So it’s only been 40 years…
Any Star Wars fan, and I am not just any ordinary Star Wars fan, would only need to take a glimpse at my Darth Vader shrine in my office at school to know that I am hardcore. As a child of the 80s, I saw Star Wars 4 times in the theater. My mother was willing to do that as she was (is) a tremendously patient woman. I digress.
The first 3 Star Wars movies, 4,5, and 6, came out in 1977, 1981, and 1984, respectively. Spaceballs came out in 1987 and was truly one of the great parodies of its day. I can still quote lots of part of that movie.
Mel Brooks is right out of a Monty Python movie, and his humor is just as good. He does absurdist as well as anyone. I watched an interview he did, and he is looking pretty old, but his comedic mind is still rocking. He is not trying to reinvent anything; he is just leaning hard into absurdity, meta jokes, and franchise satire. ( I am making these assumptions based on the trailer madness.) It seems very on-brand for Mel Brooks, and honestly, that is the best thing about it. The tone feels so very right.
The teaser trailer just works. The meta humor is sharp as ever: The whole
“non-prequel non-reboot sequel” joke is just telling us that Mel and company see how truly ridiculous Hollywood is right now. Parody needs awareness to land.
The target has been updated - it doesn’t look like it is just repeating old jokes. The original mocked the Star Wars universe. This movie looks like it is going after cinematic universes and all of the cash-grab reboots we are inundated with. The formula is exactly how a sequel survives — all new targets, but the same snarky spirit.
Rick Moranis's coming back lends a whole lot of credibility to the movie. Moranis was making movies at a decent clip in the late 80s, but his wife died, and he stepped away from Hollywood to parent his children. He wanted to be totally present for them. In my mind, this makes him a really honorable man. So, it is not just nostalgia; his return after decades away is a huge emotional hook.
There are some worries. The trailer feels like a concept, not proof that this movie works. A lot of comedies can nail the premise in a 2-minute trailer, but are unable to sustain that vibe for 90 minutes.
I think parodies are also much harder now. Parodying Star Wars in 1987 felt fresh. Now? In the age of social media, everyone is just so damn aware. Hell, Marvel has already made fun of themselves in their own movies, so the bar to really make a parody that is fresh and resonant is far, far higher.
I hope that it does not lean too hard on the nostalgia that I am feeling while writing this post. It’s a fine line between something that is “for fans“ and “only works if you’re already a fan.” If it does not hit with the same verve as 1987, it will be seen as more of a relic than a revival.
Final thoughts? The vibe I am getting is that this is a love letter to all of Mel Brooks’ fans, especially those of Spaceballs, as well as a roast of present-day Hollywood at the same time.
This is exactly what it should be.
And honestly? The fact that it even exists 40 years later—and still feels tonally close—is kind of wild.
I can’t wait to see it.