Rick Moranis Is Officially Out of Retirement for ‘Spaceballs 2’

When Spaceballs 2was first confirmed, there were rumors abound that the long-retired legend Rick Moranis may make a comeback to reprise his role as Dark Helmet. Now, we know that it’s true—all of it, to quote a certain other sci-fi franchise—as Spaceballs 2 begins production.

Today Amazon MGM confirmed that Moranis will join Bill Pullman, Mel Brooks, Daphne Zuniga, and George Wyner as returning stars for Spaceballs 2, alongside series newcomers Lewis Pullman, Anthony Carrigan, Josh Gad, and Keke Palmer. While doing so, the studio announced that production had begun in perhaps the most perfect way possible: a perfectly staged black-and-white photo of cast and crew talking among themselves at a table read for the sequel’s script.

This is, of course, a friendly shot across the bow back at The Force Awakens, which similarly confirmed its own cast with a black-and-white casual table read picture all the way back in 2014. We already got the hint that Spaceballs 2 was going to be leaning all the way in on Star Wars‘ own long-in-the-making sequel trilogy from the first teaser, climaxing with a shot of Dark Helmet’s mask cracked and damaged akin to the melted Darth Vader mask that became so prominent in The Force Awakens‘ teasers. But this, with the carefully curated props littered about the place, the fancy couches and chairs in an otherwise pretty industrial environment (right down to the impromptu center table being a tilted-over crate)? It’s a perfect bit of pastiche.

Spaceballs 2, directed by Josh Greenbaum and produced by the iconic Mel Brooks, is expected to awaken the schwartz some time in 2027.

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