Rick Moranis Confirmed to Return in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Sequel

Rick Moranis is coming out of retirement for another installment of the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids franchise. ComicBook.com can confirm previous reports that Moranis will appear in an upcoming Honey, I Shrunk the Kids sequel that is in the works for theatrical release. The film also sees original Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Director Joe Johnston returning to the helm, with Josh Gad also cast in a starring role. Gad will play the son of Moranis’ character, Wayne Szalinski. Wayne’s son tries to follow in his father’s footsteps as a genius inventor. Instead, he accidentally follows in his father’s footsteps by shrinking his children.

Here’s a synopsis of the new film that appeared with earlier reports: “Aware that the family ties have loosened over time but seemingly afraid to confront anyone directly. He has been tinkering alone in his attic for decades, dealing with the grief of losing his wife. When we first meet him, he has accidentally shrunk himself and is flying around on a shrunken drone — seemingly lost in a continuous of tinkering and experimenting that often puts himself and his family in jeopardy. He later reveals he shut himself away to try and invent a solution to help shrink Diane’s cancer but found it hard to cope when he ran out of time. His guilt and shame is palpable. Through the crisis of the kids getting shrunk, the truth emerges and the bonds begin to redevelop between him and his kids.”

The original Honey, I Shrunk the Kids opened in 1989 and made $227.7 million at the box office. A sequel, Honey, I Blew Up the Kids, followed in 1992 with Moranis returning. The film made $76 million. Moranis returned again for the direct-to-video sequel Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves in 1997, which was his final live-action role up until now. Moranis’ role was recast for the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids television series, which ran on Disney Channel for three seasons from 1997 through 2000. The films have also inspired multiple theme park rides.

Moranis launched his career as an actor, comedian, and writer by appearing in Second City Television in the 1980s. He began making a name for himself in Hollywood with the 1983 film Strange Brew, then followed that up with a role in Ghostbusters in 1984. He appeared in cult-favorite films Little Shop of Horrors and Spaceballs in 1986 and 1987, respectively, then reprised his previous role in Ghostbusters II in 1989, the same year he helped launch the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids franchise. His low-key retirement and fade away from the spotlight has become the stuff of legends among the generation that grew up watching his family-friendly movies, including Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.