A Mel Brooks comedy classic looks to be getting a new revival. Variety reports that a Spaceballs sequel is currently in development at Amazon MGM Studios. A source who is working close to the production broke the news. Josh Gad is set to star and work alongside Mel Brooks who will be producing the film.
Josh Greenbaum, whose notable work includes 2023’s Strays and 2021’s Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar will direct the film with Benji Samit, Dan Hernandez, and Gad attached as screenwriters. Kevin Salter is set to be the executive producer. When it comes to details on the plot, those are still currently under wraps.
COMEDIC CULT CLASSIC SPACEBALLS HAS A SEQUEL IN THE WORKS
Spaceballs was released in 1987 and it was primarily a parody of the original Star Wars trilogy and other sci-fi films and popular franchises like Star Trek, Alien, The Wizard of Oz, 2001: A Space Odyssey, etc. The film was directed and co-written Mel Brooks, who portrayed multiple roles in the film. The film starred notable actors/comedians, such as John Candy, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Dick Van Patten, Joan Rivers, Daphne Zuniga, George Wyner, and Brooks himself.
During the development of the film, Brooks wanted the parody to be as close to the original as possible. When it came to merchandise production, Brooks made a deal with George Lucas where action figures will not be made due to the similarity between the Star Wars figures and the ones that will be made for Spaceballs. It has also been noted that Lucas’ company handled the post-production parts of the film and how when the film was released, Lucas praised Brooks on how much he loved the film and the story structure.
The film has an estimated $22.7 million budget and it grossed $38,119,483 in the United States, with reaching $6,613,837 during its opening weekend. When it came to the film’s reception with critics, it received a mixed reception. Currently, it has a 52% positive rating with an average of 5.9/10 on Rotten Tomatoes.
Despite the mixed reception, the film became one of Brook’s most popular and well-known films. Tesla Motors has also used Spaceballs‘ starship speeds (Light Speed, Ridiculous Speed, Ludicrous Speed, Plaid Speed) as an inspiration of their acceleration modes. The Boring Company sold 20,000 “flamethrowers” in 2018 as merchandise, inspired by the Spaceballs merchandising scene.
In terms of previous follow-ups, an animated series based on the film aired on the now-defunct G4 in 2008-2009. The show lasted for only one season and 13 episodes. The show featured Brooks reprising his roles from the big screen as President Skroob and Yogurt. Daphne Zuniga also reprised her role as Princess Vespa, and the late Joan Rivers once again voiced Dot Matrix.
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For the upcoming sequel, there has been no word on the film’s official release date. The InSneider was first to report the news of the sequel.
About Spaceballs
Release Date: June 24, 1987
Director: Mel Brooks
Writers: Mel Brooks, Ronny Graham, Thomas Meehan
Producer: Mel Brooks
Production Companies: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Brooksfilms
Distributed by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Cast: Mel Brooks, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Dick Van Patten, Joan Rivers, Daphne Zuniga, George Wyner
Synopsis: A star-pilot for hire and his trusty sidekick must come to the rescue of a princess and save Planet Druidia from the clutches of the evil Spaceballs.
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SOURCE: Variety | The InSneider
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