Lewis Pullman initially wanted no part of joining his father, Bill Pullman, in Spaceballs: The New One.
The actor grew up watching Bill play Lone Starr in Mel Brooks’ 1987 sci-fi parody and worried that appearing in the sequel would mean stepping into a franchise too closely connected to his father. His answer began to change only after Bill suggested that they read the screenplay before rejecting the opportunity.
During the movie’s San Diego Comic-Con panel on July 24, Lewis said the script was so funny that passing on it eventually seemed more uncomfortable than accepting. He will play Prince Starburst, the son of Bill’s Lone Starr and Daphne Zuniga’s Princess Vespa.
The sequel also brings back Rick Moranis, Mel Brooks and George Wyner while adding Keke Palmer, Josh Gad and Anthony Carrigan to the cast.
Lewis Pullman Initially Said ‘No Way’
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Lewis told the Comic-Con audience that he watched Spaceballs before seeing the Star Wars movies it parodied. “When I watched Star Wars, I was like, ‘Why’d they remake Spaceballs?’” he joked, according to People.
That childhood connection contributed to his hesitation when the sequel arrived. “When this came along, I was like, ‘No, no way. I can’t,’” Lewis recalled. Bill suggested that Lewis read the screenplay before making a decision.
“Then I read it and was like, ‘Damn it. This is so good,’” Lewis said. He explained that Bill did not want to make the choice for him, while Lewis remained concerned about stepping into his father’s shoes.
The Script Made the Offer Difficult to Refuse
Lewis described Spaceballs: The New One as “one of the funniest scripts I’ve ever read.” He said he rarely laughs aloud while reviewing screenplays, but this one repeatedly produced that reaction. The cast and filmmakers also influenced his decision. Josh Greenbaum directed the sequel from a screenplay by Gad, Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit.
“I looked at the team, and I was like, ‘I would be a fool. It would be weird if I didn’t do it,’” Lewis told the panel. He added that he could imagine looking back from his deathbed and questioning why he had rejected the chance.
Prince Starburst continues the fictional family created in the original movie. Keke Palmer plays his adviser, Destiny, while Gad appears as a Mawg, the same half-man, half-dog species as John Candy’s Barf.
Lewis and Bill Had Imagined a Different Movie Together
The Pullmans had previously discussed finding a substantial project that would allow them to work together. Lewis said they expected that opportunity to be a “big, really gritty drama,” not a sequel to one of Bill’s best-known comedies.
He ultimately concluded that Spaceballs: The New One might be better than the project they had imagined. “To get to make a movie with your dad, there’s, I can’t,” he said. “I don’t have the words for it.”
The father and son previously appeared in two movies released in 2017: Battle of the Sexes and The Ballad of Lefty Brown. The new film places their real-life relationship at the center of its fictional family.
Bill Pullman Made His Son the Target of a Comic-Con Joke
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Bill could not attend the Hall H panel in person, but he sent a message for Lewis to read to the audience. The note praised several original and new members of the Spaceballs family. Lewis finally received a mention at the end: “Lewis, don’t forget to pay mom back for the cellphone bill we covered in Australia.”
Bill called Moranis, Wyner and Zuniga family and welcomed Palmer, the filmmakers and Gad, whom he jokingly identified as his son from the NBC series 1600 Penn. He even praised Gad’s father, Lewis’ hair and makeup team and Lewis’ agent.
Moranis returns as Dark Helmet, with Brooks reprising his roles as Yogurt and President Skroob. Bill, Zuniga and Wyner return as Lone Starr, Princess Vespa and Colonel Sandurz when Spaceballs: The New One opens exclusively in theaters on April 23, 2027.