Listen to the article
The cast and filmmakers behind the long-awaited “Spaceballs” sequel brought a healthy dose of humor to CinemaCon in Las Vegas Wednesday night, unveiling first-look footage and the official title of the highly anticipated follow-up to the 1987 sci-fi parody.
Mel Brooks, appearing via video message, revealed the film will be called “Spaceballs: The New One,” quipping that “it’s just like the old one, but it’s newer.” The legendary filmmaker and comedian joked that he opted against the previously teased title “Spaceballs: The Search for More Money” because he had already “found the money” in his basement. Brooks added that he couldn’t attend the Las Vegas event in person because he was seeing Phish perform at the Sphere.
Original cast members Bill Pullman and Rick Moranis made appearances during the presentation, with Moranis’s presence on stage drawing an especially enthusiastic reaction from the crowd. In keeping with the comedic tone of the event, Moranis was repeatedly interrupted during his remarks as part of an orchestrated gag. The sequel is slated for theatrical release sometime next year.
The irreverent presentation included a sizzle reel that took aim at the current wave of studio consolidations in Hollywood. “With Hollywood studios merging willy-nilly like middle-aged couples at a swingers party, Amazon acquired MGM and opened the vault,” declared the voiceover as images of Warner Bros. and Paramount appeared on screen. Amazon MGM Studios became the only studio at CinemaCon to directly reference the pending merger between those two legacy studios.
The “Spaceballs” sequel was just one highlight of Amazon MGM’s comprehensive presentation to theater owners, which included first looks at several high-profile upcoming projects. Michael B. Jordan, fresh off his Best Actor Oscar win for “Sinners,” showcased his directorial effort “The Thomas Crown Affair,” in which he also stars alongside Adria Arjona. Jordan expressed his long-standing passion for the project, explaining that watching the 1999 version when he was 12 “left a very big impression” on him. Composer Jon Batiste was on hand to perform some of the film’s original score.
Amazon MGM also provided glimpses of Peter Farrelly’s Sylvester Stallone biopic “I Play Rocky,” the summer blockbuster “Masters of the Universe” starring Nicholas Galitzine, and family film “The Sheep Detectives” featuring Hugh Jackman and Nicholas Braun. Pete Davidson and director David Leitch presented their action comedy “How to Rob a Bank,” with Davidson promising attendees that the film is “totally insane.”
The studio rounded out its showcase with first looks at Henry Cavill in a new “Highlander” adaptation and Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson in the psychological thriller “Verity,” based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel.
Theater owners warmly received Amazon MGM Studios, which recently scored its biggest theatrical success with “Project Hail Mary.” The sci-fi adaptation has grossed over $515 million worldwide and will return to IMAX theaters for one week beginning Friday. Filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller made a surprise appearance alongside star Ryan Gosling to thank exhibitors for their support, with Miller noting that the film has become “the biggest original movie of the year because you believed in it.”
Amazon MGM also reaffirmed its commitment to theatrical exhibition, promising to release 15 movies annually in theaters by 2027—a significant pledge in an era when many studios are prioritizing streaming.
Notably absent from the presentation was any concrete news regarding the James Bond franchise. Amazon’s $8.45 billion acquisition of MGM in 2021 was motivated in part by gaining control of the lucrative 007 property. Last year, the studio announced it had taken creative control of the franchise after longtime Bond custodians Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli agreed to step back, with acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve tapped to helm the next installment.
However, details remain scarce about their plans for James Bond’s future, including who might succeed Daniel Craig as the iconic British spy. Courtenay Valenti, Amazon MGM’s head of film, assured the audience they were “taking time to do this with care and deep respect,” suggesting the studio is proceeding cautiously with one of cinema’s most valuable franchises.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
14 Comments
Glad to see the original Spaceballs cast back together for the new movie. Moranis’ character was such a highlight, so his return should be a lot of fun. Here’s hoping the sequel lives up to the first film’s cult classic status.
The Spaceballs sequel news is a nice bit of escapist fun amidst all the heavy stuff going on in the world. Just what the doctor ordered – some good old-fashioned sci-fi parody and slapstick humor.
A Spaceballs sequel in 2026, huh? That’s a long time coming, but I’m hopeful the extra time in the oven will result in a polished, hilarious film. Brooks and the team better not disappoint after all these years!
Agreed, the wait has been quite lengthy. But if anyone can pull off a worthy Spaceballs sequel, it’s Mel Brooks and the original creative team.
Phish and Spaceballs in the same story? What a world we live in. Brooks sounds as irreverent as ever. Can’t wait to see what kind of pop culture references and satire they include in the new film.
Gotta love Mel Brooks’ sense of humor. “Spaceballs: The New One” – simple but effective. Can’t wait to see what other meta jokes and callbacks they include in the sequel.
Interesting that they’re doing a Thomas Crown Affair tease alongside the Spaceballs news. Michael B. Jordan taking on that iconic role – could be intriguing if they put a fresh spin on it.
The Thomas Crown Affair remake is an ambitious move. Jordan’s a talented actor, so I’m curious to see his take on the character.
I’m a little surprised they’re going with “Spaceballs: The New One” as the title. Seems a bit on-the-nose, even for a Spaceballs movie. But I’m sure Brooks and the writers have some clever jokes up their sleeves to make it work.
True, the title is a bit straightforward. But that’s part of the charm of the Spaceballs franchise – embracing the silly, obvious humor.
Spaceballs sequel? That’s out of this world! Can’t wait to see what kind of zany hijinks the crew gets into this time. Brooks and the original cast back for more sci-fi parody fun – sign me up!
Agreed, the first Spaceballs was a classic. Hopefully the new one captures that same irreverent, over-the-top humor.
Good to see the original Spaceballs cast back together, even if it’s just for a brief appearance. Moranis especially has been missed. Hopefully the sequel can capture the same spirit of the first movie.
Agreed, Moranis was a standout in the original. His return, even in a cameo, should add some much-needed nostalgia.