Rick Moranis makes surprise Comic-Con debut at Spaceballs sequel panel, film set for April 2027
Amazon MGM's Hall H presentation for Spaceballs: The New One brought Rick Moranis out of hiding for his first convention appearance, as cast and creators celebrated the 1987 parody and revealed a release date of April 23, 2027.
A surprise appearance
Rick Moranis, who played Dark Helmet in the original 1987 parody, had never attended Comic-Con before. During the Hall H panel on Friday, cast members combed the aisles searching for him until he was found wearing an oversized Darth Vader-style helmet among fans. Moranis took the stage to a standing ovation and chants of "Rick! Rick! Rick!" Moderator Kevin Smith told him, "You made our childhoods better."
You made our childhoods better.
How the sequel came to life
Josh Gad recounted that a planned Honey I Shrunk the Kids sequel with Moranis had fallen apart, but after watching Spaceballs with his daughter, she asked why there was no part 2. Gad said he had a dream about the sequel that night and soon cold-called Mel Brooks with a 40-minute pitch. Brooks, Gad imitated, replied that he barely understood half the modern references but really liked it. Gad also joked during audience Q&A about making a "really weird Blade" that might finally get made.
We'd make a really weird Blade, but maybe it would finally get made.
- Cast introduced; Rick Moranis missing.
- Actors with combs search for Dark Helmet masks and find Moranis.
- Rick Moranis stands, receives standing ovation and chants of "Rick!".
- Mel Brooks thanks nerds and jokes about hunting for a Charizard card.
- Josh Gad explains how his daughter's question sparked the sequel.
- Bill Pullman's video message; son Lewis reads a letter that omits him.
- Gad jokes about Blade; panel ends.
Returning legends
Mel Brooks, now 100, appeared in a recorded video, joking he was on the convention floor trying to buy a rare Charizard card. Brooks returns as Yogurt in the sequel but was filmed separately using motion capture because he could not be on set. Bill Pullman, who played Lone Starr, also beamed in with a video message, claiming he was tracking down a Charizard card in the UK. His son Lewis Pullman, who plays Lone Starr's son Starburst in the new film, read a letter from his father that did not mention him at all, drawing laughs.
From the bottom of my heart I wanna say, thank you, nerds.
The panel also included Daphne Zuniga, who returns as Princess Vespa, director Josh Greenbaum, Keke Palmer as the new character Destiny, and writers Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit. Palmer declined to reveal details about her role but called the script incredibly funny.
A love letter to John Candy
Gad said the late John Candy is the beating heart of the film and clarified he is not playing Barf but a new Mawg. The movie is a tribute to Candy and the original cast. Lewis Pullman shared that his least favorite scene in the original was when Barf knocked his father's cowboy hat off, and that the sequel revolves around trying to get that hat back.
For a while I had real beef with Barf.
Release and presentation
Spaceballs: The New One is scheduled for April 23, 2027. The panel did not show a trailer but screened footage of Brooks reuniting with Moranis, Zuniga, and Bill Pullman, all emotional after decades apart. The presentation itself mocked Marvel's phase timeline announcements, displaying eleven absurd phases of Spaceballs, including musicals. Moranis said the decision to return was one of the best he has ever made.
