Amazon MGM Studios has officially confirmed that actor Rick Moranis will return from a decades-long hiatus to reprise his iconic role as Lord Dark Helmet in the eagerly anticipated film, "Spaceballs 2."

Alongside Moranis, the studio unveiled the full principal cast when production kicked off this week with a behind-the-scenes table read photo.

Original stars Bill Pullman, Mel Brooks, Daphne Zuniga, and George Wyner are all set to revisit their roles as Lone Starr, Yogurt, Princess Vespa, and Colonel Sandurz, respectively. This marks Pullman's third on-screen appearance as the dashing hero since 1987's cult classic and Brooks's return as both a performer and a producer at age 99.

Joining the returning ensemble are four new cast members. Josh Gad, who also co-wrote the screenplay, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman, and Anthony Carrigan will portray entirely new characters in this "non-prequel, non-reboot sequel."

Veteran director Josh Greenbaum is at the helm, working from a script by Gad, Benji Samit, and Dan Hernandez. Amazon MGM teased that, in true Mel Brooks fashion, plot details are being described humorously as "information about what happens in the story," promising a continuation of the original's satirical send-up of sci-fi blockbusters.

Production is underway in Sydney, Australia, with a planned theatrical release in 2027. Brian Grazer and Ron Howard of Imagine Entertainment serve as lead producers alongside Brooks, Gad, Greenbaum, and Kevin Salter. Adam Merims, Samit, and Hernandez carry executive-producer credits.

Moranis, who stepped away from live-action roles in the early 1990s to focus on family after his wife's death, last appeared on-screen in 1997's "Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves." His return follows a shelved 2020 reunion for a "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" sequel and voice-over cameos in animation and commercials.

Fans first speculated about Moranis's comeback when Gad shared an early draft of the script in summer 2024, hailing it as "the most fun" he'd ever worked on. Now, as the cast gathers around Mel Brooks's table-read Zoom cameo, a playful nod to "Star Wars'" ensemble photos, the galaxy's most beloved parody gears up to lampoon sci-fi franchises old and new.

"Spaceballs 2" aims to recapture the irreverent spirit of its predecessor while expanding the universe with a new generation of characters. With Moranis back behind the helmet and Brooks's comedic vision intact, fans can expect an interstellar adventure filled with slapstick, sight gags, and star-studded surprises.

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Actor, Retirement, Sequel