Spaceballs: The New One Panel Delights Fans at Comic-Con

The excitement was palpable in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con as fans gathered for a spectacular celebration of a sequel almost four decades in the making: Spaceballs: The New One. The audience erupted in cheers for Rick Moranis, who made a much-anticipated return to the big screen, reprising his iconic role as the villainous Dark Helmet. Moderator Kevin Smith introduced Moranis in a hilarious skit, where a comical team of Spaceball soldiers roamed the crowd with a giant comb until they finally brought him on stage, earning him a thunderous standing ovation.

Though not physically present, the legendary Mel Brooks, the original writer and director of Spaceballs, sent a side-splitting video message that had the crowd in stitches. He humorously remarked, “Sorry I can’t be there! I’m on the convention floor trying to buy a rare Charizard card!” and “When I was your age, on a Friday, I’d go to something called ‘work.’”

As the conversation turned to Brooks reprising his role as Yogurt, it was revealed that the 100-year-old comedy master opted for a new approach. Instead of the usual elaborate makeup, Brooks will now portray a digital version of Yogurt, lending his voice to the character. Director Josh Greenbaum shared a funny moment where Brooks, initially set to wear motion capture dots, playfully declared, “I don’t need the dots,” allowing for a more streamlined production.

The journey back to Spaceballs began when Josh Gad, inspired by a failed follow-up to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, pitched the idea to Brooks. Excited about the concept, Brooks embraced the chance to revisit the beloved universe. Gad emphasized that the timing felt right for a sequel, especially with the vast amount of new Star Wars content available for parody since the original Spaceballs only had the original trilogy to draw from.

While maintaining some secrecy akin to a Star Wars film, Gad assured fans that new characters would be introduced, played by Keke Palmer and himself, with Lewis Pullman confirmed to portray Starburst, the son of Lone Star and Queen Vespa. Gad also mentioned that he wanted to pay tribute to the late John Candy, who had a significant role in the original film. Although Gad isn’t playing Candy’s character, Barf, he is set to portray another Mawg from the same alien species. The film will honor other original cast members who have passed, including Joan Rivers and Dick Van Patten.

The panel concluded with an exclusive montage of footage that featured some fresh, comedic moments. While some gags were cut from earlier previews, new bits introduced Dark Helmet dramatically proclaiming, “Somehow I’ve returned… somehow!” and glimpses of Palmer’s character Destiny, who sports a Rey-like appearance. The laughter peaked when Yogurt was hit by a freeze blast, leading to the pun, “Frozen Yogurt!” The nostalgic atmosphere was further enhanced by a choir singing the iconic Spaceballs theme.

In a unique twist, the panel used special side screens usually reserved for blockbuster reveals, offering fans a visual treat as the filmmakers humorously unveiled an extensive Spaceballs Cinematic Universe slate with ridiculous titles like 2 Space 2 Balls and Spaceballs: Enough is Never Enough. Moranis expressed how right it felt to don the Dark Helmet again, saying, “I started to love it, and who knows? Maybe it’s the beginning of many.” Though he jokingly added that it probably wouldn’t span 11 phases!