Josh Gad reveals how he told Mel Brooks about 38 years ofStar Warslore while pitching aSpaceballssequel.Brooks directed, produced, co-wrote, and played multiple roles inSpaceballs, which primarily parodied theStar Warsoriginal trilogy films, along with elements ofStar Trek,Alien, and other popular science-fiction properties in the 1980s. Decades later,Spaceballs 2is confirmed, with Brooks back to produce, whileFrozenstar Josh Gad is co-writing and starring in the project. Josh Greenbaum will direct the film while Gad is co-writing the script with Benji Samit and Dan Hernandez.
On theLet’s Talk Off Camerapodcast with Kelly Ripa (viaVariety),Gad shared that while pitchingSpaceballs 2to Brooks, the comedic legend asked Gad to tell him about what happened in the newerStar Warsmovies. Gad proceeded to spend approximately 40 minutes filling Brooks in onStar Warslore from the past 38 years. Brooks told Gad that"it really sounds like you’ve got your finger on the pulse,“with Gad declaring that it was“the greatest compliment I could have ever gotten, even though there’s no context for it for Mel.”Check out Gad’s comments below:
Mel is incredibly involved. I’ll share a funny story that I haven’t yet shared. When we were pitching him the original conceit for what we wanted to do with the film, at the beginning he goes, “I’m just telling you now, I want you to really go into detail because I don’t know a lot about the new ‘Star Wars’ films.” And I said, “Okay.”
It’s literally like, I am a combat vet just going to war in front of one person. I’m sweating, I am getting into every line and every beat and every comedic set piece, every reveal. I’m painting all of it, and I’m speaking to how this speaks to a certain “Star Wars” moment.
What This Means For Spaceballs 2
While there is still little known aboutSpaceballs 2,Gad’s delightful behind-the-scenes story demonstrates the trust that Brooks has in him. With Gad being such an enthusiasticStar Warsfan, he will likely parody the long-running franchise in ways that are genuinely funny and done out of good faith. The originalSpaceballsdid a great job of this, as it hilariously parodied many aspects ofStar Wars, both in-universe and in terms of the fandom’s relationship with it, but none of the comedy felt mean-spirited.
Why Spaceballs 2 Is Now Happening 37 Years After The Original
Spaceballs 2 might finally be happening 37 years after Mel Brooks' original movie, and there are several reasons why it took so long to move forward.
Gad spending so much time in the pitch on newerStar Warsmovies points to the wealth of material thatSpaceballs 2can parody. Much of this material did not exist in 1987, including the prequel trilogy, the sequel trilogy,Rogue One,Solo, and the animatedClone Warsmovie. Only movies are mentioned in Gad’s comments, but there is plenty to draw from in the television series, especially since the launch of Disney+ and the popularity ofThe Mandalorian. There are also many recentscience-fiction moviesSpaceballs 2can spoofbeyond a galaxy far, far away as well.
Spaceballs 2 Has Great Potential
Gad’s love forStar Warscombined with his creative vision, and the prominent involvement of Brooks, are all promising signs. It remains to be seen who Gad will play, or if Brooks, Bill Pullman, Rick Moranis, or other originalSpaceballsactors will return. Nevertheless, from Kylo Ren to Grogu, there are many newer characters who haveimmense potential to be parodied, especially with Brooks now caught up to speedon some of the majorStar Warsstories released sinceSpaceballsdebuted in 1987.
Spaceballs
Cast
Spaceballs is a 1987 comedic science fiction film directed by Mel Brooks. It follows Lone Starr and his sidekick as they confront the villainous Dark Helmet, who schemes to kidnap Princess Vespa and steal her planet’s air. They encounter Yogurt, who introduces them to the mystical power known as “The Schwartz.”
