Josh Gad Impresses Mel Brooks While Pitching a "Spaceballs" Sequel

Josh Gad had to bring his A-game to pitch a sequel to the iconic comedy Spaceballs—and he did so in front of none other than Mel Brooks himself.

Appearing on Kelly Ripa's Let's Talk Off Camera podcast, Gad revealed the behind-the-scenes story of pitching the Spaceballs sequel. According to Gad, Brooks—now deeply involved in the project—asked for a detailed breakdown of the modern Star Wars sequels before considering their pitch.

What followed was a 40-minute marathon explanation, during which Gad likened himself to "a combat vet going to war." Sweating through every line, he delivered a blow-by-blow account of the films, nailing every comedic beat and set piece. His effort paid off when Brooks responded, “It really sounds like you’ve got your finger on the pulse!”—a compliment Gad considers the greatest of his career.

News of Gad producing, writing, and starring in the Spaceballs sequel surfaced earlier this year. He confirmed in November that the first draft of the script is complete.

For those unfamiliar, the original Spaceballs (1987) was a hilarious parody of the Star Wars universe, starring Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, John Candy, Rick Moranis, and Brooks himself. The new sequel seems to have Brooks' enthusiastic blessing, with Gad delivering a sneak peek of his creative vision.

With Brooks and Gad teaming up, fans of the cult classic may soon have a long-awaited return to Planet Spaceball.