Mel Brooks, 100, insisted that the “Spaceballs” sequel film his scenes before anyone else’s, and he gave the reason himself: his age, according to co-star Daphne Zuniga. Zuniga, who reprises Princess Vespa, now a queen, shared the story Oct. 18 at a “Melrose Place” panel at 90s Con in Hartford, Connecticut, as People reported. She said the idea came from Brooks. “You better film me now because I’m 100,” she recalled him telling the production. The team agreed, and Brooks shot his part ahead of the main shoot. She added that he also worked closely with the film’s writers and shaped the script.
Brooks plays Yogurt in “Spaceballs: The New One,” the follow-up to the 1987 science-fiction spoof he co-wrote, directed and produced. Amazon MGM Studios releases the sequel April 23, 2027. Josh Greenbaum directs from a script by Benji Samit, Dan Hernandez and Josh Gad, who also produces. Gad has said the project began when he pitched Brooks in a presentation of about 40 minutes while the filmmaker listened without a word. Brooks agreed.
The cast pairs original stars with newcomers. Rick Moranis returns as Dark Helmet in his first major film role in years, and Bill Pullman is back alongside Zuniga. Keke Palmer and Lewis Pullman join them. Gad has praised Brooks’s energy on the project, calling him effortlessly funny.
Principal photography began Sept. 16, 2025, at Disney Studios in Sydney, Australia, and wrapped by early December. The film entered post-production in April. Reports have not confirmed where Brooks filmed his own scenes.
The early scheduling reflects a practical concern the production could not ignore. Brooks has reached an age at which a studio protects its investment by securing the performance it cannot replace. It also fits a man known for self-aware humor. Brooks told the Times of London he feels younger than his years.
Neither Brooks nor Amazon MGM has commented on Zuniga’s account, which rests on her recollection at a fan convention. Still, it adds a measure of suspense to a sequel that took nearly four decades to arrive, and its premiere will show how much of Brooks’s work reaches the final cut.
