"Spaceballs 2" Table Read Photo Hilariously Parodies the One Released in 2014 for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"
Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.
May the Schwartz be with us all… After more than 38 years since the release of Mel Brooks’s sci-fi parody film Spaceballs into theaters, its sequel– the as-yet-untitled Spaceballs 2 (though I suspect fans will riot if it isn’t subtitled “The Search for More Money")-- is going into production. And today, Amazon MGM Studios released a photo of the table read for the project that should look quite familiar to fans of A Galaxy Far, Far Away.
What’s happening:
- With Spaceballs 2 officially heading into production, Amazon MGM Studios released a photo of the table read that is a direct parody of the one released by Lucasfilm in the spring of 2014 as production began on Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
- Spaceballs 2 is of course being produced by Mel Brooks, who is still active at the ripe old age of 99. The director of the film will be Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar), while the screenplay is written by Josh Gad (Frozen) with Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit (LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy).
- The movie will star Gad himself, Lewis Pullman (Thunderbolts*) and his father Bill Pullman (returning as Lone Starr), Keke Palmer (Nope), Anthony Carrigan (Superman), Daphne Zuniga (returning as Princess Vespa), George Wyner (returning as Colonel Sandurz), and– perhaps most shockingly– Rick Moranis (returning as Dark Helmet). Rumor has it that Brooks will also reprise his dual roles as President Skroob and Yogurt.
- Some fun details on the photo– viewable above– are the water cooler standing in for R2-D2, a chair occupied entirely by a pizza (perhaps representing Pizza the Hutt), a Spaceball helmet on the table in the middle, other costumes and wigs, a fire hydrant for some reason, and Mel Brooks himself visible on a laptop calling in to the cast and crew meeting.
- The original table read photo from Star Wars: The Force Awakens is viewable below.
- Spaceballs 2 is set to be released sometime in 2027 (which also happens to be the 50th anniversary of Star Wars).
Also check out:
- Back in 2020 I recorded a “Who’s the Bossk?" podcast episode with friend of Laughing Place Jeff DePaoli, discussing the original Spaceballs film.