CinemaCon 2026 had plenty of big moments, but few got people buzzing quite like the return of Rick Moranis. After more than 20 years away from acting in live-action films, the now 72-year-old actor will return to the big screen in Spaceballs: The New One, the highly anticipated and long-awaited sequel to Mel Brooks' 1987 sci-fi comedy classic, Spaceballs.
Moranis will be stepping back into the comically oversized helmet of Dark Helmet, though some may actually know him as Lone Starr's father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate.
Before Amazon MGM Studios took the CinemaCon stage, Moranis met with the press alongside Daphne Zuniga, who is also reprising her role as Queen Vespa. Speaking with Deadline, the two reflected on what it felt like to be back on set together nearly 40 years after the original.
"Most of the time, certainly in the beginning when I was in costume and on the set, I would look at Bill or Daphne and go, 'I don't believe this. How is this possible 39 years later?'" Moranis said. He also gave a nod to a fun new wrinkle in the cast, the addition of Bill Pullman's son, Lewis Pullman. He joins the cast as a character named Starburst, the son of Queen Vespa and Lone Starr.
Zuniga was equally enthusiastic about the whole experience. "I was just like, 'How am I so lucky?' It's great to work in this business, and sometimes you do things and they're great or they are alright, but this was like a dream. Just a dream to go, at this point in my life, to be able to go play and be silly."
She also had some great things to say about working with director Josh Greenbaum, describing a pretty freewheeling creative process on set. "We would do a take and then Josh would go, 'We're going again, just try saying this and try saying that.' It was like play and improv. The camera would keep rolling. It was just fun, creatively fun."
As for the film itself, Amazon MGM Studios confirmed the official title during their CinemaCon presentation. While many fans were hoping for the sequel to be called Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money, a nod to Yogurt's gag line at the end of the first movie. Instead, it was revealed that the sequel will be titled Spaceballs: The New One. A release date of April 23, 2027 was also previously announced.
Plot details are being kept tightly under wraps, though the studio has shared a comedic logline. "Plot details are being kept under lock, key, and an industrial-strength Schwartz shield."
Attendees got to see an exclusive trailer that has not made its way online yet, but early reactions paint a pretty promising picture. According to Variety, the footage took aim at everything from Star Wars to Avatar to Harry Potter, including a desert opening that spoofed The Force Awakens, complete with robots, Jedi-like wanderers, and someone frozen in carbonite. One clip reportedly featured Dark Helmet standing at a urinal next to a Na'vi from Avatar.
With 40 years worth of sci-fi blockbusters to roast, Spaceballs: The New One has no shortage of material. April 2027 can't get here soon enough.