Anthony Carrigan Joins the Cast as ‘Spaceballs 2’ Starts Shooting

Rick Moranis is confirmed as returning to play Dark Helmet, with fellow veterans Mel Brooks, Bull Pullman, Daphne Zuniga back to reprise their roles.

Anthony Carrigan on HBO's 'Barry.' Photograph by Courtesy of HBO.

Preview:

Anthony Carrigan is the latest recruit for the ‘Spaceballs’ sequel.
Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman and Daphne Zuniga are aboard to reprise their roles.
Josh Greenbaum is directing for Amazon/MGM.

After years as a rumor and in development, the ‘Spaceballs’ sequel just hit Ridiculous Speed. Or at least, production speed, as shooting is now kicking off on the continuation of the space satire/farce co-created by Mel Brooks in 1987.

Brooks is back in the dual role of the nefarious President Skroob and wise sage Yogurt, while the likes of Bill Pullman and Daphne Zuniga are returning to their parts. Most surprisingly Rick Moranis –– who has been retired from on-screen work for years –– has been tempted back to play Vader-spoofing villain Dark Helmet.

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And via an announcement from Amazon MGM Studios, which is backing the new movie, we know that Anthony Carrigan (‘Barry’) is among the newer faces joining for this go-around (more on the others below).

What was the story of ‘Spaceballs’?

(L to R) Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet and George Wyner as Colonel Sandurz in 'Spaceballs'. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

The original ‘Spaceballs’, directed by Brooks from a script he wrote with Thomas Meehan and Ronny Graham, starred Pullman as Lone Starr, a scruffy hero in the Han Solo mold who has to stop the nefarious President Skroob from stealing the atmosphere of the peaceful planet Druidia.

Along the way, he comes to the aid of Vespa (Zuniga) and her sarcastic robot maid Dot Matrix (voiced by Joan Rivers). John Candy played Starr’s faithful half-man/half-dog sidekick Barf.

As for the new movie, it’s predictably wrapped in mystery, with the official logline going for a joke: “the title is rumored to be the name of the movie, and plot details are being described as information about what happens in the story.”

And Brooks has previously described it thusly:

“A Non-Prequel Non-Reboot Sequel Part Two but with Reboot Elements Franchise Expansion Film.”

Alongside the veteran cast (and now Carrigan), we can also expect to see Josh Gad, Keke Palmer and, keeping it in the family, ‘Thunderbolts*’Lewis Pullman, son of Bill, playing Starburst, his on-screen spawn.

Who is making the new ‘Spaceballs’?

(L to R) Joan Rivers as the voice of Dot Matrix and Daphne Zuniga as Princess Vespa in 'Spaceballs'. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

With Gad on board to star and produce, he’s also co-written the script with Benji Samit and Dan Hernandez, who worked on ‘Pokémon: Detective Pikachu’.

Josh Greenbaum, who made ‘Strays’ (for which Gad provided a voice) and ‘Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar’, is in the director’s chair. He feels like a good fit for a new ‘Spaceballs’, since he’s proved he can handle wacky comedy with some emotional undertones.