There’s funny and then there’s Mel Brooks. One of the most hilarious actors, comedians, songwriters, and filmmakers to ever do it, Brooks’ more than seven-decade career has given audiences many iconic and hilarious movies, including Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and he’s still going at the age of 99 with Spaceballs 2 set to hit theaters in 2027. Of course, with that eagerly anticipated film on the way, fans will no doubt want to watch the original and they’ll want to do it soon because Spaceballs is about to leave HBO Max, just two months after it arrived.
Released in 1987 as a parody of Star Wars, Spaceballs is scheduled to leave HBO Max on February 28th. The film had previously just returned to the platform in January after being gone for a month which means that it isn’t unlikely that we’ll see Spaceballs show up on streaming again soon, but at this time we don’t really know when — or where — that will be. That means if you are looking for a good laugh and want to be fully prepared for Spaceballs 2, now’s the time to watch.
While Spaceballs is an obvious Star Wars parody, it is also very much its own movie and has earned its own place in pop culture canon accordingly. The plot is bananas, with a distant planet called Spaceball reliant on a product called “Perri-Air” because the planet no longer has its own air supply. In desperate need for the product, Spaceball’s President Skroob (Mel Brooks) has Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis in an obvious Darth Vader sendup) kidnap Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) from a planet that has plenty of air, the plan being that she will be held hostage until the planet gives some up. However, space pilot Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his partner Barf who happens to be half-man and half-dog (John Candy) come to her rescue. There’s also a wise teacher named Yogurt and a C-3PO parody voiced by Joan Rivers. It’s goofy, it’s weird, the costumes are very camply and have a low-budget feel and it all is somehow just brilliant and works, so well that while you know it’s a Star Wars spoof, it also doesn’t feel like one.
It’s that goofiness that goes so hard it makes you forget it’s not an original thing that makes Spaceballs special, even among parodies more broadly. The film knows it’s just bonkers entertainment and that’s exactly what it sets out to be. As such, it’s a film that you can simply sit down and let yourself enjoy. It’s not exactly a guilty pleasure; it’s more like a hilarious little treat, which kind of makes it the perfect film. It’s also a film that fans have wanted a sequel for for years and will finally get in 2027. The film will see the return of some of the original cast, including Brooks, Pullman, Moranis, Zuniga, and George Wyner, along with new characters and actors which means that giving the original a watch would be a great way to get ready. We don’t yet have details about Spaceballs 2, but it’s never too soon to get hyped — and have some serious laughs in the process.
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