Why the new ‘Spaceballs’ sequel isn’t called ‘The Search for More Money’

Today is not only the San Diego Comic-Con panel for Spaceballs: The New One, but also the Apple TV premiere of The Dink. Both are helmed by Josh Greenbaum, who spoke with Mashable about the pickleball comedy and the long-awaited sequel to Mel Brooks’ Star Wars spoof.

In an interview with Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko, Greenbaum dug into the themes of friendship and identity in The Dink, as well as what it meant to have comedy icon Lynne Marie Stewart join the cast, in what would become her final film role. They also got into Spaceballs: The New One.

Specifically, Puchko asked the question fans of the 1987 comedy had about the title. See, in Spaceballs, the wise Yogurt (played by Brooks) says the star-flung heroes might meet again “in Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money.” So, why is this sequel called Spaceballs: The New One?

Greenbaum said, “If you didn’t see our announcement video, Mel Brooks himself found the money. It was in his basement, and so he doesn’t need any more money at this point.”

Greenbaum continued, “We really love the idea of obviously there’s the old one, and now this is the new one. We like the joke that this is, you know, ‘It’s just like the old one, but newer.’ So, this is the new one.

“We obviously discussed it with Mel,” he added, “but we all felt like, as great as that joke [from the first movie] was, paying that joke off? You’ll see when you see the new one why it makes sense for this one to be called that.”

Spaceballs: The New One will see Brooks, Bill Pullman, Rick Moranis, Daphne Zuniga, and Michael Winslow reprising their roles from the first film. Joining the cast are Lewis Pullman, Keke Palmer, Anthony Carrigan, and Josh Gad.

Spaceballs: The New One is slated to open in the U.S. on April 23, 2027.