“May The Schwartz Be With You.”
The Spaceballs sequel that was officially announced last year has set a 2027 release, and the legendary Mel Brooks - who will turn 99 later this month - is set to reprise his role as Yoda send-up, Yogurt.
UPDATE: Deadline has revealed that Bill Pullman and Rick Moranis - who will be coming out of retirement for this sequel - are also set to reprise their respective roles as Lone Starr and Dark Helmet, with Keke Palmer (One of Them Days) also on board in an undisclosed role.
The long-awaited follow-up to Brooks' '80s Star Wars spoof is in development at Amazon MGM Studios, with Josh Gad (Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, Wolf Like Me) set to star and produce alongside Brooks. Josh Greenbaum will direct the film from a screenplay by Benji Samit, Dan Hernandez, and Gad.
Plot details are still under wraps, but the original movie was a full-on farce, following the general plot of Star Wars: A New Hope while also making fun of other space-set or sci-fi properties such as Star Trek, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Planet of the Apes and Alien.
Spaceballs starred Pullman as Lone Star, the late John Candy as Barf, Daphne Zuniga as Princess Vespa, Moranis as Lord Dark Helmet, and Brooks in a dual role as President Skroob and Yogurt.
Moranis revealed that he pitched a sequel to Brooks back in 2013 with the proposed title Spaceballs III: The Search for Spaceballs II. Nothing ever came of it, but in 2015, Brooks said that he would be interested in releasing a new movie after the next Star Wars film and hoped that Moranis would reprise his role. The legendary filmmaker said he'd like this version of the movie to be called Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money.
Spaceballs received mixed reviews upon release (it sits at 52% on Rotten Tomatoes), but it has developed a loyal following over the years
Gad responded to the news via an Instagram post shortly after the story broke.
"My phone has never exploded as hard as it did today. We are very excited! 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. @benjisamit @cubanmissiledh @josh.greenbaum @kevinsalter1 and I worship at the alter of all things Brooks and we are doing everything in our power alongside Mel to make sure you get what you’ve waited 37 long years for. EVERYTHING."
Brooks shared the following message on social media.
"In a distant galaxy, planet Spaceball has depleted its air supply, leaving its citizens reliant on a product called "Perri-Air." In desperation, Spaceball's leader President Skroob (Mel Brooks) orders the evil Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) to kidnap Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) of oxygen-rich Druidia and hold her hostage in exchange for air. But help arrives for the Princess in the form of renegade space pilot Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his half-man, half-dog partner, Barf (John Candy)."
Are you looking forward to a new Spaceballs movie?