Rick Moranis Receives Warm Welcome at 'Spaceballs' Comic-con Panel

WHO:

ABC News - Rick Moranis, 73, received a standing ovation at Comic-Con International while promoting "Spaceballs: The New One."

ABC News - Mel Brooks, 100, is reprising his role as Yogurt in the sequel.

Yahoo - Keke Palmer and Lewis Pullman are new cast members, but their character descriptions have not been revealed.

Yahoo - Rick Moranis quipped, “I really wasn't retired. I was just negotiating,” regarding his absence from Hollywood.

Yahoo - Moranis mentioned he had been discussing a "Spaceballs" sequel with Mel Brooks since 1989.

NBC News - Rick Moranis stepped away from Hollywood in 1997 to take care of his two children following his wife's 1991 death.

ABC News - Keke Palmer described her reaction to reading the script as, “It was so funny that I kept being like, ‘Oh my God! Can you believe they said that?’”

ABC News - Lewis Pullman expressed his initial hesitation to join the film, stating, “I read it and I was like, 'Damn it. This is so good. … This is one of the funniest scripts I’ve ever read.'”

Rolling Stone - Rick Moranis, actor, known for his role as Dark Helmet.

ABC News - Daphne Zuniga, actress, returning as Princess Vespa; Josh Greenbaum, director; Josh Gad, writer and actor; Keke Palmer, new cast member; Lewis Pullman, new cast member; Dan Hernandez, writer; Benji Samit, writer.

The Hollywood Reporter - Kevin Smith, panel moderator; Mel Brooks, original film creator; Bill Pullman, original film actor.

WHAT:

Yahoo - The film "Spaceballs: The New One" is set to be released on April 23, 2027.

ABC News - Gad confirmed that the new film would honor John Candy and other original cast members who have since died, including Joan Rivers, Dom DeLuise, and Dick Van Patten.

Yahoo - The film "Spaceballs: The New One" is set to be released on April 23, 2027.

Yahoo - Gad confirmed he is not playing Barf, stating, “That is a role that is singularly played, and will ever be played, by one person,” referring to John Candy.

ABC News - Moranis stated, “This came along at the right time... It just felt like this is it. … It is the best decision I ever made. It’s like family to me.”

The Hollywood Reporter - Gad described the origins of the sequel, recounting how he had been working on a "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" sequel with Moranis that ultimately fell apart.

ABC News - The panel included a comedic bit where Lewis Pullman read a letter purportedly written by his father, Bill Pullman, about the importance of family while ignoring their own relationship.

ABC News - Rick Moranis received a standing ovation at Comic-Con International while promoting "Spaceballs: The New One."

Rolling Stone - Moranis will reprise his role as Dark Helmet in the sequel set for release in 2027.

ABC News - The film is described as the long-awaited sequel to the 1987 cult classic "Spaceballs."

The Hollywood Reporter - The panel featured behind-the-scenes footage and a teaser trailer for the new film.

ABC News - Gad confirmed he will play a mawg, not John Candy’s character Barf from the original film.

WHERE:

ABC News - The event took place at Comic-Con International in San Diego, specifically in Hall H.

WHEN:

ABC News - "Spaceballs: The New One" is set for release in April 2027.

WHY:

ABC News - Moranis stated, “This came along at the right time... It is the best decision I ever made. It’s like family to me.”

The Hollywood Reporter - Gad described the sequel's origins stemming from a dream he had after his daughter asked about a sequel to "Honey I Shrunk the Kids."

HOW:

The Hollywood Reporter - The panel showcased a parody of a "Spaceballs cinematic universe," displayed across Hall H's wrap-around screens, humorously referencing Marvel Studios' film timelines.

Yahoo - The trailer for "Spaceballs: The New One" includes a scene where Dark Helmet duels with Yogurt, declaring, "Somehow, I've returned ... somehow," referencing a line from "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

Yahoo - The trailer also features a moment where Yogurt is frozen in Carbonite, humorously dubbed "Frozen Yogurt."

The Hollywood Reporter - Greenbaum recounted meeting Mel Brooks early in the movie’s development, and when it was approaching time for principal photography, Brooks advised him, “Don’t say ‘Cut!’ first. It’s ‘Action!,’ and then ‘Cut!’”

The Hollywood Reporter - The panel showcased a parody of a "Spaceballs cinematic universe," displayed across Hall H's wrap-around screens, which humorously referenced Marvel Studios' film timelines.

ABC News - The panel included comedic elements, such as a callback to the original film where Moranis hid in the audience under his character's helmet.

The Hollywood Reporter - The panel showcased a parody of cinematic universes, referencing Marvel Studios' film timelines.

(UPDATED July 25, 2026 22:13 UTC)

At Comic-Con International, Rick Moranis received a standing ovation while promoting "Spaceballs: The New One," which is set to be released on April 23, 2027. Mel Brooks will reprise his iconic role as Yogurt in the sequel, and new cast members Keke Palmer and Lewis Pullman were announced, though their character details remain under wraps. The panel also featured a humorous parody of a "Spaceballs cinematic universe," cleverly referencing the film timelines of Marvel Studios.

(UPDATED July 25, 2026 19:19 UTC)

In an exciting update for fans of the cult classic, Rick Moranis has revealed that he has been in talks with Mel Brooks about a "Spaceballs" sequel since 1989, quipping, “I really wasn't retired. I was just negotiating.” The film, titled "Spaceballs: The New One," is set to hit theaters on April 23, 2027, and the trailer teases a duel between Dark Helmet and Yogurt, along with a humorous nod to "Star Wars" featuring Yogurt frozen in Carbonite, cleverly dubbed "Frozen Yogurt." Gad has also confirmed he will not be playing the role of Barf, which he says is a part that will always belong to the late John Candy.

(UPDATED July 25, 2026 18:11 UTC)

Rick Moranis, who left Hollywood in 1997 to care for his children after his wife's passing, has expressed that returning to acting feels like the best decision he ever made, saying, “This came along at the right time... It just felt like this is it.” Meanwhile, Josh Gad shared that he had been working on a "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" sequel with Moranis, which ultimately did not come to fruition. In a lighthearted moment during the film's development, Mel Brooks advised director Greenbaum to remember that filming should start with “Action!” and end with “Cut!”

(UPDATED July 25, 2026 17:17 UTC)

Keke Palmer shared her excitement about reading the script for an upcoming film, saying it was so funny that she couldn't help but exclaim, “Oh my God! Can you believe they said that?” Lewis Pullman also expressed his initial hesitation to join the project, admitting that after reading it, he thought, "Damn it. This is so good," calling it one of the funniest scripts he had ever encountered. During a recent panel, Pullman humorously read a letter supposedly from his father, Bill Pullman, about the importance of family, all while showcasing a parody of a "Spaceballs cinematic universe" that cleverly referenced Marvel Studios' film timelines.

(UPDATED July 25, 2026 16:19 UTC)

At Comic-Con International in San Diego, Rick Moranis received a standing ovation while promoting "Spaceballs: The New One," where he will reprise his iconic role as Dark Helmet in the long-awaited sequel to the 1987 cult classic. The panel featured behind-the-scenes footage and a teaser trailer, with Josh Gad confirming he will play a mawg, not the character Barf from the original film. "Spaceballs: The New One" is set for release in April 2027, and Moranis expressed his excitement, saying, “This came along at the right time... It is the best decision I ever made. It’s like family to me.”