Rick Moranis Returns to the Screen for ‘Spaceballs 2’ After Leaving Hollywood to Raise His

September 25, 2025

Rick Moranis is coming out of retirement and heading back into space for “Spaceballs 2.”

The 72-year-old comedy legend, who stepped away from Hollywood in the 1990s to raise his kids, is reprising his role as Lord Dark Helmet for the movie, which is a sequel to the 1987 sci-fi spoof “Spaceballs,” Amazon MGM Studios announced Sept. 25 in a press release.

Moranis will be joined by other stars of the original “Spaceballs,” including Bill Pullman as Lone Starr, Mel Brooks as Yogurt, Daphne Zuniga as Princess Vespa and George Wyner as Colonel Sandurz.

Rick Moranis
Rick Moranis poses at the opening night after party for “In & Of Itself” at The Ace Hotel on April 12, 2017, in New York.Film Magic

Rounding out the cast will be Josh Gad, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman and Anthony Carrigan.

“Spaceballs 2” will be directed by Josh Greenbaum, known for “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.” Gad collaborated with the writing duo of Benji Samit and Dan Hernandez on the movie’s script.

“Plot details are being kept under lock, key, and an industrial-strength Schwartz shield,” the studio joked in its release.

Rick Moranis
Rick Moranis as Lord Dark Helmet in “Spaceballs”Alamy

Production has already started on the movie, which is scheduled to arrive in theaters in 2027.

Moranis, who shot to stardom after starring in some of the biggest comedies of the 1980s — including “Ghostbusters,” “Ghostbusters II,” “Spaceballs” and the first installment of the “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” franchise — left Hollywood in the 1990s to raise his son, Mitchell, and daughter, Rachel, after his wife, makeup artist Ann Belsky, died of cancer in 1991.

Mel Brooks, Rick Moranis and George Wyner
Moranis in a scene with Mel Brooks and George Wyner in the original movie.Alamy

“I pulled out of making movies in about ’96 or ’97,” he told USA Today in 2005. “I’m a single parent, and I just found that it was too difficult to manage raising my kids and doing the traveling involved in making movies. So I took a little bit of a break. And the little bit of a break turned into a longer break, and then I found that I really didn’t miss it.”

Though Moranis said he rejected plenty of acting offers over the years, his fellow Canadian Ryan Reynolds wooed him out of retirement long enough to film a 2020 commercial for Mint Mobile.

In the ad, Reynolds introduced Moranis as an actor “we’ve all gone too long without.”

Moranis, appearing impatient, asks Reynolds why he’s been summoned to be in the commercial with him. “I’m just a huge fan,” Reynolds shyly responds.

“Oh stop it,” Moranis tells him.

“No, massive,” Reynolds assures him.

“That’s it?” says Moranis before waving him off and leaving.

 

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