Spaceballs 2’s highly anticipated Rick Moranis return just got an explanation from Josh Gad. Spaceballs, an irreverent Star Wars spoof written and directed by Mel Brooks, hit theaters in 1987 to quickly become a cult classic. Although a sequel was joked about in that film, it will have taken 40 years to materialize as Spaceballs 2 eyes a 2027 release.

A number of original Spaceballs cast members were announced to return for the sequel, with Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, and Mel Brooks himself set to reprise their original roles. But it is the long-anticipated return of retired actor Rick Moranis that might prove to be Spaceballs 2’s biggest feat.

Speaking with ScreenRant’s Owen Danoff to promote his new darkly comedic Adulthood, Spaceballs 2 co-writer Josh Gad—who will also act in the movie–addressed Moranis’ surprising return. Here’s what he had to say:

Owen Danoff: Josh, I saw a TIFF interview for you where you said you were about to fly to Australia to shoot Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money. The thing I would love to know is: Rick Moranis is returning. We couldn’t get him for Ghostbusters, but he’s coming back for Spaceballs. How did you possibly do that?

Josh Gad: Well, I am not going to comment on whether or not Rick Moranis is returning, but hypothetically, if he were to return, I would say it’s because Rick would have felt like this was a project worthy of his return.

So watch this space. But what I can say is it is surreal. It’s surreal because I grew up with Spaceballs and when the movie was prophesized in the first film, when Yogurt says, “God willing, we’ll all meet again in Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money,” I, like everyone else, was just anticipating that that would happen sooner than 40 years later.

But I am so grateful it took that long because it’s the greatest gift on Earth to be able to not only be on the precipice of shooting this movie, but to be able to do it while Mel is still with us. So I’m thrilled. I’m beyond excited, and that’s about all I can say for now.

What Josh Gad’s Comments Mean For Spaceballs 2

First, while Gad didn’t want to personally confirm that Moranis would appear in the movie, multiple trade outlets have confirmed his involvement. The Spaceballs 2 teaser also ends on a sH๏τ of the helmet Moranis wore in the first film, so it’s relatively safe to ᴀssume that the actor will once again grace our screens as Dark Helmet.

Gad’s comments about Moranis’ discerning nature suggest that the Spaceballs 2 screenplay—written by Gad with writing duo Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit—is strong. Moranis notably stayed clear of the recent Ghostbusters sequels despite being offered more money than other original franchise stars, so he has clearly been very discerning about which project would bring him back under the public eye.

Our Take On Rick Moranis’ Spaceballs 2 Return

Spaceballs 2 wasn’t supposed to be Rick Moranis’ grand return; that was to be Disney’s planned Honey, I Shrunk the Kids reboot (also involving Josh Gad) that was shelved.

As a fan of both Spaceballs and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, I would argue that a reboot of the latter may have been a more poetic return for Moranis. That franchise presented Moranis as a sweet, absent-minded scientist, and its return could have seen him take a more central role than he will have in Spaceballs 2.

That said, I’m ecstatic to see the actor suit up once more as Dark Helmet. I’ve seen Star Wars and Spaceballs more times than I can count, and have been hoping to watch Rick Moranis return to the screen since Ghostbusters: Afterlife was confirmed to feature original cast members. Spaceballs 2’s 2027 release can’t come soon enough.