Mel Brooks Got a Hilarious ‘Star Wars’ Refresher for ‘Spaceballs 2’

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Back in the day, when I, a die-hard movie enthusiast, made “Spaceballs”, Star Wars was still fresh and vibrant. Mel Brooks crafted his hilarious spoof just four years after the original trilogy wrapped up in 1983. Fast forward to today, though, and things have changed dramatically!

Recently, Josh Gad floated the idea of a sequel to this comedy gem, but it’s been almost four decades since its release. In those years, the Star Wars universe has expanded exponentially with countless films, shows, games, and books. So when Gad approached Mel Brooks about “Spaceballs 2“, he was faced with the daunting task of not just pitching a sequel, but also educating the legendary filmmaker on the vast lore of the galaxy far, far away. What a Herculean undertaking that must have been!

On the “Let’s Talk Off Camera” podcast, it was disclosed that securing Brooks’ approval for the project and his involvement as a producer necessitated a high-energy, solo, 40-minute pitch from the star of “Frozen.” Gad further clarified to host Kelly Ripa that this meant he had to deliver an intense, uninterrupted presentation lasting 40 minutes.

Mel is deeply engaged, and let me tell you a humorous anecdote that I haven’t recounted before […] At the moment, Mel wasn’t fully caught up on all the recent Star Wars movies. When I was presenting the initial idea for our film project to him, he said, in his distinctive voice, ‘I want you to be very thorough because I don’t know much about the new Star Wars films.’ And I replied, ‘Alright.’

It’s as if I’m a battle-hardened veteran preparing for war, performing solo in front of one audience member. I’m drenched in sweat, fully immersed in every line, beat, and comedic moment, every revelation. I’m capturing it all on canvas, and expressing the connections to specific Star Wars moments, and so on. There’s a hush over the room, and after the performance, he exclaims, ‘Wow, Josh, you really have your finger on the pulse!’

The situation seems chaotic enough to be Alexander’s next Broadway act. Alexander, who collaborated with Detective Pikachu co-writers Benji Samit and Dan Hernandez on the script, will also star in and produce the sci-fi spoof, similar to how Brooks handled various roles while creating Spaceballs. In addition to playing President Skroob (and Yogurt, his memorable Jewish rendition of Yoda), Brooks co-wrote, produced, and directed the famous sci-fi comedy, Spaceballs. As for the sequel, Alexander promises fans that everyone who has read the script has found it enjoyable.

“Everybody Who’s Read It Has Been Blown Away”

The classic film “Spaceballs,” a standout in Mel Brooks’ illustrious career, sets a high bar for any remake, and the task of meeting those expectations falls on Josh Gad and his team. However, the project appears to be progressing positively, particularly with regards to the script. According to Gad, everyone who has read it has been left in awe. In an interview with Forbes, the “Frozen” star praised Mel Brooks for his support during the process.

This whole experience feels like a vivid dream, but it’s really happening. Mel has been incredibly supportive, enthusiastic, and even more invested in this project because it’s the one that slipped through our fingers initially. It’s a thrill to bring to life what Yogurt predicted in the first movie… Every minute of every day is dedicated to bringing this project closer to its actualization, and I feel we’re almost reaching the finish line.

The release date for the Josh Gad-led “Spaceballs” sequel hasn’t been determined yet, but it seems reasonable to anticipate a timeframe somewhere between mid-2026 and late in that year. In the meantime, fans of the Schwartz (over the Force from Star Wars) can catch the 1987 classic sci-fi comedy on AMC+. The film is a must-watch, featuring an impressive cast including John Candy, Bill Pullman, Rick Moranis, Daphne Zuniga, and Joan Rivers, who lends her voice to the character Dot Matrix, reminiscent of C-3PO.

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2025-01-05 08:01