Rick Moranis receives standing ovation at Comic-Con for 'Spaceballs' sequel return

Rick Moranis received a warm welcome from fans during his rare public appearance at San Diego Comic-Con as he promoted his long-awaited return to the Spaceballs franchise.

The actor, 73, appeared at Comic-Con’s Hall H on Friday, July 24, alongside Spaceballs: The New One costars Josh Gad, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman and Daphne Zuniga, as well as director Josh Greenbaum and writers Benji Samit and Dan Hernandez.

Moranis was greeted with a standing ovation as he walked onto the stage wearing the oversized black helmet associated with his beloved character Dark Helmet, the Darth Vader parody from Mel Brooks’ 1987 sci-fi comedy.

The upcoming sequel marks Moranis’ first live-action film role in nearly three decades. His last live-action movie appearance was in 1997’s Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves!, though he has continued working in voice roles over the years.

Moranis stepped away from Hollywood following the death of his wife, costume designer Ann Belsky, who died of breast cancer in 1991.

He chose to focus on raising their two children, daughter Rachel and son Mitchell.

During the Comic-Con panel, Moranis joked about how he eventually agreed to return for the Spaceballs sequel.

"The truth is that I had to say yes to this thing. It was the only way I could get Josh Gad to stop texting me," he joked.

Moranis also revealed that conversations about a sequel had been happening for decades, explaining that he and Brooks first discussed the possibility in the late 1980s.

"I started talking to Mel about the sequel in 1989. We kept talking about it," he said. "I really wasn’t retired; I was just negotiating."

The actor said the project felt like the right opportunity after learning about the cast and creative team involved.

"I heard who was going to be in it, and it just felt like this is it. It’s time," Moranis said. "I said yes, and it is the best decision I’ve ever made."

Amazon MGM Studios confirmed Moranis’ return as Dark Helmet in September 2025, with the actor joining original star Bill Pullman, who is reprising his role as Lone Starr, alongside his son Lewis Pullman.

The original Spaceballs served as a comedic parody of the Star Wars trilogy and became one of Mel Brooks’ most recognizable films.

Although Brooks and Bill Pullman did not attend the Comic-Con panel in person, both shared video messages with fans.

Moranis also reflected on reconnecting with Brooks after nearly 40 years, saying he visited the filmmaker’s home after years of phone calls encouraging him to make a sequel.

Spaceballs: The New One is scheduled to hit theaters on April 23, 2027.