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Beloved ’80s Star Ends 28-Year Hiatus for New Movie

“Spaceballs” will get a sequel nearly 40 years later.

Actor Rick Moranis, who starred in the 1987 comedy film Spaceballs, will come out of his 28-year hiatus to reprise his role as Lord Dark Helmet from the original Mel Brooks comedy. Amazon MGM Studios confirmed that production is underway for Spaceballs 2, which is slated for release in 2027. Other returning actors confirmed to appear in the sequel are Brooks along with Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, and George Wyner, who are all reprising their original roles as Yogurt, Lone Starr, Princess Vespa, and Colonel Sandurz, respectively. Actors Josh Gad, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman (Bill’s 32-year-old son) and Anthony Carrigan are among the new faces joining the original cast. The studio took to Instagram to share a sneak peek into a table read of the sequel. The 72-year-old Canadian actor and comedian was prominent in the ’80s for his roles in Ghostbusters, Little Shop of Horrors, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. However, he began an acting hiatus in 1997 after his wife, Ann Belsky, died from cancer. “I took a break, which turned into a longer break,” Moranis told The Hollywood Reporter in 2015. While Spaceballs 2 will be his first on-camera gig since 1997, Moranis clarified in the same interview that he had not retired, but rather had become more selective about his roles.