Mel Brooks is back in orbit, and he’s not pretending otherwise.
Nearly four decades after Spaceballs first tore into sci-fi’s biggest sacred cows, the comedy legend has officially revealed the sequel’s title: Spaceballs: The New One (per Hollywood Reporter).
The announcement dropped at CinemaCon this week, delivered via video in Brooks’ signature deadpan style, no ‘Search for More Money’ gag this time, just a title that knows exactly what it is and leans into it.
The old crew returns, with a new generation in tow
The sequel pulls back key faces from the original 1987 film, with Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, George Wyner, and Brooks himself all set to return, that alone feels surreal given how long this has been floating around as a rumour.
It’s not just a nostalgia play, the cast also ropes in Lewis Pullman, Keke Palmer, Josh Gad, and Anthony Carrigan, hinting at a handover moment baked into the chaos. Lewis Pullman is expected to play the son of Lone Starr, tying the new cast directly into the original story’s DNA.
First footage takes aim at modern sci-fi
CinemaCon attendees got a first look at footage that feels just as ridiculous as you’d expec, the preview leans into disjointed, out of context clips, before landing on a moment that sums up the whole project’s tone.
A Na’vi looking character from Avatar steps up beside Dark Helmet at a urinal, Moranis’ character turns and delivers, “I see you,” in the Na’vi language. Subtle is not part of the equation here.
It’s an easy shot at modern blockbuster culture, but that’s always been Brooks’ lane. Spaceballs never punched gently, and it doesn’t sound like this one will either.
A long awaited return, but with something to prove
Directed by Josh Greenbaum and co-written by Josh Gad alongside Benji Samit and Dan Hernandez, Spaceballs: The New One is locked for release on April 23rd, 2027 via Amazon MGM Studios.
Gad has been openly hyped on the project for a while, calling the script one of the funniest things he’s worked on, that’s a big call, especially when you’re stepping into a legacy that’s lived this long in cult territory.
The real question is whether Spaceballs still hits the same way in a landscape it helped shape. Parody doesn’t land like it used to, and blockbuster culture has become its own kind of self aware, but if Brooks is still steering the ship, there’s at least a shot this thing lands with teeth instead of just recycling the past.
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