Everything We Know So Far About the Long-Awaited Sequel: Spaceballs 2

Nearly 40 years after the release of the Star Wars parody Spaceballs, a sequel to the original cult classic is finally underway: Spaceballs 2 is officially in development.

Confirmed in June 2024, the long-awaited follow-up is in early development at Amazon MGM Studios and is set to bring contemporary satirical takes on the ever-expanding Star Wars franchise while honoring the legacy of the original.

Spaceballs, released in 1987, was written and directed by Mel Brooks, and featured an unforgettable cast, including Bill Pullman, Joan Rivers, John Candy, Daphne Zuniga, Rick Moranis and Brooks himself. Despite its humble box office success, the film has become a fan favorite, celebrated for its sharp wit and satirical take on the sci-fi genre.

The original Spaceballs quite explicitly hints at a sequel in a scene between Lone Starr (a parody of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo) and the Yoda-esque character of Yogurt (played by Brooks). Starr says, “I wonder if we’ll ever see each other again,” to which Yogurt replies, “God willing, we’ll all meet again in Spaceballs 2: The Search for Money.”

However, in the decades that followed, nothing materialized, only speculation — until now.

As excitement continues to build for a comedic and nostalgic return to the universe of Spaceballs, here’s everything we know so far about the long-awaited sequel, Spaceballs 2.

Josh Gad, known for his iconic role as the anthropomorphic snowman in Disney’s Frozen and taking the stage as Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Broadway blockbuster musical The Book of Mormon, will star in Spaceballs 2, per Variety.

While Gad’s specific role in the film is still under wraps, the actor expressed gratitude and excitement about his involvement on social media.

“Early days still, but working with the legendary Mel freaking Brooks to make something worthy of this franchise and his legacy has been a dream come true,” Gad wrote in June 2024, concluding with a message to fans that the team is “doing everything in our power alongside Mel to make sure you get what you’ve waited 37 long years for. EVERYTHING.”

Brooks has yet to publicly comment on the project, but he’s been open about his excitement by the prospect of a sequel in the past. In 2015, on the Take a Knee podcast, Brooks spoke about wanting to make and debut the film to coincide with the release of another Star Wars installment.

"I'm thinking, if I did a movie that came out right afte -

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r Star Wars comes out, I'd have a big weekend, you know?" Brooks said.

As for casting the film’s continuation, Brooks acknowledged that while some of the original stars have died, he was still hoping to get a few on board — including himself.

"I still have Daphne Zuniga (Princess Vespa) and I still have Rick Moranis (Dark Helmet) if he'd do it, and I've still got me," Brooks said.

Currently, there is no trailer for Spaceballs 2. Given the early stage of development, it might be some time before we see a teaser or full trailer.

The original Spaceballs is currently available to stream on Max.

Brooks will return as a producer but will not direct this time around. Instead, Josh Greenbaum, known for his work on the 2023 comedy Strays, will take the helm.

Gad, along with starring in the film, is also co-writing the screenplay alongside Benji Samit and Dan Hernandez, per Deadline.

Samit and Hernandez are known for their work on family-friendly films like Pokémon Detective Pikachu, The Addams Family 2 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

Confirmation of the space opera parody’s sequel is exciting to fans who have waited decades for the film, which has experienced several attempts to reach the stage of development.

In a 2013 interview with Heeb magazine, Moranis, who played Lord Dark Helmet (parody of Darth Vader), said that a follow-up was discussed in the years after the film’s release but was canned for budget reasons.

"I wasn’t privy to what the budget was or anything, but the deal he presented me, what he wanted me to do, was not workable,” Moranis said. “I was unable to make a deal, and it would have been something I would have wanted to do. But that ship has sailed."

Spaceballs also attempted a revival with an animated series released in 2008, with Brooks as the show’s creator and producer. The series starred a number of the original cast members, including Rivers and Zuniga.

While the show featured many of the same characters, its format strayed from the sci-fi space narrative of Spaceballs and instead was a series of parodies, each episode serving as a satirical commentary of several contemporary hits, such as Lord of the Rings, American Idol and Harry Potter.

Ultimately, the series was wasn't well received, and canceled after one season.

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