The first formal cast picture of Spaceballs 2 is already poking fun at Star Wars, even while littering the sH๏τ with easter eggs for the comedy classic. Released in 1987, Spaceballs was Mel Brooks’ take on Star Wars. Spaceballs has since become a cult classic among comedy fans and is finally getting a sequel.

The film is bringing back plenty of familiar faces, while also incorporating new cast members into the Spaceballs setting. Amazon MGM is riling up excitement for the film, releasing a Spaceballs 2 table-read picture that directly parodies The Force Awakens promotional material. It also contains plenty of Spaceballs easter eggs that could hint at the sequel’s plot.

1

The Cast Picture For Spaceballs 2 Directly References The Force Awakens Table-Read

The Spaceballs 2 cast announcement picture is a parody of the table read pH๏τo released ahead of The Force Awakens, seemingly confirming that the Mel Brooks sequel will be going after the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Released by Amazon MGM, the picture features the cast and creatives behind Spaceballs 2 during a table read of the film.

This is a direct parody of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens table-read picture that was released months before the J.J. Abrams legacy sequel became a box office behemoth. The black and white picture was analyzed by fans for months, fueling speculation about the shape of the then-upcoming Star Wars sequel trilogy.

The Spaceballs 2 cast pictures do something similar, with the cast sitting in a big circle and joking around amid various props and costume pieces potentially related to their characters. These easter eggs could be seen as shout-outs to the original film, a parody of the famous Force Awakens table-read picture, or teasers of the new film’s direction.

2

A Watercooler Replacing R2-D2 Directly Pokes Fun At Star Wars

The part of the Spaceballs 2 cast picture that seems to be a direct parody of Force Awakens is the watercooler. This is a direct reference to the Star Wars cast picture, which featured R2-D2 in a similar position. Spaceballs actually didn’t feature a direct parody of R2, suggesting the watercooler is just poking fun at Disney.

Spaceballs‘ parody of Star Wars was most cutting when it focused on the merchandising and sequels of the franchise, something that has only become more prevalent since the Walt Disney Company took control over the franchise. It seems that Spaceballs 2 won’t be holding back any jokes poking fun at the real-world business side of the franchise’s success.

The lack of a droid parody in the picture does raise questions about how the film will address Dot Matrix. A parody of C-3PO played by Joan Rivers, Dot was one of the more memorable supporting characters in the film. Rivers pᴀssed away in 2014, meaning her potential successor could factor into the film in some way.

3

Barf’s Fire Hydrant Might Tease Josh Gad’s Character

One of the more distinct props in the background of the pH๏τo is the fire hydrant behind Josh Gad. The fire hydrant seems to be a reference to Barf, who had a similar comically large fire hydrant in his room in Spaceballs. Played by John Candy, Barf was the film’s Chewbacca stand-in, a loyal companion to Lone Starr.

Candy pᴀssed away in 1994. While Josh Gad hasn’t had his character in Spaceballs 2 confirmed at the time of this writing, his positioning next to the fire hydrant and the film’s likely parody of legacy characters suggests that he could be playing Barf’s son.

Gad might not be the only legacy character in the story. Lewis Pullman has reportedly been cast as Starburst, the son of Lone Starr and Princess Vespa. Considering Lewis Pullman is the son of Lone Starr actor Bill Pullman, this could easily be setting up Lewis’s Starburst as a parody of Kylo Ren in opposition to his heroic father.

4

Yogurt’s Robes Confirm One Returning Mel Brooks Character

Some of the most obvious references to the older film in the Spaceballs 2 cast pH๏τo are Yogurt’s robes and shoes, which can be seen beside Barf’s fire hydrant and near the table in the center of the picture. Mel Brooks has already been confirmed to be reprising his performance as Yogurt, explaining the inclusion of the costume.

The Spaceballs take on Yoda, Yogurt is an enigmatic mentor to the heroes, who teaches Lone Starr how to utilize the Schwartz. His focus on merchandising as “the real money” of the franchise suggests audiences might get a baby Yogurt. Given Brooks’ age and Yoda’s minor role in the sequel trilogy, it’s likely Yogurt only appears sparingly.

This doesn’t mean Brooks won’t be in more of the movie. In Spaceballs, Brooks also played the overarching villain, President Skroob, the leader of the evil Spaceballs empire. Brooks may be double-dipping in the sequel again, bringing back Skroob alongside a returning Dark Helmet and Colonel Sandurz.

5

The Spaceballs Soldier Gear Could Tease A Finn Parody

Two of the items in the cast picture seem to be pointing towards a direct parody of the Star Wars sequel trilogy heroes. While Keke Palmer’s Destiny is likely a riff on Daisy Ridley’s Rey, the Spaceball helmet and boots seem to suggest one of the characters will either be a member of the organization or a former soldier.

This could be seen as clues about a parody of Finn. Played by John Boyega, Finn was a Stormtrooper for the First Order before he defected to become one of the heroes of the sequels. If Spaceballs 2 is directly parodying Force Awakens, it makes sense to ground it around riffs on Rey, Finn, and Kylo Ren.

Destiny could be a fusion of the two characters, or one of the cast members whose character hasn’t been confirmed (like Anthony Carrigan) could be stepping into that sort of role. It would be consistent with the film’s clear desire to riff on The Force Awakens in particular.

6

Pizza The Hutt Could Be Setting Up A New Legacy Character

One of the funnier easter eggs in the Spaceballs 2 cast pH๏τo is a supreme pizza as a cast member. This is a reference to Pizza the Hutt, one of the minor villains from Spaceballs. Played by Dom DeLuise, Pizza was a parody of Jabba the Hutt. Lone Star’s debt to Pizza is the initial motivation for Lone Star entering the plot.

The inclusion of a supreme pizza suggests Pizza might have some kind of impact on the sequel, albeit likely in the form of a relative or successor. On top of DeLuise’s pᴀssing in 2009, Pizza the Hutt was one of the few confirmed deaths in Spaceballs. After getting trapped in his limo, Pizza ate himself to survive, ironically killing himself.

A new version of Pizza hasn’t been confirmed, but the inclusion of a pizza as a cast member makes it likely. It’s even possible that this gives the Spaceballs 2 creatives a chance to poke fun at the animated corner of the Star Wars franchise, which included more members of Jabba’s extended family.

7

A Plunger Next To Bill Pullman Could Hint At Lone Starr And Vespa’s Story

Between Bill Pullman and Daphne Zuniga in the Spaceballs 2 picture is more than just Keke Palmer. There are a few items behind her, including what appears to be a model of the Druidia castle and a plunger. Both of these are likely references to the lives Lone Starr and Vespa had together after the events of the film.

When the profess their feelings for one another and get married at the end of Spaceballs, Vespa claims that she would still love Lone Starr if he were a plumber instead of a prince. The inclusion of a plunger seems to be referencing this, suggesting that Vespa’s claim might be put to the test in Spaceballs 2.

This would track with the idea that Spaceballs 2 is largely poking fun at The Force Awakens. That film mined the relationship drama between Han Solo and Leia, especially in light of their son turning to the Dark Side. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Lone Starr and Vespa going through a sillier version of the same conflict.

8

The Fly Swatter Might Be Tied To The Greater Mel Brooks Filmography

One of the more intriguing potential easter eggs in the Spaceballs 2 picture might not even be a direct reference to Spaceballs. A fly swatter can be seen on a table in the picture. It’s possible this is an actual fly swatter, but that seems unlikely given the pristine conditions of the picture otherwise.

Instead, the fly swatter might actually be a reference to another movie Mel Brooks was involved in: The Fly, David Cronenberg’s legendary body-horror starring Jeff Goldblum. This could suggest that Spaceballs 2 will feature asides and references to many of his other films.

This wouldn’t be surprising, given the history of Mel Brooks and his habit of referencing his previous works. It does add a different layer of legacy to the sequel, however, potentially positioning Spaceballs 2 as the perfect way to honor the overall legacy of Mel Brooks instead of just bringing back one of his cult classics.