Rick Moranis was a hugely popular comedic actor in the 80s and 90s, starring in beloved films like Ghostbusters, Little Shop of Horrors, Parenthood, and the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids series. He decided to focus on raising his children after his wife, Ann, sadly passed away from cancer, and his last on-screen role was in 1997’s Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves. While he’s done some voice acting work in animated films like Brother Bear, he’s largely stayed out of the spotlight since then.
After a long break, Rick Moranis, age 72, is coming back to acting in Spaceballs 2. This sequel picks up where Mel Brooks’ 1987 comedy Spaceballs left off – a hilarious spoof of Star Wars. Moranis will reprise his role as Dark Helmet, a funny imitation of Darth Vader. Mel Brooks, still energetic at 99 years old, will also return, playing both Yogurt (based on Yoda) and President Skroob, a comedic take on Emperor Palpatine.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Brooks described how he convinced Moranis to return to acting. He said he asked Moranis if he wanted to spend the rest of his life without ever working in show business again, and then proposed a perfect comeback role: Dark Helmet in Spaceballs. Brooks believes Moranis delivered an outstanding performance, even better than his original work, and praised him as a uniquely talented and wonderful person.
Rick Moranis, Mel Brooks, and the Rest of the Old Cast Return for ‘Spaceballs 2’
MGM
Many movie fans fondly remember both Spaceballs and actor Rick Moranis, so it’s exciting news that Spaceballs 2 is planned for release around 2027. Several original cast members are returning, including Bill Pullman as Lone Starr, Daphne Zuniga as Queen Vespa, and George Syner as Colonel Sandurz. Sadly, John Candy and Joan Rivers, who played the hilarious characters Barf and Dot Matrix, are no longer with us and won’t be able to reprise their roles.
Despite returning to star in Spaceballs 2, Mel Brooks won’t be directing the film. That role goes to Josh Greenbaum, known for Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar and Strays. Brooks did help write the screenplay, alongside Josh Gad, Benji Samit, and Dan Hernandez, who previously worked on the Detective Pikachu movie.
Gad will be part of a younger group of actors in the new cast. He’ll be joined by Keke Palmer, Anthony Carrigan, and Lewis Pullman, who is Bill Pullman’s son. Lewis will play the character Starburst, the son of Lone Star and Vespa.
It’s been a while since Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs came out, and with all the new Star Wars content released since then, a parody feels especially welcome. Plus, another of Brooks’ classic films, Young Frankenstein, is getting a prequel series called Very Young Frankenstein on FX. And don’t forget History of the World, Part II, a new miniseries on Hulu that continues the story from his 1981 movie, History of the World, Part 1. It seems Josh Gad is involved in all of these new Mel Brooks projects, becoming a key part of this revival.
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2026-02-09 02:17