When Spaceballs premiered in 1987, there were only three Star Wars movies. The galaxy far, far away has grown exponentially in several ways in the years since (including a bevy of new projects over the past decade following Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm), and while there have been plenty of Star Wars parodies released over the past 38 years, there’s still just one Spaceballs movie. That’s about to change, as Spaceballs 2 is targeting a 2027 release date. Directed by Josh Greenbaum, the film has collected top tier talent, including bringing comedy icons Mel Brooks and Rick Moranis back to the fold. Spaceballs 2 has taken its next step towards becoming a reality, as the full cast has been revealed in the perfect way.
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To commemorate the start of production on Spaceballs 2, Amazon MGM Studios posted a black-and-white photo of the cast and crew gathered around, getting ready for a table read. If the image’s composition looks familiar, that’s because it’s modeled after the first-look at the cast of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In addition to Brooks and Moranis, the ensemble features Bill Pullman, Lewis Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Josh Gad, Keke Palmer, Anthony Carrigan, and George Wyner. Check out the table read photo in the space below:
Spaceballs 2 Is Arriving at the Perfect Time
With the prevalence of new Star Wars movies and TV shows (Lucasfilm just released a trailer for next year’s film The Mandalorian & Grogu), any point in the last few years would have been a great time for a Spaceballs sequel. There’s obviously plenty of fresh material to satirize, giving the creative team numerous opportunities for hilarious comedic set pieces. Beyond that, however, there’s been a bit of a resurgence for spoof movies. In August, The Naked Gun reboot starring Liam Neeson earned positive reviews and grossed $101.8 million at the worldwide box office. There was also Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which wasn’t as acclaimed as The Naked Gun, but still generally well-received as a solid legacy sequel.
It remains to be seen if The Naked Gun and Spinal Tap II usher in a new heyday for parody movies reminiscent of the 1980s, but the theatrical comedy is trying to make a comeback. Modern audiences have demonstrated they’re interested in these kinds of films when they’re done right, so it stands reason to believe Spaceballs 2 will be a decent draw when it releases. There’s a void in the marketplace for titles like this, and if The Naked Gun can become a hit by poking fun at Liam Neeson’s action movie career, Spaceballs 2 can deliver similar results lampooning all the new Star Wars projects out there. Star Wars remains popular, even as some films and TV shows have earned uneven receptions.
Plot details for Spaceballs 2 are being kept under wraps, but the Skywalker Saga’s sequel trilogy is shaping up to be one of the spoof’s main targets. Lewis Pullman is portraying Starburst, the son of Lone Starr and Princess Vespa, setting up some kind of riff on the Kylo Ren/Han Solo dynamic in The Force Awakens. It will be interesting to see what other franchises are in Spaceballs 2‘s crosshairs. The original film parodied a variety of other pop culture staples, so it stands reason to believe the sequel will follow suit. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Lord of the Rings, various DC film adaptations, and more are plausible options. Star Wars is the primary focus, but the possibilities for Greenbaum and Co. are endless.
It’ll probably be a while before we see some Spaceballs 2 footage, but the table read photo leaves a good first impression on fans. It establishes that the sequel is aiming to be entertaining and well-intentioned in its parody, poking fun at something the creative team loves. Hopefully, the image is an omen that they understood the assignment and deliver the Spaceballs sequel viewers have waited decades to see.
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