When it was announced that Mel Brooks would be working with Josh Gad on a Spaceballs sequel, it was exciting to hear that many of the original actors would be returning, including he long-retired Rick Moranis. But, with Lewis Pullman joining the long-awaited sequel as the son of Lone Star, who’s played by his real-life dad, Bill Pullman, the production got even more meta. The older Pullman recently shared a fun fact about working with his son that makes their collaboration on this sci-fi flick even cooler.
Based on what’s known about Spaceballs 2‘s plot, Lewis Pullman will be playing Lone Star and Princess Vespa’s undisciplined son, Prince Starburst, who must save his parents and other legacy characters from the sequel’s one threat— “the reboot.” Variety was present when Bill Pullman spoke to at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival (via X). Amid the press conference, he shared a surreal piece of information that contributed to this full-circle working experience:
In terms of working meta with my own son, playing my son, this was last fall. He’s 32, and I was 32 when I did the original Spaceballs. So it was pretty much like a shape-shifting experience. [I] see him from behind, I think, ‘That’s me. Oh, no.’ But in a Mel Brooks movie, it’s kind of nice to have sort of a farce premise.
I love that, and it’s honestly amazing how this all worked out. Also, it’s hard to deny that the Top Gun: Maverick actor does look a lot like his dad when he played Lone Star, making this the perfect casting. As the original spoof movie was known for having many hilarious gags, I can imagine Prince Starburst’s striking resemblance to his papa being a running joke in the 2027 movie release. (I could especially see Yogurt making a wisecrack about it.)
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Bill Pullman previously shared a sweet take on working with Lewis, saying that seeing his son work on the set of the Spaceballs was like looking in a mirror. That’s quite the sincere compliment, given Lone Star is the hero of the original movie. Considering the Sleepless in Seattle actor strong feelings about watching his son work, it definitely feels like a torch has been passed.
For his part, Lewis Pullman also enjoyed sharing screen time with his dear old dad. He previously shared a heartfelt and funny response to collaborating with his father. Pullman likened the experience of joining the franchise to wearing “a different pair of shoes” to dance in compared to filling in anyone else’s shoes.
The younger Pullman makes a great point, as this isn’t a remake but a full-fledged continuation of Brooks’ original 1987 classic. But something tells me the apple still won’t fall far from the tree and that Lone Star and Prince Starburst’s similarities will be more than apparent.
As much as I’ve loved hearing the Pullmans talk about working together, I’m just ready to actually see their characters’ dynamic on screen. I’m hopeful that the Schwartz will be with both of them when Spaceballs: The New One finally roars into theaters at ludicrous speed on April 23, 2027.
