bill Pullman’s son and Thunderbolts* villain Lewis Pullman could play some version of Kylo Ren, Han Solo’s son introduced in the Force Awakens.
➼ Finally, there’s Barry weirdo Anthony Carrigan. He’s already starring alongside Gad in the recently released movie Adulthood, so this will be a nice reunion for the two. Maybe Carrigan is gonna roll around as a BB-8 type.
When is the release date?
Spaceballs 2 will be out in 2027. The original debuted on June 24, 1987, so Amazon MGM has the opportunity to release it exactly 40 years later.
Related
- How Mel Brooks Fell for Anne Bancroft
- History of the World, Part II’s Beautiful Commitment to Stupidity
- A Moment of Appreciation for Mel Brooks, Trash-Can Autograph King
The upcoming Mel Brooks sequel is bringing Rick Moranis out of retirement.
