Spaceballs 2 Officially Titled at CinemaCon: Rick Moranis Joins Co-Stars and Director Josh Greenbaum
Amazon MGM Studios has announced the official title for the much-anticipated sequel to Spaceballs, set to hit theaters on April 23, 2027. The film will be titled Spaceballs: The New One.
In a pre-recorded video during Amazon MGM’s presentation at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, series creator Mel Brooks, who also stars in the new film, revealed the cheeky title. Brooks was unable to attend the event, stating he was “seeing Phish at the Sphere.”
The announcement came amid remarks from actor Rick Moranis, who is making a long-awaited comeback. Moranis was interrupted by Josh Gad and, via another pre-tape, Keke Palmer. Other cast members present included Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Josh Gad, and Lewis Pullman, alongside director Josh Greenbaum, who referred to the project as the “honor of a lifetime.”
When discussing his excitement for the sequel, Pullman humorously noted his eagerness to collaborate with “someone I’ve seen blossom into a very special young man … Of course, I’m talking about Josh Gad.” Lewis Pullman added that his journey to secure a role took “years,” quipping, “First, I was born.” Zuniga expressed enthusiasm to return, on the condition of lavish accommodations from Amazon.
A parody of the franchise, Moranis’s character, Dark Helmet, appeared in a pre-taped segment stating he has always dreamed of two things: “to steal the air from Druidia and to open wide domestically on 4800 screens.”
Details about the plot of Spaceballs: The New One remain undisclosed. The film has humorously been described as “A Non-Prequel Non-Reboot Sequel Part Two but with Reboot Elements Franchise Expansion Film.”
Footage previewed at the event featured Brooks in Yoda makeup and showcased a Na’vi from the Avatar franchise alongside Moranis’s Dark Helmet. The narration promised a film that “fate intervened with Hollywood studios merging willy-nilly,” also hinting it may one day be “used as a write-off.”
Gad co-wrote the script and stars alongside Palmer, Lewis Pullman, and Anthony Carrigan, whose characters are still under wraps. The returning cast features Brooks as Yogurt, Moranis as Dark Helmet, and Pullman and Zuniga reprising their roles as Lone Starr and Princess Vespa, respectively. Also returning is George Wyner as Colonel Sandurz.
The film is directed by Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) from a script by Gad, Benji Samit, and Dan Hernandez, based on characters created by Brooks, Thomas Meehan, and Ronny Graham. The production team includes noted producers Brian Grazer and Jeb Brody, Mel Brooks, and Gad, with additional contributions from executive producers Adam Merims, Samit, and Hernandez.
The original Spaceballs was released by MGM in 1987 and remains a cult classic, having grossed just over $38.1 million worldwide. The film is a comedic take on the sci-fi genre, heavily inspired by the Star Wars franchise and classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey. It chronicles the exploits of the villainous Dark Helmet and President Skroob, as they scheme to steal the atmosphere of the peaceful planet Druidia, and their thwarting by hero Lone Starr and his companions.
L-R: Rick Moranis, Lewis Pullman, Josh Gad, Daphne Zuniga, Bill Pullman and Josh Greenbaum from ‘Spaceballs: The New One’ at CinemaCon
David Becker/Getty Images for CinemaCon
