The Schwartz was with Josh Gad all along. For years, it seemed as if his dream project, a Spaceballs sequel, was never going to happen. Today, Amazon MGM Studios has announced that that Spaceballs 2 is coming in 2027. And that’s not the wildest part. What’s truly mind-blowing is who is coming back.
As seen in the release date announcement video, 99-year-old legend Mel Brooks is coming back as Yogurt, a comedic spin on Yoda. And that’s not all, as Deadline confirms that Rick Moranis is coming out of retirement to play Lord Dark Helmet, with Bill Pullman returning as the heroic Lone Starr. Oh, and Keke Palmer is joining the cast, too, along with Bill’s son Lewis Pullman.
The Moranis thing is a shock because he basically retired from acting in the ’90s to take care of his children after his wife’s death. He appeared in a few more movies but hasn’t been seen in a feature since 1997’s Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves. Apparently, Spaceballs 2 was a project he just couldn’t say no to. It says a lot about how much the original must still mean to him.
The film will be directed by Josh Greenbaum, known for Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar and the recent Will Ferrell documentary, Will & Harper. The script will be co-written by Gad, Benji Samit, and Dan Hernandez, but plot details remain a mystery. Those in the know have described it as “A Non-Prequel Non-Reboot Sequel Part Two but with Reboot Elements Franchise Expansion Film.” Gad will have a role, too, of course.
Released in 1987, Spaceballs is considered a cult classic, a comedic send-up of Star Wars and other sci-fi favorites. Brooks directed and co-wrote the original, which also featured the late John Candy, Dick Van Patten, Dom DeLuise, and Joan Rivers.
