Get ready to comb the desert, because Spaceballs: The New One is shaping up to be a comedy event decades in the making. Lewis Pullman, who joins the sequel alongside his father Bill Pullman (the original Lone Starr), recently opened up about the film, and his biggest thrill? Watching Rick Moranis slip back into the villainous Dark Helmet like he never left.
In an exclusive chat with Collider while promoting his upcoming Netflix film Remarkably Bright Creatures, Pullman couldn't contain his awe at Moranis' return. The comedy icon has been on a multi-decade hiatus from the big screen, but according to Pullman, he hasn't missed a beat. “I think just hearing him do the Dark Helmet voice, and him just slipping back into it so, so seamlessly. It was just a mind-boggling moment because that voice lives in my brain free of rent,” Pullman said. “Just hearing him find it again — he didn't even have to find it; it was just right there — was just a dream come true.”
The sequel, directed by Josh Greenbaum, brings back original stars like Daphne Zuniga and George Wyner while adding fresh faces including Keke Palmer, Anthony Carrigan, and Josh Gad. Gad also co-wrote the script with Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit, and Pullman says the trio—all self-professed Spaceballs superfans—have crafted a story that honors the original while expanding its universe.
“The writers, Dan, Benji, and Josh, really took advantage of the whole concept in the best way possible,” Pullman explained. “So many times, I think being a fan of something can really help invigorate it. I think them working with Mel to keep what we love so much about Spaceballs, and then also just expound on it and expand on it… Anyone who's a fan of anything will probably get a reference in there at some point.”
While the original 1987 film primarily spoofed Star Wars (with nods to Star Trek, Alien, and Planet of the Apes), The New One promises to be a broader pop culture feast. Pullman revealed that the production design is so packed with hidden gags that he expects fans to freeze-frame the movie just to catch every detail. “It's going to be a freeze frame fest of people freeze framing this movie and zooming in and seeing the detail that went into this,” he said.
Working alongside his father was a unique experience, and Pullman compared it to the physical demands of his role in Top Gun: Maverick. “One was kind of mind-melting, and the other was body-melting, and both were challenging in their own ways. Both were very exciting and exhilarating in their own ways,” he said.
Before Spaceballs: The New One lands in theaters on April 23, 2027, Pullman will star in Remarkably Bright Creatures, based on the bestselling novel by Shelby Van Pelt. The film, directed by Olivia Newman (Where the Crawdads Sing), follows Tova (Sally Field), a widow who bonds with a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina) and a young man named Cameron (Pullman). It premieres on Netflix on May 8.
Pullman also has Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, where he'll reprise his dual role as Bob and the Sentry from Thunderbolts. He's also attached to the sci-fi rom-com Wishful Thinking with Maya Hawke and the sports drama Baton with Camila Mendes and Danny Ramirez.
For fans of the original, Spaceballs: The New One is clearly being crafted with love and attention to detail. As Pullman put it, the film is a love letter to fandom itself—and a chance to see a comedy legend return to his most iconic role. Stay tuned for more updates as the release date approaches.
