Spaceballs has become a family affair, as Lewis Pullman is joining his dad, Bill Pullman, in Spaceballs 2. Whether or not the sequel will be called Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money, as was joked in the 1987 original, remains to be seen, but as of earlier this month, principal photography has concluded. Unfortunately for the younger Pullman, he still hasn’t met Mel Brooks, the man who gifted the world Spaceballs nearly 40 years ago, but he did receive a special gift from the comedy icon when he was cast.
Lewis Pullman is currently the press rounds for The Testament of Ann Lee, which follows after he made his MCU debut as Bob/Sentry in the fellow 2025 movie release Thunderbolts*. While appearing on The View, the actor was asked if Mel Brooks was in attendance at the Spaceballs 2 wrap party, and he answered:
Mel didn't come out. He's a homebody, but he was definitely a part of it. His spirit was there, he was part of the design of it. He launched us!
Considering that Mel Brooks is 99 years old, I’m not shocked to hear he wasn’t at that party, especially considering it was likely a lively event. However, I’m wondering about the exact level of his participation in Spaceballs 2. In addition to co-writing the script with Josh Gad,m Benji Samit and Dan Hernandez, he’s also set to reprise both Yogurt and President Skroob. Since Lewis Pullman didn’t meet Brooks during filming, does this merely mean that these two don’t share any scenes together, or it possible that Brooks scenes were all shot separate from the rest of the cast given his age?
It’ll be a while until these questions get answered, but I hope Lewis Pullman is able to cross paths with Mel Brooks far ahead of Spaceballs 2’s release. Until then, Pullman went on to share what the EGOT winner sent him when he was cast as Starburst, the son of Bill Pullman’s Lone Starr and Daphne Zuniga’s Queen Vespa:
I still haven't met him, but when he sent me the role, I got a voice note from him. I wish you could frame a voice note. I couldn't believe it because I grew up watching that movie There was only so many of my dad's movies I was allowed to watch growing up, and that was one. And I remember seeing Star Wars, and I was like, 'Why did they remake Spaceballs without all the jokes?'
Back up that voice note from Mel Brooks, Lewis Pullman! You can’t lose it under any circumstances! It’s good to know that he appreciated the original Spaceballs from a young age, and now he’s getting to join this sci-fi parody world with his dad. This will be the first time the father and son have acted in the same movie since 2017’s The Ballad of Lefty Brown. Spaceballs 2 will also feature the return of Rick Moranis and George Wyner as Dark Helmet and Colonel Sanders, respectively, and the other newcomers include Keke Palmer and Anthony Carrigan.
Spaceballs 2, directed by Josh Greenbaum, will be released sometime in 2027. The original is currently available to stream on AMC+ (which can be added on to your Amazon Prime Video subscription), and you can see Lewis Pullman in The Testament of Ann Lee in theaters starting December 25.
