The actor opened up at San Diego Comic-Con about slipping back into Lord Dark Helmet’s iconic costume nearly 40 years after the original sci-fi spoof
Credit: Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Rick Moranis reunited with original Spaceballs cast members at San Diego Comic-Con after nearly four decades
- The actor revealed he kept the original glasses from the film, which were used to recreate Lord Dark Helmet’s look
- Spaceballs: The New One will feature original stars alongside newcomers and is set to release in April 2027
Rick Moranis admits stepping back into Lord Dark Helmet’s oversized helmet for the first time in nearly four decades took some getting used to.
Appearing at the Spaceballs: The New One panel during San Diego Comic-Con on July 24, the beloved actor, 73, joined the stage alongside his costars, including Josh Gad, Keke Palmer and Lewis Pullman.
When moderator Kevin Smith asked what it was like returning to the role after nearly 40 years, Moranis reflected on reuniting with costars and stepping back into his iconic oversized helmet as Lord Dark Helmet.
Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock
“Well, I kept having to pinch myself because I would look at Daphne [Zuniga] and Bill [Pullman] and George Wyner. Earl Sanders. And then there were all these young people,” Moranis said. “And I realized I was their age 39 years ago when we made this. And here we are now and my kids are the age of this.”
He added, “I felt like I was in a time warp, but I was in that outfit and wearing the helmet. And it just felt very strange to be honest with you. But it started to feel really good and I really started to love it.”
1987’s Spaceballs lovingly parodied blockbuster sci-fi franchises, namely Star Wars, with Moranis stealing scenes as the comically inept Lord Dark Helmet, a mimic of Darth Vader. The character’s oversized helmet, booming voice and inflated ego helped make him one of the film’s most memorable characters.
Credit: MGM
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Director Josh Greenbaum revealed during the panel that recreating Lord Dark Helmet’s signature look required plenty of attention to detail — right down to Moranis’ eyewear.
Credit: Amy Sussman/Getty
“When we were trying to get the helmet made and figure out the helmet, we were like, ‘We got to figure out the glasses,’ ” Greenbaum recalled. “And I asked Rick, I said, ‘Do you remember what brand?’ ”
As it turns out, Moranis had the answer.
“I had the original glasses,” he said. “In fact, I wound up keeping it all. They were prescriptions, so I wound up keeping a pair or two of the glasses from all the movies I did.”
He continued, “So all these years, instead of playing with my dolls, I’ve been playing with my glasses.”
Spaceballs: The New One will release in theaters on April 23, 2027.
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