Summary
Spaceballs 2has its fair share of targets to mock, but to effectively capture what fans loved, the sequel should stick toStar Wars. When the movie hits theaters in 2027, it will be 40 years since the release ofSpaceballsin 1987. Much can happen over decades, and the potential cannon fodder for the upcoming sequel to parody has grown immensely during that time.
Some of the greatestsci-fimovies ever have been released since 1987, many influenced by the same filmsSpaceballslampooned. However, theStar Warslandscape has also drastically changed in the last 40 years. With so much content to pull from,Spaceballs 2could find itself pulling at too many threads to mine jokes, but its best source has always beenStar Wars, and the galaxy far, far away is rife with new material.
SpaceballsParodiedStar WarsAnd Several Other Famous Sci-Fi Films
TheStar Warsparody inSpaceballsis the film’s core gimmick, acting as its framework with other movies sprinkled in to good effect.Dark Helmet is a clear joke at theexpense of Darth Vader, and Mel Brooks' Yogurt is theSpaceballsversion of Yoda. Elements like The Schwartz poke fun atStar Warslore with The Force, and even Stormtroopers get their time to shine, combing the desert, among others. Still, there were plenty of other jokes aimed at numerous sci-fi titles and classic films.
Spaceballsfamously features a cameo from John Hurt that mirrors his death in Ridley Scott’sAlien. Hurt met his end in the chestburster scene inAlien, where the creature quickly ran off. However,Spaceballsuses the moment to allow the alien to do a song and dance number. Further sci-fi references include Stanley Kubrick’s2001: A Space Odyssey, with the lengthy ship reveal scene,andPlanet of the Apes, with the crashed Mega Maid ending.Spaceballseven features jokes aimed atStar Trekand the animatedTransformersmovie.
As with any parody film, other classics are often the butt of the joke.Spaceballshas moments that lampoonThe Wizard of Ozand even the war filmThe Bridge on the River Kwai.While the movie could cast a wide net for jokes, it mainly stuck withStar Wars, peppering in the other film references in small amounts.
There’s No Shortage Of NewStar WarsContent ForSpaceballs 2To Take Aim At
In the 40 years sinceSpaceballsfirst hit theaters, the scope ofStar Warshas drastically changed.Only the original trilogy had been released, with both a prequel and a sequel trilogy since released, which even theSpaceballs 2announcement trailer made fun of in its scrolling list that attempts to encapsulate all the movies that have come out, with hilarious results. Even afterGeorge Lucas' prequel trilogy, Disney bought the rights to the franchise and began releasing a wave of new content.
Disney’s sequel trilogy saw glowing financial returns but petered out creatively by the end. There have been beloved long-running shows, likeStar Wars: The Clone Wars, but the Disney+ streaming service debuted the first live-actionStar Warsseries withThe Mandalorian, which is set to release a movie. Other successful ventures include the recently concludedAndor, the spinoff filmRogue One, and theAhsokaseries. However, Disney has also missed, with the Han Solo prequel film failing,The Acolytecanceled after a single season, and the Boba Fett show wasting a fan-favorite character.
While there isplenty forSpaceballs 2to lampoon, they’ll need to whittle their choices down. However, there also seem to be obvious targets in theStar Warsrealm, as sinceSpaceballs' release, Anakin killed younglings, Yoda pulled off some skillful lightsaber moves, and midi-chlorians became a thing.
Spaceballs 2Should Stick ToStar Wars, Keeping Other Sci-Fi Films To Quick Jabs
In the last 40 years, there have been numerous sci-fi releases forSpaceballs 2to poke fun at.The same yearSpaceballswas released was the year ofPredator’sdebut. The 1990s saw the release of milestone films likeIndependence Dayand the sequel-spawningMen in Black. Christopher Nolan has challenged audiences to think through movies likeInterstellar,Inception, andTenet. Even Marvel’s superhero universe features a team of space-faring characters to parody intheGuardians of the Galaxy. Recent movies likeDuneare also ripe for parody, given the series' impact, with another installment on the way.
However,Spaceballs 2needs to copy the original film’s formula, sticking closely toStar Wars, and letting other films pop in for one or two jokes.Spaceballs' references toAlienand2001play for quick laughs, letting audiences get the reference and enjoy the jab, but not overstaying their welcome. Fans could enjoy the movie quickly diverting intoThe Wizard of Ozelements, as the humor felt well crafted, and it fit the characters at the moment. Still,Spaceballsknew that its core focus was the parody ofStar Wars, allowing it to thread everything else together.
WhileSpaceballs 2is still a ways off, the movie has already promised to bring back a stellar cast, withBill Pullman and Rick Moranisreturning. Audiences likely won’t get to see footage beyond the announcement trailer for some time. Still, the creative team working on the sequel appears to have a grasp on the cinema zeitgeist, with the trailer referencing various franchises. However, with so much newStar Warscontent and fans expectingSpaceballs 2to thrive on it, there is a clear path forward for the sequel.
