Rick Moranis Returns for Comic-Con Debut, Joins ‘Spaceballs’ Sequel Cast

Rick Moranis made his first-ever appearance at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday to promote the upcoming sequel "Spaceballs: The New One." The actor, largely absent from the public eye for years, joined cast and crew members on stage in the convention's cavernous Hall H, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

He received a standing ovation and chants of his name from the audience. Moderator Kevin Smith told him, "You made our childhoods better."

Who is in the Spaceballs sequel?

Moranis sat on the panel between Josh Gad, a creative force behind the sequel, and Daphne Zuniga, who reprises her role as Princess Vespa. Also on stage were director Josh Greenbaum, actors Keke Palmer and Lewis Pullman, and writers Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit.

How did the sequel come about?

Josh Gad described the film's origins, recounting a conversation with his daughter after they watched the original 1987 parody. "We finished it and she goes, ‘Can we watch part 2?’" he said. "And I said, ‘There is no part 2.’" Her question sparked the idea, leading Gad to pitch Mel Brooks and his producing partner.

The new film will tackle the current state of movies and nostalgia. "The industry it was parodying is a very different industry than this one 40 years later," Gad said. The panel even featured a humorous slide outlining a multi-phase "Spaceballs cinematic universe," a direct shot at modern franchise planning.

What was Mel Brooks's role?

Brooks loomed large over the event despite appearing only via a pre-recorded video. Director Josh Greenbaum recalled asking the comedy legend for advice as principal photography approached. Brooks told him, "Don’t say ‘Cut!’ first. It’s ‘Action!,’ and then ‘Cut!’" Greenbaum's takeaway was to not take the process too seriously and to have fun.

Amazon MGM did not debut a trailer or show any clips from the movie, breaking from the typical Comic-Con trend. The studio did show videos of Brooks reuniting with original cast members. "Spaceballs: The New One" is scheduled for a theatrical release in 2027.