Mel Brooks is really taking this Spaceballs thing seriously. In the original film, one of his characters, Yogurt, was a parody of Yoda, the Star Wars Jedi Master who lived to be almost 1,000. Well, now we know Brooks has been going all in on character preparation and, at the age of 99, will officially reprise Yogurt for the long-awaited sequel, set for release 40 years after the original. And that’s just the beginning. Here’s a hilarious teaser making it all official.
Amazon announced Thursday that Brooks, who wrote, directed, and starred in the 1987 comedy classic, will return as Yogurt in the sequel, scheduled for theatrical release in 2027. This time he’ll just be acting, though, with Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar) directing from a script by Benji Samit, Dan Hernandez, and Josh Gad. Gad is also expected to star, but that has yet to be officially confirmed. Bill Pullman and Rick Moranis are also expected to return, along with newcomer Keke Palmer in a mystery role.
Fans have been waiting for a sequel to Spaceballs for decades. Literally. The original film joked about a sequel, called Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money, which was not meant to happen. But, at that time, Star Wars was thought to be done for good. A decade later, that changed. First were the Star Wars Special Editions in 1997, then the prequels from 1999-2005, then Disney bought the franchise and has been releasing shows and movies since 2015. The Force is strong once again, and now, it’s time for Spaceballs to return.
But what will it be about? Amazon says that it’s “A Non-Prequel Non-Reboot Sequel Part Two but with Reboot Elements Franchise Expansion Film.” Not much of a help. But, the teaser also says “The Schwartz Awakens,” so you have to imagine Gad and crew will go with a take inspired by the sequel trilogy, peppering in classic characters like Lone Star (Pullman) and Dark Helmet (Moranis) with a larger focus on new characters (such as Palmer and Gad) who learn the power of the Schwartz. And, of course, we know Yogurt will return too.
How are we feeling about Spaceballs 2? Are you confident that this can be the sequel we’ve always wanted? And does Brooks’ addition make it feel more real in a way? Let us know below.
Update June 12 1:50 p.m. – After we published this story, Deadline further reported that Rick Moranis and Bill Pullman may also return for the sequel, alongside Keke Palmer in a new role. Read more here, but we’ve added that news to this story.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
English (US) ·