Amazon plans to bring “Spaceballs 2” to theaters in 2027
A new "Spaceballs" sequel is coming after 40 years, with creator Mel Brooks and some original cast members returning to the cult parody classic.
Mel Brooks announces – "Spaceballs 2" in a merch T-shirt –, of course.
(Image: IGN / YouTube , Screenshot: heise online)
"After forty years, we asked: What do the fans want? But now we're making this movie instead." With these words and his typical self-irony, filmmaker Mel Brooks announces "Spaceballs 2" in a YouTube video. This is the sequel to his science fiction parody from 1987, or, as industry insiders told Deadline: "A Non-Prequel Non-Reboot Sequel Part Two but with Reboot Elements Franchise Expansion Film."
So the direction is clear: Brooks, now 98 years old, could take the entire film industry for a ride on his 101st birthday. Even in the video, the text, in the format of the classic Star Wars scroller, makes fun of Hollywood. The countless prequels, sequels, reboots and spin-offs of the original Star Wars trilogy are listed with relish. Other franchises such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avatar and Harry Potter also get their fair share. Even the first Spaceballs film was not solely aimed at Star Wars; other brands such as "Planet of the Apes" and "2001" were also parodied.
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In the video, which is often referred to as a trailer but does not yet show any moving images with the characters from Spaceballs 1, only one of the characters from the first film appears: Lord Helmet. Over the decades, the clumsy and permanently overwhelmed quasi-villain has become one of the most popular and most frequently memed characters. And since its actor, Rick Moranis, has only worked sporadically in the film business since 1997 – He is not officially retired –, his embodiment of the foolish villain is one of the biggest surprises.
Lone Starr is also there
Bill Pullmann ("Lone Starr") and Mel Brooks himself ("Yogurt", "President Skroob") are also set to star in the new film in their aforementioned roles from the first Spaceballs, according to a report by Deadline. There are no details yet on other characters such as Daphne Zuniga as "Princess Vespa" – who, fans will remember, literally had to scour the desert. John Candy will not be able to play the "Waldi" again: He passed away back in 1994.
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According to industry reports, Josh Gad, Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit are to write the screenplay – The three have been working on it for years, and now Mel Brooks has apparently given the go-ahead. He will not be directing the movie, as he did the first one, but Josh Greenbaum. Greenbaum has made a name for himself with a number of TV sitcoms and documentaries and landed a hit film in 2021 with the comedy "Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar".
The first Spaceballs film was a financial success when it was released in cinemas in the USA in 1987, but it was not a hit. It only became a cult film in the decades that followed, when it was repeatedly released for the home market on VHS, laserdisc, DVD and Blu-ray. Most recently, it was released as an Ultra HD Blu-ray with all the extras from the previous versions, including the original audio commentary by Mel Brooks. Spaceballs 2 is being produced by Amazon and, according to the announcement video, will "only be seen in cinemas" – It remains to be seen when it will inevitably end up on streaming.
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