The Schwartz was strong at San Diego Comic-Con.
Amazon MGM Studios brought Spaceballs: The New One to Hall H on Friday, treating thousands of fans to a lively panel featuring the cast and creative team behind the long-awaited return to Mel Brooks’ beloved sci-fi comedy.
The celebration kicked off with a heartfelt—and hilarious—video message from Mel Brooks before moderator Kevin Smith welcomed stars Rick Moranis, Josh Gad, Daphne Zuniga, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman, director Josh Greenbaum, and screenwriters Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit to the stage.
Mel Brooks Kicks Off the Celebration
Although he wasn’t in attendance, Mel Brooks opened the panel with a special recorded message that set the tone for the event, reminding fans why Spaceballs remains one of the most beloved movie spoofs of all time.
The audience responded with thunderous applause as the cast and filmmakers reflected on revisiting the iconic universe for a brand-new generation.
The Cast Talks Returning to the Galaxy
The Hall H panel featured appearances from Rick Moranis, returning to one of his most iconic roles, alongside Daphne Zuniga, who also reprises her role from the original film.
Joining them are franchise newcomers Josh Gad, Keke Palmer, and Lewis Pullman, who discussed stepping into the outrageous world of Spaceballs while honoring the comedy that made the original a cult classic.
Director Josh Greenbaum and writers Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit also shared insights into balancing nostalgia with fresh laughs for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
A Comic-Con Crowd Ready for Plaid
Amazon MGM Studios leaned fully into the film’s signature humor, joking that it skipped “ludicrous speed” and went straight to “plaid” as Hall H erupted with excitement throughout the presentation.
While the panel focused primarily on celebrating the cast and the return of the franchise, the event reinforced that Spaceballs: The New One is shaping up to be one of the year’s most anticipated comedy releases.
Fans can expect more updates as the movie continues its journey toward theaters.
During the panel, filmmakers Josh Gad and Josh Greenbaum reminisced about pitching the sequel to Mel Brooks, while Daphne Zuniga and Rick Moranis reflected on returning to their iconic characters and reuniting with Brooks for the first time in decades. Keke Palmer shared what it was like stepping into the iconic SPACEBALLS universe, and Lewis Pullman reflected on joining the franchise that launched his father Bill Pullman’s career. While Lone Star couldn’t be at the panel in-person, he was there in spirit – treating Hall H to a special video message.
Gad also paid homage to one of his personal idols, John Candy, who he described as the heart and soul of the original film.
As your father’s brothers’ nephew’s cousin’s former roommate Mel Brooks would put it, the Hall H crowd proved that the Schwartz is still very much with us.
SPACEBALLS: THE NEW ONE will be released in theaters in the U.S. and select international territories in April 2027.
Directed by | Josh Greenbaum
Screenplay by | Benji Samit, Dan Hernandez, Josh Gad
Produced by | Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody, Mel Brooks, Kevin Salter, Josh Gad, Josh Greenbaum
Executive Produced by | Adam Merims, Benji Samit, Dan Hernandez
Starring | Rick Moranis, Josh Gad, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman, Anthony Carrigan, George Wyner, Daphne Zuniga, Bill Pullman, Mel Brooks
Synopsis | Somehow, Dark Helmet has returned! Forty years after the events of the first Spaceballs, fifty years after the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, and one year after the events of The Devil Wears Prada 2, the galaxy is once again under threat. A threat so evil, so unstoppable, so completely lacking in any original ideas, that it has vowed to bring back the past… every last bit of it. With Lone Starr in hiding, Queen Vespa on the throne, and the Schwartz stretched thinner than a franchise releasing TV episodes theatrically, the only hope for the galaxy is Vespa’s undisciplined son, Prince Starburst, and a mysterious Palace advisor named Destiny. Together, they must find Lone Starr, Yogurt, and any other iconic legacy characters fans are demanding before they discover the hard way that, while some threats you can fight, the reboot is not one of them.
Editor-in-Chief | Seat42F, a leading source of entertainment news, information, television and movie resources.
