Long before the new Spaceballs sequel entered active development, Rick Moranis had his own delightfully absurd take on what a sequel could be, and judging from the title, Spaceballs III: The Search for Spaceballs II, it sounds like a meta and ridiculous idea that fans would’ve enjoyed.
In an interview with Heeb, Moranis revealed that after the original Spaceballs became a cult hit on home video (it wasn’t a box office smash when it was released), MGM was interested in a sequel. Moranis pitched one directly to Mel Brooks, and it was perfectly on-brand. He said:
“Mel wanted to do a sequel after it became a cult video hit. It wasn’t a box office hit. It was a cult video hit, and MGM wanted to do a sequel. And my idea for it was Spaceballs III: The Search for Spaceballs II. And I was unable to make a deal with Mel. I couldn’t make a deal.”
Moranis wanted to skip right over Spaceballs II and go straight to III, which is exactly the kind of nonsensical, self-aware comedy that made the original such a gem. The title alone is perfect.
Unfortunately, the project stalled due to deal issues between Moranis and Brooks.
“I wasn’t privy to what the budget was or anything, but the deal he presented me, what he wanted me to do, was not workable. It was two or three years later.
“He wanted me to … it’s better if I don’t get into the particulars of it. Because it is so specific, it’s counter-productive to talk about it. But I was unable to make a deal, and it would have been something I would have wanted to do.”
That’s a shame, because The Search for Spaceballs II would’ve likely leaned hard into the franchise’s self-parody and sci-fi satire.
Well, a Spaceballs sequel is finally happening. It’s currently slated for release in 2027, with Josh Greenbaum (Strays) directing and a script from Josh Gad, Benji Samit, and Dan Hernandez.
Moranis is returning as Dark Helmet, and he’ll be joined by fellow original cast members Bill Pullman (Lone Star), Daphne Zuniga (Princess Vespa), and Mel Brooks himself, who will reprise his role as Yogurt and President Skroob.
Spaceballs follows Lone Star and Barf (the late, great John Candy), a Han-and-Chewie-style duo on a quest to rescue Princess Vespa from the clutches of the hilariously evil Dark Helmet, who plans to steal her planet’s air supply.
While Spaceballs III: The Search for Spaceballs II was never meant to see the light of day, at least fans can look forward to a sequel that brings the original gang back together. Here’s hoping it’s just as gloriously ridiculous as Moranis once imagined.
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