When Mel Brooks decided it was finally time to move forward with the long-rumored Spaceballs 2, there was one return that mattered above all others. Fans have waited decades to see Rick Moranis back on the big screen, and there was no more fitting role for that comeback than Dark Helmet. For years, the idea seemed unlikely. Moranis famously stepped away from Hollywood in the late 1990s to focus on raising his children, quietly turning down countless offers. But one brutally honest question from Brooks ultimately convinced him to return for Spaceballs 2.

Brooks detailed how he persuaded Moranis to sign on during a wide-ranging interview with The Hollywood Reporter, conducted in connection with the release of his new HBO documentary, Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man! Reflecting on the moment, the legendary comedy writer didn’t sugarcoat his approach, explaining:

The bluntness of the pitch fits neatly within the larger portrait of the Young Frankenstein director that emerges in the documentary and interview. Over nearly a century, he has trusted his instincts over caution. Whether pushing boundaries in Blazing Saddles or spoofing Hitchcock with High Anxiety, the iconic comedy writer and performer has always believed that if the joke is right, permission is optional.

That belief also explains why Moranis’ return feels different from the typical legacy sequel play. This is not about resurrecting a brand or squeezing nostalgia for profit, because, as the Producers creator framed it, it is about purpose. Dark Helmet was one of Moranis’ most indelible comic creations, and one that has only grown in stature as Spaceballs became a cult classic and one of Brooks' best films. The comedy pioneer is right. This definitely feels like the right time and the right role for a full fledged Moranissance.

​​The original Spaceballs has only grown in stature since its 1987 release, becoming one of the most beloved parodies of the sci-fi genre. Dark Helmet, with his oversized headgear and fragile ego, remains one of the film’s most quoted and enduring characters. For many fans, the idea of a sequel without him would have felt incomplete.

It's bold for the most influential comedians of all time to call Moranis “even better than in the first edition.” Still, it’s one that’s hard not to get excited about, especially for longtime fans of the Ghostbusters alum. If that praise holds, Spaceballs 2 could be more than just a long-awaited comedy sequel. It could also mark a proper reentry for one of the most gifted comedic actors of the 1980s, finally returning on his own terms. The arrival of that big-screen reprisal can’t come soon enough.

For fans who grew up quoting Dark Helmet lines like “Smoke ’em if you got ’em,” or who stumbled across Spaceballs during late-night TV reruns, Moranis’ return feels almost miraculous. And, fittingly, it seems it all came down to one brutally honest question from Mel Brooks.

Spaceballs 2 is expected to arrive in theaters in 2027. Until then, fans can revisit the OG flick, which is currently streaming with an HBO Max subscription.

It’s hard to believe we’re more than halfway through the first month of 2026 already. There’s already been so much good TV on streaming to watch and the movies hitting streaming in January have been solid. The great content continues this week. Here are six more shows, and one great movie, you won’t want to miss.

Star Search January 20 (Netflix)

If you grew up in the ‘80s, then you almost certainly remember Star Search, the talent show that was our first look at numerous stars include Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Drew Carey, and more. Now your Netflix subscription is bringing the show back for a new generation. New stars will almost certainly be made. Anthony Anderson takes over hosting duties from Ed McMahon. Jelly Roll, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Chrissy Tiegen are the judges.

WWE Unreal Season 2 - January 20 (Netflix)

It’s been decades since professional wrestling dropped its claim to legitimacy and proclaimed itself as performance. However, not before the first season of WWE Unreal had we ever really seen what goes on behind the curtain as far as the formulation of storylines and matches. Netflix and WWE continue its growing partnership with a second season that will surely raise fans’ eyebrows.

Steal - January 21 (Prime Video)

Sophie Turner just blew us away with the first look at her for the new Prime Video Tomb Raider series, but before your Prime Video subscription gives you Lara Croft, Turner appears in the new Prime Video series Steal, about a woman who finds herself deeply involved in a massive robbery at her workplace.

Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! - January 22 (HBO Max)

There are few talents who have ever lived who are as incredible as Mel Brooks. The comedian has transformed TV and film, and a new documentary looks at his nearly century of life and performance. And it’s not the end, Spaceballs 2 is still on the way.

The Smashing Machine - January 23 (HBO Max)

According to the box office, you did not see The Smashing Machine in theaters. However, according to those who did see it, including Christopher Nolan, Dwayne Johnson gives a performance that’s not to be missed. You can remedy that because this week, The Smashing Machine is available with an HBO Max Subscription.

UFC On Paramount - January 24 (Paramount+)

Live sports are still one of the most important elements of television, though their transition into the streaming era has been a bumpy one.UFC fans previously needed access to ESPN+ in order to even pay the additional fees associated with live events. Starting this week, you’ll need a Paramount+ subscription to watch UFC events, but the good news is there’s no additional fee above a premium subscription.

January isn’t over yet. We still haven’t made it to the new season of Bridgerton or the first entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe this year. Those, and more, will be here next week.

Spaceballs has become a family affair, as Lewis Pullman is joining his dad, Bill Pullman, in Spaceballs 2. Whether or not the sequel will be called Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money, as was joked in the 1987 original, remains to be seen, but as of earlier this month, principal photography has concluded. Unfortunately for the younger Pullman, he still hasn’t met Mel Brooks, the man who gifted the world Spaceballs nearly 40 years ago, but he did receive a special gift from the comedy icon when he was cast.

Lewis Pullman is currently the press rounds for The Testament of Ann Lee, which follows after he made his MCU debut as Bob/Sentry in the fellow 2025 movie release Thunderbolts*. While appearing on The View, the actor was asked if Mel Brooks was in attendance at the Spaceballs 2 wrap party, and he answered:

Considering that Mel Brooks is 99 years old, I’m not shocked to hear he wasn’t at that party, especially considering it was likely a lively event. However, I’m wondering about the exact level of his participation in Spaceballs 2. In addition to co-writing the script with Josh Gad,m Benji Samit and Dan Hernandez, he’s also set to reprise both Yogurt and President Skroob. Since Lewis Pullman didn’t meet Brooks during filming, does this merely mean that these two don’t share any scenes together, or it possible that Brooks scenes were all shot separate from the rest of the cast given his age?

It’ll be a while until these questions get answered, but I hope Lewis Pullman is able to cross paths with Mel Brooks far ahead of Spaceballs 2’s release. Until then, Pullman went on to share what the EGOT winner sent him when he was cast as Starburst, the son of Bill Pullman’s Lone Starr and Daphne Zuniga’s Queen Vespa:

Back up that voice note from Mel Brooks, Lewis Pullman! You can’t lose it under any circumstances! It’s good to know that he appreciated the original Spaceballs from a young age, and now he’s getting to join this sci-fi parody world with his dad. This will be the first time the father and son have acted in the same movie since 2017’s The Ballad of Lefty Brown. Spaceballs 2 will also feature the return of Rick Moranis and George Wyner as Dark Helmet and Colonel Sanders, respectively, and the other newcomers include Keke Palmer and Anthony Carrigan.

Spaceballs 2, directed by Josh Greenbaum, will be released sometime in 2027. The original is currently available to stream on AMC+ (which can be added on to your Amazon Prime Video subscription), and you can see Lewis Pullman in The Testament of Ann Lee in theaters starting December 25.

Comedy is a lot harder to pull off successfully than it's often given credit for. It makes sense that some of the best filmmakers in history began their careers as comics, or at least comedic actors, given how a great comedian's mind works. They see the world in completely different ways, and that way of looking at things often means great movies, like some of the best rom-coms of all time, but they aren't always comedies. Here is our list of great comics who became great filmmakers.

Mel Brooks

You really couldn't have this list without Mel Brooks. His movies, which he's been making for an astonishing seven decades, never fail to disappoint. His career stretches back to the 1940s! He reinvented comedy on film with his early movies like The Producers, Blazing Saddles, and Young Frankenstein, and while he doesn't do as much directing these days, he's still killing it when he does.

Jordan Peele

Of all the comedians-turned-directors on this list, the biggest departure from his acting career to his directing career has to be Jordan Peele. He first entered our collective consciousness with his legendary sketch comedy show Key and Peele, but starting with Get Out in 2017, he's become one of the premier horror directors in modern Hollywood.

Amy Poehler

Like so many comedians over the last 50 years or so, Amy Poehler got her big break on Saturday Night Live. She left the long-running comedy show in 2008 to work on her next hit show, Parks & Recreation. In 2019, she directed her first movie, Wine Country, and followed that up with 2021's Moxie.

Christopher Guest

Some of the most quotable movies of all time have come from the collective minds of the ensemble casts that Christopher Guest has assembled for his movies, like Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind. He serves as the director, but he gives great leeway to his fellow cast members in all of the movies.

Paul Feig

Though he's best known as a writer and a director these days, Paul Feig started as a stand-up comedian when he first arrived in Hollywood in the 1980s. He struggled as an actor before scoring a role in Heavyweights in 1995. While working on that movie, he met writer Judd Apatow and the two co-created Freaks and Geeks. The rest is history.

Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller's biggest early break came in the Ben Stiller Show on MTV, which blended sketch comedy with music videos. From there, Stiller basically took over Hollywood to the point that it seemed like he was making a dozen movies a year! Okay, maybe not that many, but he was in a lot of movies, including many that he directed, like Reality Bites, The Cable Guy, Zoolander, and Tropic Thunder.

Mike Nichols

EGOT winner Mike Nichols directed some of the most iconic movies in Hollywood history. Movies like The Graduate, Working Girl, and The Birdcage. Nichols started his career as part of the comedy duo Nichols & May alongside Elaine May, who also became a filmmaker of some renown.

Charlie Chaplin

There are few people in Hollywood history who are as important to the growth of the industry as Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin wrote, starred, and directed almost all his major hits from the silent era up until A Countess from Hong Kong in 1967. He even scored many of his movies. He started in show business in the very early 20th Century in comedic roles on stage before movies were even invented.

Rob Reiner

As the son of the great Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner has comedy in his blood. His biggest fame early came as Mike "Meathead" Stivic in All in the Family, but for most of the last half-century, he's been known for his writing and directing, creating such movies as This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally..., among many others.

Chris Rock

Like many SNL alums, Chris Rock has had an incredible career in Hollywood. He started acting as a teenager in New Jack City, but he quickly became known for his stand-up act and his work on SNL. He's long been a writer and producer, and he started directing in 2003 with his directorial debut, Head of State. He's been busy directing ever since, in addition to everything else he does.

Judd Apatow

One of the most successful comedy directors in the last few decades is Judd Apatow. He's a one-man show, in many ways, writing, producing, and directing hits like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, The King of Staten Island, and This Is 40. He's also produced a whole slew of successful comedies, like Bridesmaids, Anchorman, Step Brothers, and Pineapple Express. That doesn't even get into the TV shows he's produced or co-created, like Freaks and Geeks, Girls, and Crashing.

Harold Ramis

Without question, Harold Ramis belongs on the Mount Rushmore of comedy writers and directors. The list of movies he's directed and written (or co-written) is amazing. Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation, and Groundhog Day are just the tip of the iceberg. Like so many in his generation of comedians, he started in sketch comedy at Second City in Chicago.

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais gained worldwide fame when he co-created, co-wrote, and starred in the original version of The Office in the U.K. He's created a slew of shows since, and could even be credited with helping create podcasts with his early podcast, The Ricky Gervais Show. The stand-up comedian started directing films in 2009 with The Invention of Lying.

Penny Marshall

We lost a lot when Penny Marshall died in 2018 at age 75. She began her career in comedic roles, most notably as Laverne DeFazio, first on Happy Days, then in her own spin-off, Laverne & Shirley. Before long, though, she transitioned to directing. Her first movie, Jumpin' Jack Flash, introduced the world to Whoopi Goldberg as a comedic actor (her lone previous credit was in the drama The Color Purple) and went on to direct beloved hits like A League of Their Own and Big.

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane started mostly as a comedy writer, which is hardly a surprise. He then created the animated shows Family Guy and American Dad for Fox. He made his directorial debut with Ted in 2012.

Albert Brooks

The legendary Albert Brooks started his career in sketch comedy in collectives like The Credibility Gap and appeared on variety shows in the late '60s and early '70s as a stand-up. His first directing gig was as part of the first season of SNL, before directing his first feature, Real Life, co-written with his buddy Harry Shearer. His later movies include classics like Defending Your Life, Mother, and The Muse.

Keenen Ivory Wayans

The Wayans brothers have certainly left a huge mark on Hollywood over the years, and the oldest sibling, Keenen Ivory Wayans, is the one who got them all started. He created and directed In Living Color, which made him a household name, but he had already directed I'm Gonna Git You Sucka before that. His biggest success, of course, is the Scary Movie franchise.

Carl Reiner

Carl Reiner got his start as a writer and actor in comedy sketches on two shows starring Sid Caesar, Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour. He then teamed up with fellow writer from the shows, Mel Brooks, and together they released comedy albums in the early 1960s. By the end of the decade, he was directing movies, with his two most notable hits, The Jerk and Oh! God, coming in the late '70s.

Cheech Marin

One of the biggest comedy duos of the '70s is, of course, Cheech & Chong. Before long, Cheech Marin was directing movies without his partner, including his directorial debut, Born in East L.A., in 1987.

Woody Allen

WE couldn't have this list without Woody Allen. Setting aside any personal feelings people may have towards the actor for his questionable personal life, Allen is, hands down, one of the most successful comedy film directors in Hollywood history. The list of movies he's written, directed, and starred in is far too long to list here. He developed his famous persona while working as a stand-up comedian in New York in the 1960s.

Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton was one of the most successful comedic actors of the 1980s with movies like Mr. Mom, Beetlejuice, and Johnny Dangerously. He started taking on more dramatic roles as the decade came to a close, and of course, he starred as the Caped Crusader in Tim Burton's Batman. He made his directorial debut in 2008 with the drama The Merry Gentleman and, more recently, directed the underrated Knox Goes Away in 2023.

Bob Odenkirk

Along with David Cross, Bob Odenkirk first broke big on Mr. Show with Bob and David, but that was after years in sketch comedy on shows like SNL and The Ben Stiller Show. He has gained his biggest fame more recently as the character Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and the spinoff Better Call Saul (which somehow never won an Emmy).

Jerry Lewis

His comedy might not have been for everyone, but you can't argue with Jerry Lewis' incredible success over decades in Hollywood. Of course, he started as part of a duo with Dean Martin, but he soon took off on his own with movies like The Nutty Professor and The Bellboy. He directed both those movies as well, and would continue to direct his own movies throughout the '60s.

Donald Glover

While still in college, Donald Glover started doing sketch comedy in New York City. After graduating, he became a writer on 30 Rock first came to the public's attention in Community on NBC. His biggest critical success came with the show he created and produced the show Atlant,a in 2013. His first feature film directing gig came with Bando Stone & the New World, which is a companion piece to his album of the same name.

Jeff Garlin

For most people, Curb Your Enthusiasm is where they first saw Jeff Garlin, but his career goes back further than that. He also starred in The Goldbergs before abuse accusations led him to leave the show. Over the years, he's directed a number of movies, like the indie rom-com I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With and 2017's Handsome, which you can watch with a Netflix subscription.

Buster Keaton

Like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton was a huge figure in the silent era of Hollywood. Also like Chaplin, the comedian started in theater at the dawn of the 20th century and then began writing, directing, and starring in his own films in the teens. He was one of the biggest stars of the early film industry, making more than a dozen hits in the 1920s.

Bob Saget

Not only is one of the dirtiest comedians of all time (and his version of The Aristocrats joke proves it), Bob Saget was also so beloved TV dad and wholesome host of America's Funniest Home Videos. Saget's first directorial credit came in the hilarious and underrated Dirty Work, working with Norm McDonald and Artie Lang on what must have been just a wild film shoot.

Aziz Ansari

Aziz Ansari had his breakout role as a member of the cast of Parks and Recreation, but he was already an experienced stand-up when that show took off. He directed his first film, Good Fortune, which he also wrote and stars in.

Jerrod Carmichael

Jerrod Carmichael is one of the most popular stand-up comedians in recent years and got his first major exposure with The Carmichael Show on NBC in 2015. He made his directorial debut in 2021 with On the Count of Three, which he also stars in alongside Christopher Abbott and an ensemble cast that includes Tiffany Haddish, J.B. Smoove, and Henry Winkler.

Bo Burnham

Bo Burnham made his name as literally a one-man show with his musical comedy YouTube channel that he started in 2006 (the very early days of YouTube). His first job as a director came in 2018 with Eighth Grade, which he wrote and stars in, as well.

Robert Townsend

Robert Townsend was groundbreaking as a Black comedian-turned-filmmaker in the 1980s when he wrote, directed, and starred in movies like Hollywood Shuffle, The Five Heartbeats, and Meteor Man, which is a comic book movie that deserves a reboot.

Bobcat Goldthwait

Without a doubt, one of the strangest movies mentioned in this list is Shakes the Clown, which was the first film directed by legendary stand-up comedian Bobcat Goldthwait. He's directed seven independent films since Shakes and they are always unique and funny.

In my family, the legendary Mel Brooks is a comedy god. Throughout my childhood, I was exposed to Spaceballs and his cameo in The Muppet Movie, only to move onto The Producers and History of the World: Part I in my teen years. And while none of those are landing on the 2025 TV schedule, a Brooks-based TV project has been announced in development for the future. This time, Young Frankenstein is getting the jolt, and believe it or not, I’m quite excited about this news.

FX’s Very Young Frankenstein Has A Smart Team Behind Its Inception

It’s been quite the news day at the time of this publication, as the rather unexpected The Social Network Part II was announced. Similar to that breaking news, Deadline had the key details to what’s being called Very Young Frankenstein; which apparently almost has a pilot order from FX. Initial details on this project are rather promising, thanks to the original picture’s director being involved with this crack team of comedy minds. According to the outlet, Brooks has given his blessing to the potential series, and is on board as an executive producer.

If that's not enough, he's joined by three vets of FX's What We Do in the Shadows: producers Stefani Robinson and Garrett Basch (with the former serving as writer and showrunner) as well as Taika Waititi set to direct the pilot... if a pilot is ordered.

Three key pillars are present in this announcement that have inspired my abby normal perspective, the first of which is Mel Brooks’ blessing and executive producing. The second is present in Robinson and Waititi’s involvement, as I’m still basking in What We Do in the Shadows’ perfect series finale after six showstopping seasons.

Throw in a couple of other minds that the Brooksfilm empire has trusted over time, and you’ve got a recipe that’s promising no matter the premise. That leads us to producer Kevin Salter, who is connected to another major reason I’m not fretting over Very Young Frankenstein.

Mel Brooks’ Movies Must Always Be Respected, But Never Sacred

If there was a flag for the Mel Brooks state of mind, it would carry the words that Blazing Saddles used to tease its sendup of westerns: “Never give a saga an even break.” As the writer/director himself rode the line between paying homage to/cleverly satirizing old Hollywood, his own work has never taken itself too seriously.

I mean, how many years have we been making “The Search for More Money” jokes before that first Spaceballs 2 tease? That upcoming picture is also being produced by Kevin Salter, who worked on one of the funniest Hulu series to date: History of the World: Part II.

Now when that project was announced, I was more nervous than I am now about a Mel Brooks movie being tainted by a subpar adaptation. (I personally blame Spaceballs: The Animated Series, but that’s a trauma for another therapy session.)

I consider that 2023 limited series event the lynchpin to my rosy outlook on Very Young Frankenstein. I was shocked that the spirit of the original film carried over into a more modern context, and I got more belly laughs out of that hidden gem of a series than I expected. It shows that while Mel Brooks loves his cinematic children, he’s not afraid to let someone reinterpret them - for better or worse.

With a team who helped bring What We Do in the Shadows and History of the World: Part II to the screen, I couldn't be happier to give this new prequel a chance. And hopefully we'll all get to do just that, but it remains to be seen what the timeline will be if FX does indeed order a pilot. Should fate not side with Mel Brooks and his fellow creatives, then there's a chance this pilot might wind up falling into the same obscurity as the David Tennant legal dramedy Rex Is Not Your Lawyer. (Seriously, you should look that up.)

For now, let's keep ourselves prepared for any developments that may transpire in the future. Should Very Young Frankenstein get the go-ahead, we'll have to sing a celebratory round of "Puttin' on the Ritz," and I refuse to partake with fans who don't know the words. What would Mel think?

After constantly pondering if a Spaceballs 2 would actually happen, fans like me jumped for joy a year ago when Josh Gad teased he was writing a script for the anticipated sequel. With Gad’s comedic talents and Mel Brooks’ signature parodying magic coming into play, the Schwartz is strong with this long-awaited film! So, when Brooks displayed a Spaceballs sweatshirt during Spaceballs 2's hilarious teaser, it naturally made the internet’s week (and I've gotta say the EGOT winner looks amazing at 98).

Like Yogurt said in the original Mel Brooks movie, merchandising is important for a film's success. So, someone has already created their own merch with their fake popcorn bucket for Spaceballs 2 that needs to be a reality. I’m also still waiting to get my own Yogurt doll that adorably speaks, “May the Schwartz be with you!” However, Brooks was really already ahead of the merchandising game, wearing a “Spaceballs the Sweatshirt” sweatshirt at the end of the teaser that announced Spaceballs 2's upcoming release:

With this hilarious sweatshirt worn by the one and only Mel Brooks, I already have a feeling that Yogurt’s merchandising lair will make its way into the real world soon.

After seeing The Producers director wearing “Spaceballs the Sweatshirt," it deservingly made the internet’s week with plenty of X users chiming in with love, praise and questions about how to get this item of clothing:

• Mel Brooks wearing a Spaceballs: The Sweatshirt sweatshirt lol love it -@Todd_Spence
• Merchandising merchandising merchandising!!! Love Mel Brooks!!! 👏💖🐰🦄💯💖👏 -@tjx555
• Where can I purchase one?! -@gorham_betsy
• He is a comedy legend!!! -@Thp38
• Damn. I haven't been a merch type of person in a long time, but a new space balls is something to look forward to and it might make me merch guy again. -@taggart_wyatt

I can already imagine a full flood of Spaceballs fans searching far and wide for this sweatshirt so they can wear it to the long-awaited sequel's premiere. May the Schwartz be with them on their quest to acquire more fan gear.

Another topic a few users tweeted about in reference to this video that I agree with is how amazing Mel Brooks looks at 98. You’d never know that the US Army vet is very close to being a century old.

Born in 1926, Brooks is an example of a director who made a really good movie on their first try with The Producers and then continued making a name for himself with comedy gold like Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, History of the World, Part 1, and, of course, Spaceballs. I’m honestly so happy that he is still with us, working and able to produce the space opera parody sequel fans have been waiting over three decades for. Clearly, timeless talent and a fantastic sense of humor are good ingredients for aging like fine wine.

The internet is going wild not only for Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs sequel sweatshirt, but for looking so amazing at 98. Based on the loving praises they have for the Silent Movie director, Spaceballs 2 will be a great time for fans to celebrate the movie that taught us about the power of the Schwartz and the ageless comedy legend who created it. By the time the space opera sequel hits theaters in 2027, I’m expecting merch galore to make its way to die-hard fans.

If you felt a disturbance in the Schwartz yesterday, that was millions of Spaceballs fans losing their minds over the news that Spaceballs 2 has a release window set for 2027 and Bill Pullman and Rick Moranis may even return for the new movie, penned by Josh Gad. But the fun doesn’t stop there, as another actor is reportedly in talks to join the film, and fans have already cast him.

Alongside the news that Pullman and Moranis had reportedly signed on to this sequel came the news that Keke Palmer was on board to play a new character as well. Now THR reports that Lewis Pullman, son of Bill, is in talks to join his father in the sequel. To say fans are on board with the casting of one of the stars of the recent Thunderbolts* movie would be an understatement, and they’ve already cast him as the film’s version of Kylo Ren. Comments include:

• no other option than for lewis to parody ben solo - @balancedpadawan
• BEN SOLO PARODY I USED TO PRAY FOR TIMES LIKE THESE - @theres_a_bea
• If this ends up true and he plays the parody of Ben Solo you’ll never hear me shut up about it - @isacchili
• WELCOME BACK KYLO REN - @hxwkes_
• omg is he gonna be the kylo ren knock off?? if so, i will be obsessed - @anxious_kitty

Once somebody says it, it’s difficult to see anything else. If we assume that Spaceballs 2 is going to take more than a little inspiration from the Star Wars sequel trilogy, then creating a character who is a take on Kylo Ren makes sense. And since that character should be the son of Lone Starr, Bill Pullman’s Han Solo-esque character from the first film, casting his actual son makes all the sense in the world.

Now I’m envisioning Lewis Pullman as an extra winy goth kid throwing a temper tantrum, and I’m already laughing. The Top Gun: Maverick actor won’t just look the part because he’s the son of Bill Pullman either; he would simply be an inspired choice to be a parody of Adam Driver. I am fully on board with this entire idea.

And if the reports of Rick Moranis being back turn out to be accurate, then things could get really exciting. Kylo Ren never got to actually interact with Darth Vader. One can only imagine how hilarious it will be if their parody versions cross paths.

With the film still two years away, there’s a lot that could still happen, but the fact that the sequel is on the way with a fantastic reported cast is glorious. Now we can focus on the important debate of whether it should be called Spaceballs 2: The Search For More Money or if they should title it Spaceballs 3: The Search For Spaceballs 2.

Mel Brooks is one of the great comedy geniuses of the 20th century. He has so many fantastic films that it's hard to pick a favorite, but Spaceballs has to be near the top of any list. His Star Wars spoof is so spot on that it even makes fun of franchises and sequels. Well, soon it will be one.

Spaceballs 2 Has The Perfect Announcement Teaser

Josh Gad had previously revealed that he had written a sequel to Spaceballs, but beyond the fact that it existed, what we know about Spaceballs 2, like what it will be about or when we might see it, was limited at best. That just changed as an official Spaceballs 2 announcement just dropped that confirmed the movie is coming and set for a 2027 release. Check out the hilarious announcement above.

The teaser is perfect. The original Spaceballs included a Star Wars-style opening crawl that was as funny as anything else in the movie. This one is focused on poking fun at the absolutely massive number of sequels and reboots that have been released over the last four decades.

Rick Moranis And Bill Pullman Are Set To Return For Spaceballs 2

However, the best part of the Spaceballs 2 news isn't the jokes, it's the news of who will be in the movie. Deadline reports Bill Pullman, who starred in the first film as Lone Starr, will be back, as will Dark Helmet himself, Rick Moranis.

The Rick Moranis return is especially noteworthy, as the actor has been largely retired from acting for quite some time. He did not return for either of the recent Ghostbusters sequels, even though there were apparently attempts to get him back. So it's worth calling out how his return for this sequel is a big deal.

As a huge Rick Moranis fan in general, and an equally big Dark Helmet fan specifically, this has me quite happy. Any attempt to make another Spaceballs would be handicapped from the outset if Moranis wasn't involved. Nobody else is quite as capable of being as funny, even while being covered by a giant metal facemask.

It seems that Josh Gad and Rick Moranis were simply destined to work together at some point. Gad spent several years trying to get a legacy sequel to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids off the ground. There were reports at one time that Moranis would return for the sequel, and while those rumors were never confirmed, the whole project eventually fell apart anyway.

Mel Brooks will also be back in the new Spaceballs. Brooks played two parts in the original film: as the leader of the Spaceballs, President Skroob, and as the Yoda parody, Yogurt. Brooks is confirmed to be playing Yogurt again. No word on if he'll also play Skroob, but considering Skroob ends the original movie with Dark Helmet on the Planet of the Apes, it's at least possible.

Not to pat myself (or you) on the back too hard, but if you clicked on this article, then you are a true cinephile. And, do you know how I know that? Because not only do you love watching films, you also enjoy reading about them, and not just about everything heading to theaters in 2025.

Because honestly, do you have any idea how hard it is to get people to read anything these days? Even when it’s a movie based on a book, a lot of people are like, “Nah, I’m good,” when you ask them if they’ve read the source material.

So, the books I’m about to discuss are from a wide range of topics. Because filmmaking is not just directing. It's also a number of other elements as well. So, without further ado, here are 7 great books about the craft of filmmaking.

Room To Dream-David Lynch and Kristine McKenna

We lost David Lynch not too long ago, and it was a pretty big blow. I’ve already written about how there will never be another director like him, but that was concerning his films. However, if you read Room to Dream, which is part memoir, part biography, you’ll also learn that there will never be another human being like David Lynch, either.

Co-written by Kristine McKenna, who handles the biography side, Lynch handles the memoir side, where he comments on things McKenna wrote, and even describes how the things she details about his films aren’t exactly how he remembers them.

Cerebral? Yes. Cheeky? Also yes. It’s also really insightful since he goes into aspects about his films that were left ambiguous.

And, while I’ve always been a fan of his movies, I never really knew much about him outside of his films, so this book reveals that Lynch was more than just his work. He had a personal life, too!

In short, if you love (and miss) David Lynch, then there’s no better book than Room to Dream.

Pick up Room to Dream on Amazon

Lloyd Kaufman: Interviews

From high art to lowbrow. Troma Entertainment co-founder, Lloyd Kaufman, is probably most known for his gross out films like Terror Firmer. However, you might change your feelings about the man once you read Lloyd Kaufman: Interviews, which features op-eds, commentaries, and yes, interviews with the man who brought us The Toxic Avenger (who I’m a huge fan of).

What’s great about this book is that it shows that even schlock is hard work, as Kaufman has made a whole career of shocking and entertaining viewers.

The book goes over Kaufman’s savvy business practices, at points acknowledging that some of Troma’s most shocking films wouldn’t make much money at the box office, but would find their audience on home video.

I also love learning about the importance of branding, as Kaufman goes over how the Troma brand sells itself (Which, I can attest to since I’ll watch anything from Troma–Like Surf Nazis Must Die).

Lloyd Kaufman: Interviews is an excellent book (with a great intro by Mathew Klickstein!) that gets into the business of filmmaking. Plus, Kaufman reveals his 5 favorite Troma movies, so that’s fun!

Pick up Lloyd Kaufman: Interviews on Amazon

All About Me! My Remarkable Life in Show Business-Mel Brooks

Speaking of business, there’s no business like show business, right? And, who better to give you a discussion of the matter than Mel Brooks?

In this lengthy (and fun!) book, Brooks talks about his humble beginnings in Brooklyn, to his time in the Army, to the real meat and potatoes, his time making films.

What’s great is that after talking about meeting his future wife, Anne Bancroft, we get whole chapters on some of his best known movies, such as The Producers, Blazing Saddles, and Young Frankenstein.

However, I mostly appreciate the chapters on the later Mel Brooks movies, like Life Stinks, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and Dracula: Dead and Loving It, as Brooks gets into how the entertainment industry changed throughout the years.

So, if you want to read a book about the process of becoming a success in Hollywood, then you can find worse guides than Mel Brooks.

Pick up Mel Brooks: All About Me! On Amazon

Every Frame a Rembrandt: Art and Practice of Cinematography-Andrew Laszlo

I’ve talked a lot about directors, but no movie would be worth watching without cinematography, and Andrew Laszlo’s book, Every Frame a Rembrandt: Art and Practice of Cinematography is one of the finest on the craft.

Going through the five films that he shot, this book goes over a number of things that I never even thought about when it comes to moviemaking, including the perfect lighting.

I also learned that cinematography is not just photography (Color me dim, but I honestly had no idea what cinematography actually was until I read this book).

What I dig most about it though is that it deals with movies that I actually love, with three of them being the Walter Hill movies, The Warriors, Southern Comfort, and Streets of Fire.

There’s also some Q+A sections that leave a little to be desired, but overall, if you want to learn about the craft of cinematography, then you’ve found your book!

Pick up Every Frame a Rembrandt: Art and Practice of Cinematography on Amazon

Purple Fury: Rumbling With the Warriors-Rob Ryder

Speaking of Walter Hill movies, I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up my favorite film of his, The Warriors, which is the quintessential ‘70s movie.

Well, in Purple Fury: Rumbling With the Warriors, we get an in-depth look at the film, but it's not from the director, leading actors, or even the screenwriter. Instead, it's from one of the extras!

The only book I've ever read of this nature, Purple Fury is the true story of a production assistant who became a location scout, and then, by happenstance, found himself actually in the movie as one of the Baseball Furies.

The book goes into the stressful nature of filmmaking, and how everybody plays a part, from the lowliest crew member, all the way up to the director.

It's a wild story, and one you will enjoy if you like hearing what it's like being on the ground floor.

Pick up Purple Fury: Rumbling With the Warriors on Amazon

Stuntman! My Car-Crashing, Plane Jumping, Bone-Breaking, Death-Defying Hollywood Life-Hal Needham

From a man on the ground floor, to a man falling off a building, this next book is one of the most harrowing and exciting ones you will ever read.

Written by quite possibly the greatest stuntman of all time, Hal Needham tells his story of starting off small and making it big in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

I’d seen movies like Smokey and the Bandit, and The Cannonball Run, but I had no idea that the guy who directed those movies also acted as a stunt double for Richard Boone earlier in his career.

Stuntman! Goes in depth when it comes to setting up dangerous scenes, and then pulling them off. It breaks down stunts in meticulous details, and it’s all as thrilling reading it as it must have been performing it.

It’s a book that really makes you feel like the Academy needs to make a category that recognizes stunt people immediately. So, for a thrilling read, check out this book.

Pick up Stuntman!: My Car-Crashing, Plane-Jumping, Bone-Breaking, Death-Defying Hollywood Life on Amazon

Acting In Film: An Actor's Take On Movie Making-Michael Caine

Lastly, I thought I'd close with acting (rather than start with it) and who better to give you tips on the craft than Michael Caine, who always has something interesting to say.

In his book, Acting in Film: An Actors Take On Movie Making, he goes over everything from preparing for a role, what it's like to be in front of the camera, and even what it’s like being a movie star.

What makes this book wonderful though is that you can literally hear Michael Caine's voice while you read it, which is what I'm sure all of his books, both old and new, must be like.

My favorite part of the book is when Caine separates the differences from being a stage actor, to being a film actor, as he gives several instances on how they are such different undertakings.

Honestly, if you have any desire to be an actor (or just love hearing about the craft itself), then I can't recommend this book enough.

Pick up Acting in Film: An Actor's Take on Movie Making on Amazon

So, those are seven excellent books about the craft of filmmaking that I highly recommend you check out. Which one are you picking up first, Ms./Mr./They Cinephile?

It's not unusual for directors to star in their own movies. Alfred Hitchcock famously made cameos in almost all of his movies and Quentin Tarantino appears in all of his in one way or another. It's rarer for a director to appear in a fellow director's movie. It's hardly unheard of, as we found plenty of interesting examples. So without further ado, here is our list of directors who appeared on other directors' movies.

Steven Spielberg - The Blues Brothers

Before the tragic accident on the set of The Twilight Zone, John Landis and Steven Spielberg were good friends. So good, in fact, that Spielberg showed up in a cameo in the Landis classic The Blues Brothers. Spielberg plays the Cook Country Accessor at the end of the movie who takes payment from Jake and Elwood.

David Lynch - The Fablemans

In a very meta moment, David Lynch plays another great director, John Ford, in Steven Spielberg's The Fablemans. The late Lynch didn't show up in movies often, even his own, so it's a fun moment in a movie by a legend, starring a legend as a legend.

John Landis - Spider-man 2

John Landis has twice done cameos in Sam Rami movies, both times appearing as a doctor, the most famous of which was in Spider-Man 2 where he plays a doctor killed by Doctor Octopus after performing surgery on the villain. It's a super quick moment and one that is easy to miss.

David Fincher - Being John Malkovich

David Fincher has occasionally popped into his own movies, including playing the voice of John Doe on the telephone so as to not give away the surprise later. He also has shown up in other directors' movies, specifically as a puppet expert in Spike Jonze's Being John Malkovich.

Roger Corman - The Silence Of The Lambs

Legendary B-movie director Roger Corman has a habit of showing up in other directors' work. It makes sense as he's a huge hero to many filmmakers who grew up watching his movies. In Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs, Corman plays the FBI director in one scene.

George Lucas - Beverly Hills Cop III

Beverly Hills Cop 3 is a pretty terrible movie, though thankfully the franchise was redeemed decades later with Axel F. Still, there is a pretty funny cameo in the movie when none other than George Lucas pops into the movie as a disgruntled patron of the amusement park that is central to the story.

Tim Burton - Singles

Tim Burton is not a director that shows up on the other side of the camera very often. In fact he has fleetingly few acting roles, but he does appear in Cameron Crowe's Singles. Crowe also has a cameo himself in the film.

Sam Raimi - Miller's Crossing

Sam Raimi is a director with a lot of acting roles on his resume, in his own film and in the movies by friends of his. One such cameo is in Miller's Crossing, a movie by the Coen Brothers. Raimi also has a cameo in another Coen Brothers movie, The Hudsucker Proxy.

Gus Van Sant - The Canyons

Gus Van Sant has a bit more than just a cameo in The Canyons, a movie that flew way under the radar when it was released in 2013, starring Lindsey Lohan. Van Sant plays a psychologist in the movie and has more than a couple lines, unlike many on this list.

Quentin Tarantino - Sleep With Me

Quentin Tarantino is always happy to cast himself in his own movies, but even before he was one of the premiere directors in Hollywood, he was popping up in movies he didn't direct. In Sleep With Me, by director Rory Kelly, which came out a month before Pulp Fiction, Tarantino has a memorable moment as a chatty party guest who breaks down the movie Top Gun in a very unconventional way.

Martin Scorsese - Quiz Show

Martin Scorsese's most famous on screen moment is as a rider in Travis' (Robert De Niro) cab in his own movie, Taxi Driver. He also shows up in Qui Show, directed by Robert Redford.

Tobe Hooper - Sleepwalkers

Tobe Hooper is a horror movie legend for his work directing the slasher classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in the 1970s. In 1992 he popped up in a cameo working alongside Stephen King in the adaptation of King's novel Sleepwalkers.

John Waters - Something Wild

Director John Waters has been in many of his own movies, but he occasionally shows up in other movies as well, like Something Wild by director Jonathan Demme in 1986. Waters plays a sketchy car dealer in the movie and is one of the most fun parts of the movie.

Amy Heckerling - Into The Night

1985's Into the Night was John Landis' return to directing after being cleared of manslaughter charges as a result of the on-set tragedy during the filming of The Twilight Zone movie. In the movie, another director, Amy Heckerling, shows up in a cameo as a waitress.

Jonathan Demme - That Thing You Do!

Appropriately Jonathan Demme, who had a number of directors appear in his films, plays a film director in That Thing You Do! It's a brief role, of course, and it is one of the only times the late Demme appeared in another director's film. Into the Night by John Landis being another.

Roger Corman - The Godfather Part II

Roger Corman, one of the most influential directors of all time had a few cameos over his career with one of the most memorable coming in The Godfather II, where he played one of the senators grilling Michael Corlene (Al Pacino) in the Francis Ford Coppola classic.

Spike Jonze - The Game

Before David Fincher returned the favor for Spike Jonze in Being John Malkovich, Jonze appeared in Fincher's The Game, one of the most underrated movies by a big-time director.

Wes Craven - Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back

The late Wes Craven appeared in movies or TV shows as an actor 24 times according to IMDB, though most of his movie appearances were in his own movies. One exception was when he appeared in Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back playing a version of himself directing a cartoonish version of Scream.

Frank Oz - Spies Like Us

Frank Oz has appeared as an actor in a bunch of movies, including The Blues Brothers, Trading Places, Knives Out, not to mention all his puppet and voice work over the years. One of his best cameos came in Spies Like Us where he played the proctor of a civil service exam. It's truly a classic and maybe the funniest moment in the movie.

Cameron Crowe - Minority Report

Cameron Crowe has a very brief cameo as a man on riding public transportation in Minority Report by director Steven Spielberg. If you blink - or aren't sure what he looks like - you're sure to miss the moment, but it's there. In fact, another Cameron, Cameron Diaz, is in the background of the same scene.

Robert Downey, Sr. - Boogie Nights

In his day, Robert Downey Sr. was pretty famous. Of course, that fame has been eclipsed by his son, but that doesn't mean he did carry a lot of respect within the industry even late in his life. Like when Paul Thomas Anderson worked him into a cameo in Boogie Nights.

Frank Darabont - King Kong

For many, The Shawshank Redemption is the best movie of the 1990s. It's director, Frank Darabont, doesn't make a cameo in Shawshank or any of his other movies, but he is very briefly in Peter Jackson's King Kong. It's another "blink-and-you-will-miss-it" kind of role.

Lawrence Kasdan - As Good As It Gets

Writer and director Lawrence Kasdan is most famous for writing both Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. He's also directed movies like Grand Canyon, The Big Chill, and Silverado. On rare occasions, he's taken acting roles like he did in As Good As It Gets, by director James L. Brooks of Simpsons fame. Kasdan plays a psychologist in the movie.

James Cameron - The Muse

The Muse, directed by Albert Brooks, features a handful of cameos by famous directors including Martin Scorsese and Rob Reiner. In a rare appearance on the other side camera is also director James Cameron, who only has a few acting credits to his name.

Mel Brooks - The Muppet Movie

it's certainly not surprising to see Mel Brooks on the big screen, but it is rare to see in a movie that he didn't write and direct. That's part of what makes his cameo in The Muppet Movie so much fun. The legendary EGOT winner plays the evil Professor Krassman who is working to control the minds of frogs. It's worth noting that despite his delightful performance, it's not one that contributed to his EGOT.

Eli Roth - Inglourious Basterds

Eli Roth is as much an actor as he is a director, though in recent years he's concentrated on the latter. Sure he appears in his own films, but he's also been a collaborator with Quentin Tarantino a couple of times, first in Death Proof and then in a more prominent role in Inglourious Basterds.

Jim Jarmusch - Sling Blade

Director Jim Jarmusch has a unique style as a director and so it makes sense he would appear in a movie with its own unique angle, Sling Blade, by director and actor Billy Bob Thornton. Jarmusch plays the server at a food truck in the movie, serving up French fried potaters.

David Cronenberg - Jason X

David Cronenberg has a long history with the Friday The 13th franchise, having directed an episode of Friday the 13th: The Series in 1988. He shows up in a cameo in Jason X.

John Sayles - Malcolm X

John Sayles has directed some great movies over the years including Eight Men Out and Passion Fish. He's also occasionally done a bit of acting, mostly in cameos like as a memorable FBI agent in Spike Lee's classic Malcolm X.

Werner Herzog - Jack Reacher

German director is never shy about being in front of the camera as he often appears in his own films and occasionally acts in other stuff, like playing a wonderful role on The Mandalorian on Disney Plus. He also makes a great cameo in the Tom Cruise-led Jack Reacher from 2012.

Martin Brest - Fast Times At Ridgemont High

Before Martin Brest hit the big time as a director of such '80s classics as Beverly Hills Cop and the criminally underrated Midnight Run, he scored a small acting role as a coroner in Fast Times At Ridgemont High by director Amy Heckerling.

Orson Welles - The Muppet Movie

Mel Brooks has a fairly substantial role in The Muppet Movie, but he's not the only director to appear in the movie. Hollywood legend Orson Welles also appears in the movie. Welles was a huge fan of Jim Henson and the Muppets and worked with them on more than one occassion as well.

Actors playing multiple roles in entertainment go back to the dawn of drama. Even the ancient Greeks did it. This is certainly true of the film era, where actors have been playing roles all the way back to the beginning. Sometimes it's as simple as playing twins, like Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin in Big Business, and sometimes it's more complex, like the great Peter Sellers playing three very different roles in Dr, Strangelove. In honor of those actors, here are some of our favorite examples of actors playing multiple roles in movies.

Peter Sellers - Dr. Strangelove

No list like this would be complete without the great Peter Sellers in his three fantastic performances in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Sellers plays the resourceful Captain Mandrake, the bumbling President of the United States, and the completely over-the-top Dr. Strangelove in the movie. Sellers was also supposed to play the character Major Kong, but injured himself on set and the the role went to Slim Pickens instead.

Kate Hudson - Alex & Emma

Films with stories within stories are often a good place to find actors playing multiple roles, as is the case with Kate Hudson in Alex & Emma. In the "real" story, Hudson plays Emma, a stenographer helping Alex (Luke Wilson) complete his novel. As Alex and Emma work on the story, viewers are taken inside the story of a novel where both Wilson and Hudson play characters in the novel. Hudson, in fact, plays four different versions of a nanny in the book.

Michael J. Fox - Back To The Future Part II

While nothing will ever live up to the original Back To The Future, Back To The Future Part II is still pretty fun. One of the things that make it so is Michael J. Fox playing Marty (of course), and his son Marty, Jr., and his daughter Marlene in the movie. Thomas F. Wilson, who plays Biff Tannen, also plays multiple roles in the movie as the various members of the Tannen family.

Jodie Comer - Free Guy

This one is a little bit of a fudge, because in Free Guy, Jodie Comer is playing her character and her character's avatar. So in some ways they are kind of, sort of the same character. Still, she plays the roles different and for that reason, she deserves to be on this list.

Rory Kinnear - Men

Men is an odd movie, but in a good way. Rory Kinnear is what makes it unique. On the surface, Kinnear plays the owner of an inn in a small town, but he also plays most of the rest of the men in the town, all of whom are pretty odd characters.

Lupita Nyong'o - Us

Jordan Peele's horror classic Us features all of the cast members playing both their main character and "Tethered" character with that excellent cast being led by Lupita Nyong'o, who plays Addy and Red. It would be fair to put any of the cast members on this list though, about 20 in total, but we don't want to make this whole list about Us, despite how great it is.

Paul Dano - There Will Be Blood

It'll come as no surprise that a few entries on this list are actors playing identical twins in a movie. We had to include Paul Dano as both Paul and Eli Sunday in There Will Be Blood because Dano's performance, especially as the preacher Eli, is transcendent. The final scene between Eli and Daniel (Daniel Day-Lewis) is one of the most intense scenes ever to appear in a film.

Scarlett Johansson - Astroid City

Director Wes Anderson's Astroid City has a movie within a movie telling the story of the movie. As such, and as you'd probably expect, there are a few actors playing both their "real life" characters and the actors playing them in the movie inside the movie. Scarlett Johansson plays both Midge Campbell and the actor playing Midege, Mercedes. Jason Schwartzman also plays two roles, as do Matt Dillon, Maya Hawke, and others.

George Burns - Oh, God! You Devil

The legendary George Burns played God in not one, but three movies in the Oh God series. In the third installment, he added another character, the Devil. The best scene in the movie comes when God and the Devil play a game of poker for the soul of Bobby Shelton, played by Ted Wass.

Bette Midler And Lily Tomlin - Big Business

Movies about twins separated at birth have been popular in Hollywood forever, but in 1988, director Jim Abrahams upped the ante with two sets of twins separated at birth. Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler are two sets of sisters who discover they were separated from their identical twin. It's a decent movie that hasn't really been remembered by many movie fans.

Eddie Murphy - Coming To America

Of course, we had to include Eddie Murphy on this list! There are multiple movies where the great comedian plays multiple roles, but in the interest of brevity, we're just including the best Eddie Murphy movie, Coming To America. Murphy's main character, Prince Akeem, is the only one that he plays in the movie. Clarence, the barber, is also Murphy, as is Saul, the guy who just hangs out at the barbershop all day. Finally, Murphy also plays the character you may remember from the "What's Going Down" episode of "That's My Mama," Jackson Heights' own Randy Watson!

Christian Bale - The Prestige

The Prestige is a movie that gets a little lost in director Christopher Nolan's fimography, though, like most of his movies, it's excellent. Nolan teamed up with Christian Bale again on the heels of Batman Begins for this movie about rival magicians. Bale plays Alfred Borden and Borden's assistant, Fallon, who are living with a secret that we'll keep in case you haven't seen the movie.

Mel Brooks - History of the World, Part I

Mel Brooks is a one-man force of nature. Not only did he write, direct, and str in most of his movies, but he usually played multiple roles as well. One of the best examples was in History of the World, Part I, where he plays four characters, one in each segment of the film.

Tilda Swinton - Suspiria

There is little that Tilda Swinton can't do, including playing multiple roles in movies. She first did it in 2002's Teknolust, before playing oddball twins in the Coen Brothers' Hail, Caesar! In Suspiria, she plays three roles, Madame Blanc, Dr. Josef Klemperer, and Mother Helena Markos.

Leonardo DiCaprio - The Man In The Iron Mask

The titular character in The Man in the Iron Mask, was, supposedly, a prisoner kept by King Louis XIV during his reign. In the movie, the mysterious prisoner is Louis' twin brother, the fictional Philippe Bourbon. Both the king and the man in the iron mask are played by Leonardo DiCaprio in this historically dubious retelling of a classic Four Musketeer tale.

Janelle Monáe - Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

As the title implies, there are a lot of layers in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. by writer and director Rian Johnson. One of those layers is just who Janelle Monáe's character is, either Andi Brand, the ex-partner of Edward Norton's character, or Helen Brand, her twin sister investigating Andi's unexpected death.

Arsenio Hall - Coming To America

Like his co-star Eddie Murphy, Arsenio also plays multiple roles in Coming To America. His main role, Semmi, is Murphy's trusted servant. Hall also plays one of the women the two meet at a club and one of the barbers, but the funniest character he plays has to be the preacher. Every line he delivers is hilarious.

Armie Hammer - The Social Network

Of all the double (and more) roles on this list, maybe the easiest to do double duty for is that of the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network. Don't get us wrong, Armie Hammer nails the role(s) as the swarmy twins who actually came up with the idea that would become Facebook. They may have had a case against Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg), but that didn't make them good people.

Graham Chapman - Monty Python And The Holy Grail

This is really an entry for all of the members of Monty Python, as all of them play at least four different roles in the movie. Graham Chapman plays King Arthur, so naturally, he gets top billing, but John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, and Eric Idle deserve the spotlight here. Actors Neil Innes, Sandy Johnson, and John Young also play multiple roles in the movie.

Halle Berry, Tom Hanks, Ben Whishaw, And More - Cloud Atlas

Cloud Atlas tells a story that spans centuries and in each timeline, the same core group of actors play different roles. This includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Ben Whishaw, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, and many more. It's a wild movie to follow, but all the actors are on point, for sure

Jack Nicholson - Mars Attacks!

While Mars Attacks! may not be the first movie you think of when you think of the great roles Jack Nicholson has played over the years, you should because he's actually really great in both of the roles he plays. It's not often thought of as one of Nicholson's best movies, but maybe it should be, because it is hilarious and he's a big reason why,

Hayley Mills - The Parent Trap

Both versions of The Parent Trap, the original starring Hayley Mills as twins separated at birth and the remake starring Lindsey Lohan as the twins are great movies. Mills and Lohan are both great at playing the dual roles of the twins who discover their parents separated them when they were babies and they never knew.

Mike Myers - Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

As the Austin Powers franchise chugged on, Mike Myers kept adding roles, but in the original, he started brilliantly as both the hero, Austin Powers, and the villain, Dr. Evil. It's hard to decide which character is funnier, but it's safe to say that without Myers playing the roles, neither would be as iconic and we wouldn't have as many classic lines from Myers.

Peter Sellers - The Mouse That Roared

While Dr. Strangelove is the most famous and revered example of Peter Sellers playing multiple roles in a movie, it wasn't the first time he did. A few years before the Stanley Kubrick classic, Sellers started in the wildly underrated war movie farce The Mouse That Roared. Sellers carries the movie in three different, ridiculous, and hilarious roles and it really should be better remembered today.

Margaret Hamilton - The Wizard Of Oz

Margaret Hamilton plays two different villains in The Wizard Of Oz. Of course, she plays the iconic Wicked Witch Of The West and Dorothy's obnoxious neighbor Almira Gulch, who takes Toto after claiming to be bitten by the innocent dog. Hamilton isn't the only actor in the movie to play dual roles, but both of her characters are the most developed of them.

Eddie Murphy - The Nutty Professor

Coming To America may be the best example of Eddie Murphy playing multiple roles, but The Nutty Professors and its sequel, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps definitely has him playing the most characters. Across both movies, he plays eight different characters. While both movies have their moments, neither quite reach the comedic heights of Coming To America.

Mia Goth - X

In The X series, Mia Goth plays both Maxine Minx and Pearl Douglas. the former is in Goth's wheelhouse, but the latter, an elderly woman who is the villain of both of the first two movies, X and Pearl. Goth is unrecognizable and brilliant in both.

Richard Pryor - Which Way Is Up?

Years before his Harlem Nights co-star Eddie Murphy started starring in multiple roles in movies, Richard Pryor pulled off the feat in Which Way Is Up? in 1977. While it's an uneven movie, it does have some funny moments, especially Pryor in one of his roles, the Reverend Lenox Thomas.

Cate Blanchett - Coffee & Cigarettes

Director Jim Jarmusch's Coffee & Cigarettes is a collection of short stories, 11 in total, that pay tribute to, you guessed it, those two popular vices. In one of them, Cate Blanchett plays a fictionalized version of herself and her fictional cousin, Shelly, who meet for a coffee and a smoke. The story is really just an uncomfortable conversation between Cate and the jealous Shelly, but it's one of the best stories in the movie.

Tom Hardy - Legend

Tom Hardy is never afraid to take on a tricky role and in Legend he takes on two, playing the psychotic Cray twins, Reggie and Ronnie. Based on the true story of the mobsters who gained fame in the mid-'60s as the owners of a popular nightclub frequented by celebrities in the "Swinging London" era.

Hilary Duff - The Lizzie McGuire Movie

Okay, we'll admit the plot of The Lizzie McGuire Movie is pretty silly. In it, Lizzie, played by Hilary Duff, of course, travels to Rome on a school trip and ends up in a weird love triangle of sorts with her Italian doppelganger, Isabella. Is it a great movie? Nah, not really, but it does fit on this list.

Adam Sandler - Jack And Jill

If you're an Adam Sandler fan, then you'll love Jack And Jill because you get twice as much Sandler as usual, as he plays the brother and sister, Jack and Jill. Honestly, unless you're a big Sandler fan, this is a movie you can skip, though it does seem to have fans for some reason.

In one of the best parody movies, Spaceballs, the wise sage Yogurt says we’ll all meet again for Spaceballs 2: The Search For More Money. Well, it’s been over 35 years since the space opera spoof first made us laugh, and we’re still waiting to see the hilarious cast of characters again. As Josh Gad works on a Spaceballs sequel, he recalls the funny story of pitching the new movie to creator Mel Brooks – which involves decades of Star Wars history and the “greatest compliment” from him.

The closest we’ve ever gotten to a Spaceballs continuation was in G4’s short-lived Spaceballs: The Animated Series, which was more of a retelling of the movie than a sequel. The second Spaceballs that never was first was thought of in 2013 with Dark Helmet’s Rick Moranis saying he and Mel Brooks were unable to come up with a working deal for it. Two years later, Brooks wanted to make a Spaceballs 2 that would start filming after Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but it still never happened.

Finally after talks with MGM, a Spaceballs sequel is a-go with Josh Gad starring, co-producing, and co-writing the script. In a podcast episode of Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa, the Frozen actor spoke about when he starred on the FX series The Comedians, he met his “idol” Mel Brooks when he came on as a guest star. Being such a fan of one of the best ‘80s movies, Gad shared a funny story of pitching his idea to Brooks:

For the record, Josh Gad does a scarily spot-on impression of Mel Brooks in the podcast episode! To tell Gad he’s got his “finger on the pulse” of the anticipated sequel must have been a real honor to receive from the man responsible for shaping the comedy film genre. It’s clear that The Wedding Ringer actor truly is a Spaceballs fan for constructing a 40-minute pitch of what he envisioned a sequel would be like. As the best movies from the Star Wars franchise have expanded ever since the 1987 classic, there’s so much more to spoof for a new movie that could come from the prequels, the J.J. Abrams sequels, and maybe even the TV shows. For Brooks to place his trust in Gad to take care of his comedy masterpiece truly is a genuine compliment.

Josh Gad’s latest update about Spaceballs 2 came from November when he said the draft was done and those who read the script were “blown away.” The Tony nominee talked more about his excitement about the highly-anticipated sequel and what we can expect from it, saying,

News like that makes the Spaceballs fan in me incredibly excited. Not only are we going to get some nostalgia feels for the spoof comedy it originated from but for the creator behind some of the best spoofs in film history. Mel Brooks movies have a way of relating to audiences by bringing back absurd moments found in our favorite movies, political issues, and life in general. I’m really curious what a modern sequel of the classic sci-fi comedy would look like and what would be spoofed this time around.

So far what we know about the sci-fi movie spoof is that Mel Brooks plans to produce with Josh Gad. Strays director Josh Greenbaum will be directing the second Spaceballs film, and he actually has a Star Wars connection of his own: He profiled sound designers of the franchise in the documentary short Behind the Mac: Skywalker Sound, which clearly means he has a passion for the George Lucas film series as well. With no word yet on the plot, I’d like to believe we’ll see some jokes surrounding the recent Star Wars films. Hopefully something in there about a certain Jedi’s hatred of sand, if we’re lucky.

With Gad being such a superfan of the original movie, I’m confident he’ll wow audiences with the continuation just like Brooks wowed him with his parody movie. Until we get sequel release date news, you can watch the movie that started it all on your AMC+ subscription.

Almost every Mel Brooks movie is hilarious, but the comedian’s greatest work is probably his Star Wars parody, Spaceballs. Unfortunately, despite a joke in the movie about a sequel, the biggest way the 1987 film would end up different from Star Wars is that no sequel would come in the short term. But Josh Gad is now attached to a sequel, and he just provided and update that should get fans excited.

Last summer, Josh Gad first teased that he had co-written a script for a Spaceballs sequel. Beyond that, details about Spaceballs 2 have been scarce. However, while speaking with Forbes, Gad confirmed that the script for the movie is complete. Not only that, but he also revealed what the reactions have been like from those who've been able to feast their eyes on the screenplay:

Considering that the Frozen alum makes reference to the film “Prophesied by Yogurt” one has to wonder if the movie will actually be called Spaceballs 2: The Search For More Money, considering that was what Mel Brooks' character, Yogurt, calls the sequel in the original movie. Alternatively, Rick Moranis had previously suggested that he thought the sequel should be called Spaceballs III: The Search For Spaceballs II.

Whatever the movie was called, Brooks previously recalled the idea of making a sequel surfacing almost as soon as the original film came out. Yet, ultimately, nothing ever came of it. Interestingly, the news that SB2 was being written came after Josh Gad appeared in another Mel Brooks revival, History of the World Part Two, a limited series that's available with a Hulu subscription.

As we understand it, Gad is set to star in the new film, with Mel Brooks acting as producer. Having said that, it still doesn’t look like the film has officially been greenlit. In addition, it's been reported that Josh Greenbaum will direct the long-awaited comedy. Greenbaum is known for directing the comedy films Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar and Strays.

While Spaceballs 2 may still be in the early days of conception, it certainly sounds like, from Josh Gad’s point of view, the film is honestly and truly making progress. As a fan of the classic sci-fi romp, I’m certainly excited to see the new movie, whatever it ends up looking like.

It has been a while since Hollywood has put out a good spoof movie, but the genre appears to be launching a comeback with the announcement of upcoming titles like Spaceballs 2. A follow-up to one of the greatest parody movies of all time (and, not to mention, one of the most celebrated films by Mel Brooks, who previously teased the idea of a Spaceballs sequel in 2015), is now in development at Amazon MGM Studios.

Will the Schwartz also be strong with this upcoming sci-fi movie? Well, we still have a while before we can make that judgment. So before we try to enter ludicrous speed, let’s take things slow and discuss the things that we do know about Spaceballs 2 so far.

What Is The Spaceballs 2 Release Date?

There is no confirmed release date for Spaceballs 2. A spot alongside the upcoming 2024 movies might be unlikely, but we can see it appearing on the upcoming 2025 movie schedule if it goes into production soon enough. If only the gag from the original Spaceballs about “instant cassettes” were real, we might be able to watch the movie already.

The Spaceballs 2 Cast

As of February 2024, the only known Spaceballs 2 cast member is Josh Gad, whose character has yet to be revealed. The actor's last attempt to revive a property starring Rick Moranis was a defunct follow-up to the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids movies. The comedy is also the Tony-nominated Book of Mormon star's second collaboration with Mel Brooks after appearing in the History of the World Part II cast.

According to a profile story by The Hollywood Reporter, Ariana Grande (who received a 2025 Academy Award nomination for her performance in Wicked) has been offered a role in Spaceballs 2. However, the pop star has yet to confirm if she is taking any of the major acting gigs she has been approached as of late.

What Spaceballs 2 Is About

As Spaceballs 2 is still in the earlier stages, we cannot report on any details about the story at this point. However, being a sequel to a comedy that famously pokes fun at the Star Wars movies, we might be able to infer that it will take aim at the more recent installments of Lucasfilm’s groundbreaking franchise set in a galaxy far, far away.

The original Spaceballs from 1987 is heavily inspired by George Lucas’ 1977 sci-fi movie masterpiece but with many distinct and uproariously silly differences — including a half-man, half-dog creature, laser-emitting rings, and a metaphysical force holding the universe together called the Schwartz. Bill Pullman and John Candy star as for-hire pilots Lone Starr and Barf, who are enlisted to rescue Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga), and her robotic courtier, Dot Matrix (Joan Rivers), from the ruthless Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) and President Skroob (Mel Brooks). Brooks also appears as a master Schwartz-wielder named Yogurt and his frequent collaborator Dom DeLuise provides the voice of galactic crime boss Pizza the Hut.

Josh Greenbaum Is Directing Spaceballs 2

Similar to when George Lucas handed directorial duties off to Irvin Kershner and Richard Marquand for the latter installments of his original Star Wars trilogy, Spaceballs director Mel Brooks will be succeeded by someone new to handle the follow-up. Set to helm Spaceballs 2 is Josh Greenbaum, who actually has a connection to Star Wars, having directed a short documentary profiling sound designers who have worked on the franchise called Behind the Mac: Skywalker Sound.

In 2017, Greenbaum made two feature-length documentaries both exclusively available with a Hulu subscription — Becoming Bond and Too Funny to Fail: The Life and Death of the Dana Carvey Show — before making his fictional feature debut with the hilarious Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar in 2021. He more recently directed 2023’s Strays, which features a funny Josh Gad cameo, and his upcoming Netflix movie — a documentary about Will Ferrell and Harper Steele called Will & Harper — premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2024.

Mel Brooks Is Producing Spaceballs 2 With Josh Gad

While Mel Brooks may not be in the director’s chair this time, the 98-year-old comedy legend is still involved with the sequel as a producer and will, hopefully, be coming back as Yogurt or Skroob or both! Also signed on as a producer is Gad, who also co-wrote the Spaceballs 2 screenplay, which he previously teased in an Instagram post from early June 2024. He told Forbes the following November that the script is finished and that "everybody who’s read it has been blown away."

Gad’s Spaceballs 2 co-writers are Benji Samit and Dan Hernandez, who also have their own connection to the very franchise they are poking fun at, having written the new Star Wars TV show, Star Wars LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, which became available with a Disney+ subscription in September 2024. The duo previously worked with Gad as writers for 1600 Penn and Apple TV+’s Central Park and are also known for penning Pokémon: Detective Pikachu in 2019 and 2023’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

How To Watch The Original Spaceballs

Spaceballs 2 is a sequel to a film spoofing a franchise that requires you to watch every previous installment to understand what is going on. That being said, it would probably be a good idea to watch the original beforehand, which can be done with an MGM+ subscription or an AMC+ subscription.

It should be noted, however, that this new film will actually be the second follow-up to Spaceballs. An animated spin-off series aired on G4 in 2008, for which Brooks’ returned as co-creator with Thomas Meehan and as the voice of President Skroob and Yogurt, along with Zuniga as Vespa, Joan Rivers as Dot, and Dom DeLuise as Pizza the Hut. Despite that, the show was not very well received by critics or fans, but anyone interested in checking it out can purchase episodes on Amazon.

• Stream Spaceballs on Amazon Prime
• Buy Spaceballs on Blu-ray on Amazon
• Buy Spaceballs: The Animated Series on Amazon

Ya know, a perfect official title for the sequel would be Spaceballs: The Schwartz Awakens but I can see a lot of fans being disappointed if it does not uphold Yogurt’s premonition that he and Lone Starr will reunite in Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money. We shall find out what Brooks, Gad, and co. end up calling the film soon enough but, until then, be sure to check back here for updates.

There has been a lot of talk about "nepo babies" over the last few years, and while it may seem like every actor has famous parents. That is hardly the case though, of course. Many of our favorite actors come from much more humble roots. So let's celebrate those stars with this list of actors who came from blue-collar backgrounds. 

Sarah Jessica Parker

Growing up in Ohio Sarah Jessica Parker had a huge family, with seven siblings and step-siblings. She's talked about how there were times her parents struggled to pay the bills and were even on welfare for a time. Though her mom ran a nursery and her stepdad was a truck driver, they still found a way to support Parker's show business dreams and eventually moved to New York so she could star on Broadway. 

James Dean

James Dean is one of the most tragic stories in Hollywood history, and his upbringing was pretty rough too. His father left when he was a toddler and his mother supported the two of them as a single mother during The Depression. That is until she passed away when Dean was only nine. He moved to Ohio and lived with his aunt and uncle where things stabilized for him. After graduating high school, he moved to LA and embarked on his all-too-brief career. 

Maisie Williams

Though she found fame at early age with Game of Thrones Maisie Williams' family struggled when she was younger. She was raised in a council house (public housing in the UK) until she was cast in the hit HBO show at age 12. 

Jeremy Strong

Jeremy Strong may play a scion to one of the wealthiest families on TV in Succession, but in real life, he had a much more humble upbringing. Strong grew up in the blue-collar area of Jamaica Plain in Boston and his father was a guard in juvenile jails in town. Eventually the family moved to the more upscale town of Sudbury, where he went to high school and discovered acting. 

Samuel L. Jackson

For most of his career, Samuel L. Jackson was a blue-collar actor working as much as he could. That makes with his upbringing as the son of a single mother who worked in a factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Shania Twain

Shaina Twain is best known as a country singer, of course, but she's done a little acting over her impressive career as well. It's a career that has taken far away from her humble roots outside Toronto, Ontario, where the family struggled. Those struggles led to her finding gigs as a singer at a young age and the rest is history.

Samantha Morton

Samantha Morton had a rough upbringing in the UK. Nine of her formative years were spent in foster care when her parents, who were addicts, weren't able to care for her. She had a couple of scraps with the law herself but started getting acting work in her teens and it all came together. 

Dolly Parton

There is no more revered person in Hollywood (or Nashville) than the great Dolly Parton. She's often talked about her humble beginnings in rural Tennessee as one of 12 children. She has always praised how her mother kept the family together through hard times and when Parton was 18 she moved to Nashville and hit the big time pretty quickly as a songwriter and a singer. 

Adam Driver

Megalopolis star Adam Driver moved around a lot as a kid, living all over from San Diego to Indiana. His stepfather was a Baptist preacher, but he was mostly raised by his mother in Indiana. After the September 11th attacks, he joined the Marines and served, like many other actors have over the years, for a few years before being discharged for a medical reason and starting his acting career. 

Al Pacino

Al Pacino grew up mostly in the South Bronx, and anyone from New York can tell you that the South Bronx in the '40s and '50s was a tough place to live. By his own admission he got in trouble a lot, as often happens with kids with hard working parents. Even as a actor early in his career he couch-surfed with friends until he started landing gigs regularly. 

Dax Shepard

Dax Shepard's family experienced the American Dream, according to the actor and podcast host. His mom worked at GM while he was growing up near Detroit and the family struggled, but as he got older, his mom's career grew and she moved up the ranks from janitor to executive, so by the time Shepard was in high school, she was quite successful. 

Ice Cube

Any fan of N.W.A. knows about Ice Cube's roots in South Central LA as the son of a janitor and a groundskeeper. As a result of desegregation, Ice Cube had the opportunity to get bussed out of Compton and out to the suburbs, where he thrived in English class, something he would make good use of later in life as the principal lyricist for one of the most successful rap acts of all time. 

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson, who has won the famed EGOT, was raised with her two siblings by a single mother on the South Side of Chicago. She started working in local theater at a young age and famously worked on the Disney Cruise line before auditioning for American Idol in the show's third season, which was, of course, her big break. 

Mel Brooks

The legendary Mel Brooks, like so many of his generation, was the child of immigrants. He was raised very poor in Brooklyn surrounded by people who worked in the garment industry. Instead of following in their footsteps, he went into show business and the world is luckier for it. 

Joan Crawford

Screen legend Joan Crawford would die a very rich woman, but she started life as the daughter of a construction worker in Texas. After her parents split up and her mother remarried, her stepfather got in trouble in Texas and the family moved to Kansas City where Crawford attended Catholic school as a work student. 

Jim Carrey

At one point Jim Carrey was the highest-paid actor in Hollywood, which is far cry from his humble beginnings in and around Toronto. For a time, Carrey has admitted, they were even homeless. Eventually his father found more stable employment and after dropping out of high school Carrey worked on his stand up routine and took shifts at a nearby factory. 

Misha Collins

Supernatural star Misha Collins grew up working class in Boston and he has said in the past that his family spent some time unhoused. He was lucky enough to gain admission to a prep school, which led him to the University of Chicago and eventually an internship at The White House during the Clinton administration before he concentrated on his acting career. 

Rosario Dawson

Rosario Dawson has been a part of two of the biggest franchises in Hollywood, Star Wars and the MCU. It wasn't always the big time for her though. Her mother was a teenager when she was born and never married Dawson's father, but did marry another man, from whom Dawson takes her last name. He was a construction worker first in New York and later in Texas. 

Jessica Chastain

Though she doesn't talk much about her upbringing, we do know that Jessica Chastain's stepfather was a firefighter and that her family life was a struggle growing up. She grew up in Sacramento with four siblings, though she lost one to suicide when she was in her early 20s. Chastain started acting as a kid and her career would eventually take off and she would become one of the most beloved and acclaimed actors of her generation. 

Daniel Kaluuya

Born of Uganda immigrants in London, Daniel Kaluuya was raised on a council estate in one of the city's most famous blue-collar areas, Camden. He didn't know his father growing up, but he excelled in school and started acting in plays while there. he started landing paying gigs in his teens and the rest is history.

Hilary Swank

Though she has humble roots as the daughter of an army soldier, Hilary Swank grew up in a stable household and even after her parents split up when she was 15, her mother moved with Swank to the LA area so she could try her hand at Hollywood. That bet paid off as Swank has been one of the best actresses around for decades. 

Charlie Chaplin

It could be argued that Charlie Chaplin was the first bonafide superstar of the silver screen. While he would eventually become Hollywood's biggest star and one of the most financially successful moviemakers of his era, his childhood was a hardscrabble upbringing in central London. His parents had no capacity to raise children and he bounced around reform schools and other group homes as a kid before finding his way, first in the theater then later in silent films. 

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez famously grew up "on the 6," meaning the 6-Train through the Bronx in New York City. Her father had a job as a computer technician and Lopez had a solid, yet definitely blue-collar upbringing. 

Woody Harrelson

Woody Harrelson has starred in some of the best roles in Hollywood over the last four decades, and one of them, Woody Boyd on Cheers, reflected his actual blue-collar roots in Indiana. The story of Woody Boyd and Woody Harrelson are pretty similar, as both were raised in rural Indiana. Harrelson was famously locked up in prison for most of his upbringing, and he eventually died in prison after Harrelson's career had taken off. 

Viola Davis

Viola Davis was actually born on plantation in South Carolina, if you can believe it. She was raised mostly in Rhode Island, however, but it was a hard upbringing which has described of being very financially unstable. 

Daniel Craig

Daniel Craig may be famous for playing suave, debonair, and sophisticated characters, but that's nothing like his upbringing. His father was a construction worker and bar manager, though Craig does have aristocratic ancestors. 

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix (and his late brother River) had a wild upbringing. His parent were part of a cult called the Children of God and Phoenix spent much of his early life living in South America as his parents traveled as missionaries for the religious group. Eventually, the family left the cult, adopting the name "Phoenix" as a sign of their rebirth as a family in a new life.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is famously one of the richest people in Hollywood, but that's not how she started out. Her mother was a teenager in Milwaukee, but before long Winfrey found herself in Nashville living with the man she considers her father. While still a teen in Nashville, she started working in radio, which would eventually lead to her media empire. 

Bella Thorne

The whole reason Bella Thorne became a professional actor was to help support her family growing up. After her father was killed in a car wreck when she was ten, Thorne's mother was left to raise four children on her own. It was a tough upbringing, but the acting gigs started coming more and more often and got her big break on the Disney Channel's Shake It Up in 2010. 

James Caan

James Caan was in some of the best movies in Hollywood history. The list of Caan's best movies is incredible. His father was a deli meat salesman and he grew up in the blue-collar neighborhood of Sunnyside, Queens, in New York City. He found acting while he briefly attended Hofstra, where he would also meet Francis Ford Coppola, who would give the role of Sonny in The Godfather years later. 

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez was raised by a single mother who had Gomez when she was just 16. Gomez has never been resentful, it seems, and credits her with raising her under such trying conditions. Gomez caught the acting bug at a pretty young age and ws soon landing shows on kids shows, leading to the insanely successful career we all know and love. 

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington had the definition of a blue-collar upbringing as the son of a beautician and an employee of the water company in his hometown of New York City. His parent worked hard to make sure he got a good education and after graduating from Fordham, he embarked on one of the most successful Hollywood careers of all time. 

Hollywood has a long history with the military. During World War II many actors and directors served and aided in the war effort in different ways. It goes way beyond that, however. Here is a list of actors who have served in the military, either in the US or in other countries. 

Drew Carey

Funnyman Drew Carey is not someone you expect would be a marine, but that's exactly what he was before making it big on television. The Price Is Right host served six years as a field radio operator in the Marine Reserves in his home state of Ohio after dropping out of college. You have to imagine being a radio operator would be a good experience for talking into a microphone, right?

Bea Arthur

During World War II, an entire generation of men were expected to do their part in the war effort. Women, on the other hand, were not expected to join the service. Bea Arthur thought differently and enlisted in the Marines. Of course, the world being what it was at the time, meant she served stateside, doing jobs like typing and later working in the motor pool. 

Jamie Farr

Though he is most famous for playing a corporal in MASH who did all he could to undermine the authority of his superiors, Jamie Farr served with distinction in the 1950s after being drafted in 1957. He was already in show business at the time, so much of his work involved USO shows. 

Mel Brooks

EGOT winner Mel Brooks served in the US Army during World War II and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. He joined almost straight out of high school in 1943 and was sent to Europe at the end of '44. He was honorably discharged in '46 and embarked on one of the most legendary careers of all time. 

Adam Driver

Like many in his generation, Adam Driver was inspired to join the military in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Shortly after the attack, Driver signed up for the Marine Corps. The Star Wars actor is very proud of his service, though it was cut short after he injured himself off-duty and was medically discharged due to his injury. 

Robert Duvall

One of Robert Duvall's most famous roles was as the psychopathic Colonel Kilgore who loved the smell of napalm in the morning in 1978's Apocalypse Now. He probably drew on his experience in the United States Army, where he served for a year in the 1950s, just after the Korean War. 

Don Knotts

Don Knotts might be most famous for goofballs on The Andy Griffith Show and Three's Company, but his time in the army was anything but goofy. Knotts served three years in the army during World War II and earned a slew of medals for his service in the Pacific theater. After the war, he embarked on what would become a legendary career in Hollywood. 

Morgan Freeman

It took a long time for Morgan Freeman to get famous, but once he did, he's been an ever-present voice in everyone's head. After high school Freeman enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he served for four years in the 1950s. After leaving the service, he moved to LA and got into acting, though it would really be another couple of decades of hard work before he found fame. 

Paul Newman

Few actors define "movie star" like Paul Newman. As one of the biggest stars of his generation, he is beloved for all of his roles over the years. Before heading to Hollywood, Newman served in the Navy during the Second World War, mostly on the aircraft carrier Bunker Hill. 

Richard Pryor

Comedy legend Richard Pryor made his business to ruffle feathers whenever and wherever he could. That includes during the two years he served in the army in the late 1950s. According to The New Yorker, he spent much of those two years incarcerated in a military jail after he and other soldiers stabbed a white soldier for a racial incident. 

Rob Riggle

Comedian Rob Riggle is one of the most dedicated Marines in Hollywood history. He joined in 1990 and served overseas multiple times throughout his 23-year career, including his time in the reserves. While most stints in the military were only a few years for the people on this list, Riggle served well enough and long enough to retire as a lieutenant colonel.

Jennifer Marshall

Jennifer Marshall might not be a household name yet, but fans of Stranger Things, know her as Max's mom Susan. Before becoming an actress, Marshall served five years in the Navy, including on the USS Theodore Roosevelt during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Jimmy Stewart

Jimmy Stewart was already one of the biggest stars in the world, having won an Oscar for The Philadelphia Story before he joined the army after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Unlike some actors like Ronald Reagan, Stewart was in the thick of the fighting as a member of the Army Air Force and was well-decorated for it, including winning the Distinguished Flying Cross. He remained in the reserves until well after the war, retiring in 1968 with the rank of brigadier general. 

Ice-T

Ice-T is not only an actor but one of the pioneers of hip-hop. He first got interested in music in the late '70s, while serving in the army. His time in the army wasn't exactly filled with glory, however. He was charged with theft while serving and eventually was found in dereliction of duty as a result. He cut his time short because he was already a single father and was honorably discharged in 1979. 

Gal Gadot

In Israel, most citizens are required to serve in the Israeli Defense Force and Gal Gadot was no different when she was drafted at age 20. She served her mandatory two years in the army as a combat fitness instructor. She was famously part of a Maxim Magazine spread of female Israeli soldiers during her time in the service before trying her hand at acting and landing her breakthrough role in Fast & Furious. 

Bob Ross

Famous for his calm demeanor and his big hair (a hairstyle he came to hate), Bob Ross doesn't seem like the military type. For most people, Ross is all about vegging out and destressing while watching him paint like magic on TV. Before all that though, he was a master sergeant in the Air Force. 

Robin Quivers

Robin Quivers is most famous for being Howard Stern's sidekick on his notorious radio show and co-starring with him in Private Parts, but long before she became a key part of Stern's team, she was an officer in the Air Force. She joined after college in 1975 and eventually rose to the rank of captain before leaving the military and starting her radio career. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Like a few actors, Arnold Schwarzenegger's time in the army was somewhat undistinguished. He, of course, served in his native Austria, which required one year of service from all young men. During his time, he was already a rising star in the bodybuilding world and he even went AWOL to compete. After he was discharged, he entered his first Mr. Universe competition, placing second, and the rest is history. 

Sean Connery

Though he just missed World War II, Sean Connery joined the Royal Navy in 1946 at just age 16. No, he didn't serve on a submarine, and the James Bond star wasn't a spy. His time in the service was somewhat short-lived as he was discharged for a medical issue less than three years later. He remained proud of his service for the rest of his life, however. 

Caitlin Bassett

Quantum Leap star Caitlin Bassett is a rarity in Hollywood, a female combat veteran. Bassett served for seven years in the army, including three overseas deployments to Afghanistan before being honorably discharged in 2017 and embarking on her acting career. 

Gene Hackman

Hollywood legend Gene Hackman enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1947 at just age 16. He served for almost five years as a radio operator, including for a year in China. After he was honorably discharged, he went to college and finally at age 30 started acting. it was a long road, but Hackman couldn't have imagined the success he'd find as one of the most beloved actors of his generation. 

Tom Selleck

Tom Selleck served for six years in the California Army National Guard during the height of the Vietnam War. By serving in the National Guard, it meant he didn't end up going overseas to fight, but that should diminish his service. The Blue Bloods star began his career with bit parts on TV shows and in commercials while serving, though it was years before he famously had to turn down the role of Indiana Jones. 

Marlene Dietrich

Though she never formally served in the armed services, we could not make this list without Marlene Dietrich's fascinating story. The German-born actress renounced her German citizenship in 1939 when World War II began and she worked vigorously for the USO during the war years, supporting American GIs. Later in the war, she was recruited by the OSS to record songs used for propaganda against German soldiers. After the war, Dietrich was awarded the Medal Of Freedom for her service. 

Gregory Gadson

Battleship star Gregory Gadson is more famous for his service than his acting, which is unique on this list. Gadson is a West Point graduate who was injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2007. He lost both legs but learned to walk again using cutting-edge prosthetics and later, incorporating his injury into his character in Battleship. 

James Doohan

Star Trek legend James Doohan served bravely with the Canadian army during World War II and participated in the Normandy invasion on D-Day in 1944. He collected a number of medals for bravery during his time in the war and was even shot six times in the battle on Juno Beach on that fateful day. He later flew planes during the war as well. 

Charles Bronson

One of Charles Bronson's most beloved roles is that of an officer in one of the best war movies ever, The Great Escape. Though he was Polish in the movie, he served in the US Army Air Force during World War II as a gunner on a bomber. He served with distinction, flying on 25 missions in the Pacific during the war and earning a Purple Heart. 

Kris Kristofferson

As a singer-songwriter and actor, Kris Kristofferson has usually been connected to the counterculture, but it wasn't always that way. Kristofferson grew up an army brat and despite being a Rhodes scholar in college, he was pressured by his proud military family to join the service. He was commissioned as an officer and served in Germany after completing Ranger training. He left the army in '65 and moved to Nashville, and the rest is history.

Mark Valley

Fox's Human Target was a short-lived, underrated TV show with an all-star that included  Chi McBride, Jackie Earle Haley, Indira Varma, and Janet Montgomery. It was led by Mark Valley, who played Christopher Chance, based on a DC comic character from a book also called Human Target. Valley himself is a graduate of West Point who saw combat in the first Gulf War.  

Jake McLaughlin

One of the more interesting stories on this list belongs to Quantico star Jake McLaughlin. McLaughlin joined the army after high school and served in the Iraq war, seeing combat in the earliest days of the invasion. After getting out, he worked a few odd jobs before landing a role in In the Valley of Elah. From there, he's never looked back, landing roles in multiple TV shows and movies. 

Jesse Ventura

While Jesse Ventura, star of the wrestling squared circle and movies like Predator, never saw combat in Vietnam, he did have an impressive service career. He completed BUD/S school, which is SEAL training, and served as part of an Underwater Demolition Team, the predecessors to the SEALs. Later he would become a politician and a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. 

J.W. Cortés

Fans of the Fox Batman prequel show Gotham will recognize J.W. Cortés as Detective Carlos Alvarez, who works with Jim Gordon in the Gotham PD. Cortés served for 13 years in the Marine Corps, including during Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

Remi Adeleke

2023's Plane is somewhat under-appreciated because it's a great action flick. Part of what makes it great is the breakout performance from Remi Adeleke. Adeleke plays part of a private military unit charged with rescuing passengers in a disabled plane stuck in the Philippines. Adeleke plays the part well because, well, he's a former SEAL in real life. 

The directors on this list are among the greatest in the history of cinema, with films that are considered the best of all time; films that will never be forgotten. What about those movies they brought all their tremendous talents to, but which aren’t remembered as well? Here is our list of great movies, by great directors, that don’t get talked about enough these days. 

The Frighteners - Peter Jackson

The Frighteners is such a great movie, and it’s criminally underrated. No, it's not as sprawling or overwhelming as Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films, but it has all the heart and more. Michael J. Fox leads as a con man/exorcist who can see and interact with ghosts. The Frightners is really funny, well-paced, and delightful. 

The King Of Comedy - Martin Scorsese 

When you think of Martin Scorsese, “comedy” is not usually the first word that pops into your head, but The King Of Comedy is really a pretty great movie, and while it’s technically a comedy, it’s really dark. Goodfellas has some comedy in it, like Joe Pesci acting like a clown… but a true (dark) comedy? This Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis-led film stands alone in Scorsese’s canon. 

Peggy Sue Got Married - Francis Ford Coppola

Peggy Sue Got Married is a deceptively simple film. Unlike Francis Ford Coppola’s more-talked-about epics like The Godfather films and Apocalypse Now, this film, starring Nicolas Cage and Kathleen Turner, is smaller, but that doesn’t mean it’s lesser. It’s a weird time-travel tale, but at its heart, it’s really a love story, and while it's not Coppola’s best work, it’s well worth a watch and should be talked about more often. 

Jackie Brown - Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Taratino has famously said that his next movie, his 10th, could be his last. Whether that holds true or not remains to be seen, but it’s a safe bet Jackie Brown will still be his least talked about.

Strange Days - Kathryn Bigelow

Kathryn Bigelow’s won Oscars (for The Hurt Locker) and she’s directed cult classics (Point Break). Strange Days is certainly closer to the latter. In it, Bigelow dabbles in science fiction, a rarity for her, but it’s unsurprising, as Strange Days was written by her then-husband James Cameron. It doesn’t have the iconic quotes that Point Break has, nor is it as white-knuckle as The Hurt Locker, but it is a great time capsule to filmmaking in the mid-90s and well worth remembering. 

Amistad - Steven Spielberg

Wedged between The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan in Steven Spielberg’s filmography, is Amistad. It’s easy to understand why this powerful historical drama revolving around a landmark court case regarding the slave trade is overlooked, but it shouldn’t be. It’s a moving story, told expertly as only Spielberg can, with a monster cast including Matthew McConaughey, Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman, and Djimon Hounsou, among many others. 

Clockers - Spike Lee

Let’s be clear here, Clockers is not Spike Lee’s finest work. It doesn’t reach the heights of movies like Do The Right Thing or Malcolm X, but it's still a really good movie. It gets lost in Lee’s stellar filmography, which is understandable. It’s also a testament to just how good Lee’s career has been. 

Talk Radio - Oliver Stone

Talk Radio has everything you expect from an Oliver Stone movie. Its pacing and storytelling are perfect, it’s a fascinating and terrifying story that pulls from the real-world events of a murdered radio show host. It also has a healthy dose of conspiracy, as any great Stone film does. 

The Bling Ring - Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring is a meta-tastic heist film that is not only a ton of fun to watch with celebrity cameos and great acting performances, but it also touches on some of the emerging trends that exploded in the years after the movie came out, notably influencer culture. It’s too often overlooked in Coppola’s stellar filmography. 

The Game - David Fincher

David Fincher is a master, and his filmography is full of great movies, like Se7en and Fight Club. The movie he made between those two classic is The Game with Sean Penn and Michael Douglas. Understandably, it’s overshadowed, but it’s an amazing film that is every bit as good as those two more talked-about movies. Even when people watch Fincher’s whole body of work, The Game gets overlooked and it shouldn’t. 

Casualties Of War - Brian De Palma

Casualties of War was released in 1989, which was the tail end of a slew of excellent Vietnam War movies released in the late ‘80s, like Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, and Hamburger Hill. Despite earning well-deserved praise from critics, the Brian De Palma film bombed, and as such, it's unfortunately one of the director’s least talked about movies when it should be one of the most. 

Matchstick Men - Ridley Scott

Usually, when movie fans talk about Ridley Scott, it’s his sprawling historical epics like Gladiator or Napoleon that dominate the conversation, along with sci-fi classics like Alien and Blade Runner. Matchstick Men is a smaller movie, a dark comedy about a con man with a myriad of personal problems played by Nicolas Cage. It’s a wonderful performance by Cage, and despite not performing well at the box office, it’s been well-reviewed over the years.

Inherent Vice - Paul Thomas Anderson

Inherent Vice from Paul Thomas Anderson is a complicated movie, based on a complicated book by Thomas Pinchon. It’s easy to understand why it’s not as talked about as some of Anderson’s other movies, like There Will Be Blood and Boogie Nights, but it’s every bit as good as those, featuring great acting performances and wonderful cinematography. 

Out Of Sight - Steven Soderbergh

Steven Soderberg is known for stylish filming techniques with snappy dialog and interesting plot twists. It’s all right there in Out Of Sight, but the movie still gets overlooked. It was Soderbergh’s first big-budget film, and maybe that’s why it doesn’t get talked about enough. It was also his first collaboration with George Clooney, which makes it even more confounding that it’s not more popular. 

Barry Lyndon - Stanley Kubrick

It’s hard to really argue that any of Stanley Kubrick’s films are not talked about enough, but Barry Lyndon comes the closest here. It’s most revered for its cinematography, but it’s also a wonderful story. While it doesn’t have the panache of A Clockwork Orange or the scope of 2001: A Space Odyssey, it’s still a Kubrick film and it’s one of the best ever made. 

Stardust - Matthew Vaughn

Matthew Vaughn has quietly put together one of the finest resumes in Hollywood. The Kingsman movies are a hot franchise, he’s dabbled in Marvel, and may have inspired the choice of Daniel Craig as James Bond after directing him in Layer Cake. Stardust seems to get lost in the shuffle, but it’s maybe, low key, his best film. 

Ryan's Daughter - David Lean

David Lean is rightfully most remembered for three films, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, and Doctor Zhivago. Lost in the discussion of those films is Ryan’s Daughter, a retelling of Madame Bovary set at the end of World War I. It was the last film Lean directed for 14 years and we can only wonder what he might have done had he not semi-retired. 

Fantastic Mr. Fox - Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson has developed one of the most distinct styles in film history, which translates brilliantly to animation, as well. Anderson’s first foray into the genre was Fantastic Mr. Fox, starring George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Bill Murray, among others. While it may never outshine his live-action classics, it should be discussed more as one of his best works. 

Bound - The Wachowskis

The DNA of the Wachowskis is very evident in Bound, their first movie. It was made on a shoestring budget, so it doesn’t have the over-the-top effects of The Matrix series, but you can see where they were headed in their filmmaking. 

Intolerable Cruelty - Coen Brothers

When you have a filmography like the Coen Brothers, inevitably, some of the movies won’t get talked about as much as others. Intolerable Cruelty is one of those that gets lost in the mix, behind movies like The Big Lebowski and others that are among the best movies of the ‘90s and beyond. 

Insomnia - Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan is among the most beloved directors of the 21st century, creating what feels like independent films, but with monster budgets. That DNA was on display early in his career with Insomnia, which has everything you’d expect from a Nolan movie, but with less than half the budget of Oppenheimer. 

The Fan - Tony Scott

There are few better action directors in Hollywood history than Tony Scott. Most remembered today for classics like Top Gun, and Days of Thunder, The Fan should be talked about more. It’s not a perfect movie, but De Niro’s performance is terrifying (in a great way) as a baseball fan obsessed with Wesley Snipes' character. It’s action horror, and it’s great. 

Vincent And Theo - Robert Altman

Robert Altman had one of the most up-and-down careers in Hollywood history. After a string of successes in the ‘80s, his career was almost sunk by Popeye. It took years for him to rebound, but he did with Vincent & Theo. That led to a career revival, but it’s hardly remembered anymore, overshadowed by his early and later films. 

She's Having A Baby - John Hughes

One of the biggest reasons John Hughes is so loved by people who came of age in the ‘80s and ‘90s was his ability to write and direct genuine teenage characters. That extended to a young married couple starting their lives together in She’s Having A Baby. It’s not as quotable as some of Hughes’ other movies, but it’s still sharply written and a fun watch. 

Only The Lonely - Chris Columbus

Chris Columbus has some directed some huge films in his career, most notably Home Alone and Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone. He's also got movies like Mrs. Doubtfire and Adventures in Babysitting on his resume. One film that is not talked about enough is Only The Lonely starring John Candy as a man looking for a wife, but dealing with a controlling mother. 

Beowulf - Robert Zemeckis

Generations of high schoolers have been confounded and frustrated by Beowulf. Some love the old English classic, but many hate it. It takes a bold director to take it on as a movie. Robert Zemeckis makes it work, and work well. Still, given the material, it’s not a surprise it’s not talked about as much as Zemeckis’ more popular movies like Back to the Future. 

Great Expectations - Alfonso Cuaron

Director Alfonso Cuaron has made some of the best movies of the last 20 years, including Roma, Gravity, and Y tu mamá también. One of his films that doesn’t get talked about much anymore is 1998’s Great Expectations starring Gwenyth Paltrow and Ethan Hawke. It’s a bold modernization of the classic Dickens novel that can be polarizing, but still worth talking about more.

Ed Wood - Tim Burton

Of all the movies Tim Burton has made, it’s unsurprising that Ed Wood is one of his least discussed. It’s a love letter to legendary B-Movie director Ed Wood, and despite being filled to the brim with great performances, it's not as popular as many of Burton’s other works. 

Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil - Clint Eastwood

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is not exactly the kind of film you might expect from Clint Eastwood, but you should. Some of his best work is when he strays away from the tough guy movies he’s so well known for and this is a great one, starring John Cusack and Kevin Spacey. 

Away We Go - Sam Mendes

Sam Mendes is best known for movies that cover heavy topics, movies like American Beauty, 1917, and Road to Perdition. That's probably the reason 2009's Away We Go with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph isn't talked about as much, but it's a sweet movie about a couple dealing with major changes in their life and how to handle them. 

Sleepers - Barry Levinson

Sleepers is a dark, dark film. It's also really, really good. With an all-star cast that includes Brad Pitt, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Kevin Bacon, and many more, it's surprising it doesn't get talked about as much as some of director Barry Levinson's other work, but given the subject matter, it can be a very hard watch.  

High Anxiety - Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks is a living legend and his filmography is filled with some of the most quotable movies of all time. One that doesn't get quoted much, or even talked about much, is High Anxiety. It was, believe it or not, the first time Mel Brooks also played the lead in one of his movies, so that alone should garner more attention. 

Great directors usually have long filmographies, so it's only natural that some of their finest work would be talked about less than their most groundbreaking or biggest films. That said, many movies should be talked about as much as those classics, but aren't. Here's to that changing now! 

If you’re familiar with actress Chase Masterson, that’s likely because you’ve seen her play Leeta in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (as seen above), a role she vocally reprised in the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks, which can be viewed with a Paramount+ subscription. However, before she joined the Trek franchise, Masterson had a bit part in Robin Hood: Men in Tights, one of those amazing ‘90s movies no one ever talks about anymore. As it turns out, Masterson’s role in Men in Tights was originally supposed to be bigger, and the actress shared a heartwarming recollection of how Brook made it up to her when her big scene was cut.

Masterson went on X to share a Mel Brooks “appreciation” thread, and started off by saying how Brooks was in the room when she auditioned for Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and after they built a “fun rapport,” she was cast as Lady Godiva. However, it wasn’t too long afterwards that Masterson learned that the role had been written out, but not to be deterred, she thought if she found a way to make Brooks laugh, he’d figure out a way to keep her in the movie. So she made "a scroll w/dowels & red tassels from the fabric store," and wrote the following in calligraphy:

There once was an actress named Chase
Who had a quite pliable face
Lead, supporting, or bit
She was a sure hit
Mr. Brooks, you must find me a place!

Talk about initiative! Chase Masterson’s determination paid off, as Mel Brooks kept her around to play the “main squeeze” of Richard Lewis’ King Richard. There was specifically a moment where Masterson’s character told the king he was a “fresh prince,” of course referencing the popular Will Smith-led TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which celebrated its 33rd anniversary in September. All this led to another encounter between Masterson and Brooks at a reception at the Beverly Hills restaurant Kate Mantilini’s, which closed in 2014:

So although Masterson’s big moment to shine didn’t make the final cut of Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Mel Brooks ensured that she got a little bit of screen time to ensure she still earned residuals, and that continues to this day. Masterson described them as her “favorite residuals and capped off her thread by thanking Brooks and saying he was “phenomenal” in every way. The actress and Richard Lewis’ costars in this great ‘90s movie that got bad reviews included Cary Elwes, Roger Rees, Amy Yasbeck and Dave Chappelle, among many others.

If you’re now in the mood to stream Robin Hood: Men in Tights, that can be done with a Max subscription. It’s just one of the many online platforms where you can find Mel Brook’s movies, but if you’d rather look to the future, then use our 2024 movies calendar to plan your theatrical entertainment in the coming year accordingly.

There is no genre more near and dear to my heart than comedy. The skills necessary to make others laugh -- whether live and in-person or through a screen -- are a unique and beautiful combination that should be protected at all costs. Some artists are able to do so without leaning in to touchy subjects or cursing, while others go all the way to really earn that R rating. The tactics may differ, but the end goal is the same, to bring others joy through jokes. 

Many comedians see movies as the apex of a potential career, but most don't start out their careers in Hollywood. Many grow first through either stand-up comedy or sketch comedy. This list honors them. Here's a look back at famous actors who started in either the stand-up or sketch comedy world and went on to bigger screens.

Rainn Wilson

Known as arguably one of the best characters on the hit show The Office, Rainn Wilson got his start in the arts in New York City where he studied acting at NYU. He went on to do theater both off and on Broadway as well as sketch comedy. He even did a post-modern clown show before getting his big break on the show Six Feet Under in 2001. 

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg got her start by studying drama in New York, where she landed a few stage performances before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. Like many others on this list, her comedy routine -- "The Spook Show" -- caught the attention of Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols, who helped get the young comedian to Broadway. She eventually landed her first film in Steven Spielberg's film The Color Purple, for which she earned an Oscar nomination in 1986. 

Steve Buscemi

The veteran character actor made his acting debut in 1985, but also tried his hand at stand-up comedy. Eventually, Busemi decided he "wasn't funny enough," and switched to acting instead. Buscemi has since starred in popular movies including Fargo, Resevoir Dogs, and the hit HBO Max show Boardwalk Empire.

Emma Thompson

If you're looking for a stand-up with some serious credentials, look no further than Emma Thompson. Winner of two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, a British Academy Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, the talented actor got her start in stand-up while in Cambridge. 

John Candy

Arguably one of the greatest comedy legends to ever live, John Candy led a fascinating life, getting his big break after joining the ensemble of SCTV — which is, essentially, the Canadian equivalent to SNL. In 1989, the star even added radio personality to his resume. The LA Times did a whole write-up of his syndicated, two-hour program, Radio Kandy, which sounds wild and apparently included rock music and comedy sketches featuring some of his former SCTV co-stars.

Mo'Nique

Mo'Nique started her comedy career with stand-up, heading to It's Showtime at the Apollo and Def Comedy Jam before eventually landing a leading role on TV's The Parkers. The comedian took her acting to the next level in 2009's Precious, for which she won an Academy Award.

Steve Carell

A versatile actor with numerous groundbreaking performances in both television and film, Steve Carrell was once a legend at Second City in Chicago who went on to land his dream job working on the ill-fated Dana Carvey Show, which you can learn about in Too Funny To Fail, one of the best comedy documentaries to date. Known best for his role as Michael Scott in the U.S. adaptation of The Office, Carell eventually went on to become a leading man in both comedies and dramas. 

Michael Keaton

To put himself through college where he studied acting, Michael Keaton worked as a cab and ice cream truck driver, and it wasn't until 1975 that he officially debuted on television. He did some stand-up comedy in his early 20s, which he recounted in an interview with Ellen, but he eventually found the right calling with movies.

Tina Fey

Known for her work on the smash hit show 30 Rock, Tina Fey got her start in acting at Second City which quickly led to a job at Saturday Night Live as notably one of the only female writers at the time. She got her break co-hosting Weekend Update and later went on to be a huge star in Hollywood. 

Jamie Foxx

It all started with a dare from a girlfriend to try his hand at an open mic. Flash forward some years and that performance led Jamie Foxx to multiple awards, including two Academy Awards, double digit Grammys, and three Golden Globe Awards, all while showing a versatile ability to crush performances across multiple genres and artistic art forms.

John Cleese

Coming from the United Kingdom, John Cleese is a British comic actor best known for his television work on Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers. Cleese began writing and performing in comedy revues at Clifton College in Bristol, England, and was a member of the renowned Footlights Club while a law student at the University of Cambridge. He is best known for his work with Monty Pythion, namely Monty Python And The Holy Grail. 

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais went to school at Ashmead Comprehensive School before going on to study at University College, London, where he gained a degree in Philosophy. After university, Gervais attempted to pursue a pop career with Seona Dancing, a synth-pop duo he formed with a fellow student. After forming a writing partnership with Stephen Merchant, he would go on to land his breakout role on The Office, premiering in 2001. In between all his acting gigs, he's performed plenty of stand-up and has multiple Netflix specials. 

Eddie Murphy

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, SNL star Eddie Murphy began performing his own comedy routines at 15. In 1980, the work of the soon-to-be comedy legend caught the attention of Saturday Night Live producers. In 1982, Murphy landed his first leading role in the film, 48 Hrs, which led to multiple leads in classics such as Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. He went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Dreamgirls and truly set the bar by playing six characters in the 1996 smash hit, The Nutty Professor. His '80s comedy specials are still discussed today. 

Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer is certainly better known these days for her work in numerous films including the fantastic Trainwreck, but most of those career opportunity doors opened through her stand-up comedy. She built a name for herself through her work on the live mic before mostly switching to movies.

Chris Rock

An SNL vet, Chris Rock's comedy career began in 1984 at 19 when he took the stage in the New York City club Catch a Rising Star. His performance ended up catching the eye of future comedy legend Eddie Murphy, who had been watching his act. Murphy would become a huge presence in Rock's life and served as a mentor, giving him his first break with a role in Beverly Hills Cop II.

Ron Perlman

Known for very courageous roles such as Clay Morrow on the FX show Sons Of Anarchy, Ron Perlman said his ventures as a stand-up comedian ended after a heckling exchange in the Bronx escalated and he retreated out of the venue through the back door, which seems like a strange move for such an intimidating man. 

Robin Williams

Arguably one of the best comedians of all-time, Robin Williams studied acting at the Juilliard School, which he later dropped out of to devote himself entirely to stand-up comedy before making the leap to television and movies. Known for his high energy and skillful impressions, he himself has inspired other actors to reenact some of his most dramatic real-life moments in honor of the late comedian. 

Patton Oswalt

The Prince of Queens, Patton Oswalt went from struggling in the comedy world to writing for the sketch comedy show MADtv and earning his own comedy special on HBO. He continued to impress critics and fans alike, with roles such as the voice of the lead character Remy the Rat in the Pixar film, Ratatouille. 

Richard Pryor

Unfortunately, tragedy and comedy often go hand-in-hand. Such is the case with arguably one of the genre's biggest icons, the late, great, Richard Pryor. The legend had a tough life growing up and eventually joined the military before playing nightclubs as both a musician and comedian at age 23. His comedy career was populated with milestones and achievements, as well as struggles and substance abuse before passing away in 2005 due to complications from M.S..  

Bette Midler

Bette Midler landed her first Broadway role in Fiddler on the Roof by 1966, four years before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. In 1972, she released the album The Divine Miss M, which earned her a Grammy Award, and she started making frequent appearances on late-night television shows and eventually a huge acting career. Along the way, she performed live comedy and even released an album.

Norm Macdonald

Norm Macdonald's first job was writing for The Dennis Miller Show and then Roseanne. While writing on the show, he was noticed by Lorne Michaels, who liked Norm's stand up so much that he offered the young comedian a job on Saturday Night Live in 1993.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey, who is easily considered one of the greats, was himself taken under the wing of another comedy legend, Rodney Dangerfield, who spotted the young comic in a Toronto nightclub. Carrey eventually made it to The Tonight Show which led to his role on In Living Color and parts in many comedy classics that we know and love today, such as Dumb and Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura. 

Tim Allen

Tim Allen started his career as a comedian in 1975 in a pretty peculiar way. On a dare from one of his friends, he participated in a comedy night at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, outside of Detroit. Following his release from prison in 1981 for a drug-related crime, he returned to comedy and went on to lead the hit show Home Improvement on ABC. 

Steve Martin

From community theater, to Disneyland, to the big screen, Steve Martin began his showbiz career as a teenager. After writing his own comedy routines, plays, and music, he went on to study philosophy and poetry before winning his first Emmy Award for comedy writing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour at the young age of 23.

Lily Tomlin

Initially studying biology at Wayne State University, Lily Tomlin decided to audition for a play which led to her changing her major to theatre and diving into stand-up comedy. Her stand-up was so impressive that it attracted the attention of the producers of Laugh-In, the notorious 1960s sketch comedy show. Tomlin went on to snag an Oscar nomination for her acting work.

Dana Carvey

One of SNL's most talented and beloved alumni, Dana Carvey absolutely dominated during his six seasons on Saturday Night Live, creating some of the show's most memorable characters. He never drifted far from stand-up though and has continued to take the stage and release specials.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks took the weirdest route to stand-up of anyone on this list. He was already in Hollywood and establishing a nice career when he decided to audition for a movie about stand-up comedy called Punchline. As part of that process, he developed his own stand-up routine and performed in clubs. There's even footage of it that trends every now and again.

Bob Odenkirk

Starting out as a D.J. in Illinois, Bob Odenkirk got his start in local improv workshops in Chicago, where he also did open-mic stand-up comedy for several years. In Chicago, he became friends with Robert Smigel, who would later help him become a writer for Saturday Night Live.

Larry David

Starting out in stand-up comedy, Larry David befriended Jerry Seinfeld and later went on to co-create Seinfeld. He also wrote for Friday's and Saturday Night Live and famously went on to create the all-time ridiculous show Curb Your Enthusiasm. 

Ed Helms

Ed Helms was studying improv with the Upright Citizens Brigade when he got his big break as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He later moved on to the hit NBC show The Office where he played Andy Bernard. From there, Helms went on to star in The Hangover trilogy. More importantly, he also acted in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.

Mel Brooks

There aren't many names in the world of comedy that stand larger than Mel Brooks. The legend started his career in stand-up before working as a writer for Sid Caesar's variety show Your Show of Shows from 1950 to 1954. After that, he, of course, took over Hollywood, winning an EGOT and directing classics like Blazing Saddles, The Producers and Robin Hood: Men In Tights.

Simon Pegg

A comedic force to be reckoned with in the U.K. before dropping smash hits like Sean of the Dead in the U.S., Pegg once told The Hollywood Reporter “I went into stand-up because comedy was something I enjoyed but also because it offered me a certain autonomy that I wouldn’t have if I was sitting and waiting for the phone to ring as an actor.”

Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd started performing comedy at 17 and later joined the main casts of Second City in Toronto and Chicago. Later, it was his work in the sketch comedy powerhouse Saturday Night Live that turned him into a huge name and opened the door for him to start in classics like The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters.

And those are some of the actors who also took the stage to perform stand-up or sketch comedy at some point during their careers!

Some filmmakers require time to find their voice. They have to make a few simply "ok" features before having the skills required to make their masterpiece. But that's not the case with the directors featured on this list. These folks quickly figured out what they could do with a camera, and they produced magic with their first feature.

It's a terribly hard thing to do, but here are 32 directors who made great films on their very first try.

Orson Welles – Citizen Kane

A lot of incredible films are highlighted on this list, but Citizen Kane is special given that in addition to being Orson Welles’ first feature, it’s considered by many to be the greatest movie all time. The hunt for the meaning behind a publishing titan’s last word is endlessly compelling and a fascinating examination of the soul corruption that comes with a rise to power.

Quentin Tarantino – Reservoir Dogs

Before making modern and instant classics like Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, the legend of Quentin Tarantino began with the phenomenal Reservoir Dogs. The sharp dialogue, the non-linear storytelling, the tense violence and the needle-drop centric soundtrack all instantly confirmed that Tarantino was a talent to watch.

Jordan Peele – Get Out

It came as a shock when comedian Jordan Peele announced that he was shifting to a new phase of his career, as he wanted to pursue his true passion: directing horror movies. It was hard to know what to make of the decision at the time, but Peele has since established himself as one of the industry’s greatest genre filmmakers, and it all started with the stunning Get Out. It’s scary, layered, and the big third act twist never loses its impact.

Spike Jonze – Being John Malkovich

Spike Jonze wasn’t exactly inexperienced when he took the helm of Being John Malkovich as his first feature, as he had established himself as a genius talent in the world of music videos, but that doesn’t take anything away from his accomplishments. It’s a wild, strange, and perfect execution of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman’s genius and cerebral script, and both the design and cinematography make it unforgettable.

Sidney Lumet – 12 Angry Men

It requires incredible skill to direct a film that almost entirely takes place in a single room and juggles 12 different characters with different perspectives… but there’s a reason why Sidney Lumet is considered one of history’s greatest filmmakers. The basic description of 12 Angry Men doesn’t sound particularly cinematic, but it grips you from the start, and keeps you fascinated throughout – particularly thanks to one of Henry Fonda’s greatest performances.

Joel & Ethan Coen – Blood Simple

Joel and Ethan Coen are masters of crime fiction, and they proved that instantly in the start of their careers as feature filmmakers. Blood Simple is a tense neo-noir that comes with all of the trimmings of the genre – from the chiaroscuro lighting to a brilliant femme fatale turn from Frances McDormand – and M. Emmett Walsh is a force as the relentless Loren Visser.

Rob Reiner – This Is Spinal Tap

Few filmmakers have had runs like what Rob Reiner accomplished in the 1980s/1990s, sequentially making Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men, but his genius as a director was first established with 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap: a hilarious rock n’ roll mockumentary widely considered to be one of the greatest comedies of all time.

Sam Raimi – The Evil Dead

In the late 1970s/early 1980s, Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell were college students determined to make their first ever feature, and traveled from Michigan to a dilapidated cabin in Tennessee to make The Evil Dead. The production of the film was an absolute nightmare, but the juice was very much worth the squeeze, as the movie exists as a testament to brilliant imagination, and it is an important classic in the history of the horror genre.

Frank Darabont – The Shawshank Redemption

After writing a brilliant adaptation of Stephen King’s novella “Rita Hayworth And Shawshank Redemption,” Frank Darabont actually took a major pay cut so that Castle Rock Entertainment would allow him to make The Shawshank Redemption his directorial debut. This turned out to be a legendary move that has cemented Darabont in cinematic history, as the movie is one of the most beloved of all time and an antidote to cynicism.

John Singleton - Boyz n The Hood

With his directorial debut, John Singleton captured the perspective of an underrepresented audience on the big screen – crafting a Stand By Me-esque coming-of-age story about life in south central Los Angeles. In one of his earliest roles, Cuba Gooding Jr. demonstrates incredible talent alongside Ice Cube and Morris Chestnut, but it’s Laurence Fishburne’s Furious Styles for which the film will always be remembered.

Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman

Emerald Fennell made quite an impression in 2020 with the debut of Promising Young Woman – a primal scream of a movie that captures the horrors that women experience in our modern world and comes together as a darkly comedic revenge thriller. Carey Mulligan’s performance is wicked, and it sports a finale that leaves the audience breathless and mind-blown.

Dan Gilroy – Nightcrawler

Jake Gyllenhaal is unquestionably one of the greatest actors of his generation, and Nightcrawler sees him let off the leash to showcase his phenomenal cinematic presence. Dan Gilroy was an experienced screenwriter prior to making his directorial debut, and one can understand why he wanted to make this movie himself: it’s a vicious, Taxi Driver-esque look at crime scene videography and a stunning and cutting commentary on “if it bleeds, it leads” culture in local journalism.

George A. Romero – Night Of The Living Dead

There aren’t exactly a lot of filmmakers who successfully launched an entire new subgenre with their first feature, but that’s exactly what George A. Romero did with Night Of The Living Dead. The zombie film was a shocking standout upon its original release – featuring a Black actor as its lead and a series of nightmarish scenes of horror – and its genius is no less apparent today.

Rian Johnson – Brick

Long before wowing us with his ensemble-driven Benoit Blanc mysteries Knives Out and Glass Onion, Rian Johnson stunned cinephiles as a first-time director with Brick. It’s a stylized neo-noir that stands out with its high school backdrop and young characters, and it dazzles with unyielding tension, unique dialogue, and a terrific third act reveal.

Tom Hanks – That Thing You Do!

Admit it: even just seeing the title of That Thing You Do! has immediately gotten the eponymous song stuck in your head. But on top of that track being two minutes and 50 seconds of peppy greatness, the film is a fantastic tale about a one hit wonder that pops thanks to Tom Hanks’ excellent direction and a delightful ensemble cast.

David Lynch – Eraserhead

It didn’t take long for David Lynch to tell cinephiles what he is all about. The auteur filmmaker established his nightmarish, cerebral sensibilities from the get-go with Eraserhead – which is a confident work from the first time director and paved the road for further masterpieces like Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks.

Amy Heckerling – Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Amy Heckerling would easily be in the Coming-Of-Age Movie Hall Of Fame if Clueless were the only film on her filmography, but it was 13 years earlier that she made one of the genre’s all-time greatest titles as her directorial debut: Fast Times At Ridgemont High. There is so much to love about this film, from the radical Jeff Spicoli, to the drama of the relationship between Stacy and Mark, to the sounds of The Cars’ “Living In Stereo.”

Destin Daniel Cretton – Short Term 12

It’s a remarkable thing when a film, a series of images mixed with sound rapidly displayed to show movement, can touch your soul, but that’s something that Destin Daniel Cretton’s powerful directorial debut does – centering on the staff of a residential treatment facility. In retrospect, the ensemble cast in this one is beyond outstanding (including Brie Larson, Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek, LaKeith Stanfield, and Stephanie Beatriz), and their talents are on full display.

Patty Jenkins – Monster

Patty Jenkins’ directorial debut, Monster, is far from a fun cinematic experience, and one actually feels compelled to take a shower after watching it, but it’s a riveting work. Charlize Theron delivers what is arguably the best performance of her career and earned her Academy Award.

Josh & Benny Safdie - Good Time

Cinephiles were thrilled to discover the cinematic heart attack that is Josh and Benny Safdie’s Uncut Gems in 2019, but anyone who watched the brothers’ directorial debut was at the very least mentally prepared for the experience. Starring Robert Pattinson, Good Time is a deeply stressful crime film that comes packed with touches of Of Mice And Men, and it leaves a deep impression on whoever watches it.

Darren Aronofsky – Pi

Darren Aronofsky has a gift for making movies that makes you want to curl up in a ball and cry (see: Requiem For A Dream, Black Swan, mother!), and it’s a mode he hasn’t diverted from since making his feature debut with Pi. It’s a stylistic story of obsession and has one of the most upsetting endings of all time.

John Huston - The Maltese Falcon

There are some films that are held up as the true classics of classic film noir, and right alongside Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, Bill Wilder’s Double Indemnity and Carol Reed’s The Third Man is John Huston’s phenomenal The Maltese Falcon. Humphrey Bogart’s Sam Spade is an icon of detective fiction, and the twists and turns of the mystery feel as fresh today as ever.

Ari Aster - Hereditary

Ari Aster has quickly become one of the most exciting modern filmmakers making original horror, and that’s in part because audiences are still experiencing nightmares from his directorial debut. A look at both generational trauma and grief, Hereditary is a movie so scary that it would make you feel cold if you were in the middle of the desert, and has more than a few images that end up tattooed on the back of your eyelids as you try to go to sleep at night.

Michael Mann - Thief

Nobody makes crime movies like Michael Mann, and it all started with Thief. It’s a thrilling and captivating look at a talented Chicago criminal who is looking for his way into legitimacy and finds himself fighting forces that try and drag him back into his shady business. The movie features one of James Caan’s best performances, and the talented ensemble includes Jim Belishi, Dennis Farina and Willie Nelson.

Francois Truffaut - The 400 Blows

Valued as an important part of cinema history and the French New Wave, Francois Truffaut’s The 400 Blows is a powerful coming-of-age story starring Jean-Pierre Léaud as Antoine Doinel, a troubled youth who ends up quitting school and turning to thievery, only to be apprehended and thrown in a juvenile detention center. Truffaut is recognized for having created some of the most beautiful films to ever be produced in France, and it all started here.

Jean Luc Goddard - Breathless

Another evocative title that emerged from the French New Wave, Jean Luc Goddard’s Breathless is a visually stunning work of crime and love, with tremendous cinematic innovation, attitude that bleeds off the screen, and an outstanding performance from star Jean-Paul Belmondo in his breakout role.

Barry Jenkins – Medicine For Melancholy

Barry Jenkins first earned widespread acclaim in 2016 for his film Moonlight (which deservingly won Best Picture at the Academy Awards), but not to be slept on is the debut feature he made eight years earlier: Medicine For Melancholy. Starring Wyatt Cenac and Tracey Heggins and set over the course of a single day, it’s a beautiful and emotional romantic drama.

Steven Soderbergh - Sex, Lies, And Videotape

Steven Soderbergh is now recognized as one of the most talented, eclectic filmmakers in cinema, but it all started with Sex, Lies And Videotape – a fascinating romantic drama with brilliant meta levels examining intimacy via camera.

George Miller – Mad Max

Many genre classics have been covered in this list, and now it’s time to dive into one of the greatest action/adventure films of all time. With Mad Max, George Miller takes us to an unnerving not-to-distant future full of violence and chaos, and his unique skills as a filmmaker capturing all that wildness all in camera is what makes this a forever-thrilling experience.

Damien Chazelle – Whiplash

One can read and learn that there is intense competition in performance arts schools, but it’s another thing to live it – and that’s what audiences get to do in Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash. Miles Teller is brilliant as the determined and talented Andrew Neiman, but it’s the Oscar-winning work of J.K. Simmons that makes this outstanding directorial debut exceptional.

Mel Brooks – The Producers

Every legendary cinematic run has to start somewhere, and for Mel Brooks, it was with the brilliance of The Producers. Long before he was shocking with the world with Blazing Saddles and History Of The World Part I, the brilliant comedian unleashed his tale of a Broadway scheme and the insanity of “Springtime For Hitler.”

Jim Abrahams, David Zucker And Jerry Zucker – Airplane!

In the 1980s/1990s, nobody made spoof movies like Jim Abrahams, David Zucker And Jerry Zucker, and they quickly established their special comedic voice with their directorial debut: Airplane! The insane pacing of the jokes and the sheer ridiculousness of everything make this a movie that threatens to choke you with laughter, and there are so, so many quotable lines – many thanks to the deadpan brilliance of Leslie Nielsen.

This list obviously has the potential to grow forever, and it'll be exciting to see who the next big breakout movie directors are. 

For more than half-a-century, Mel Brooks has written, directed, and starred in some of the best comedies of all time. With movies that pushed boundaries, made light of stereotypes, and poked fun at just about everyone under the sun, the EGOT winner has been a constant source of entertainment as well as great stories that seem too good to be true. 

With the elder statesman of American comedy being back in the limelight once again with the release of his star-studded Hulu original series, History of the World, Part II, now seems like a good a time as any to revisit not just some of Brooks’ best movies, but all of them, as well as where you can watch them. There’s a lot to unpack here, so let’s get this one started… 

The Producers (1968)

When down-on-his-luck Broadway producer Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel) and his new accountant, Leo Bloom (Gene Wilder), discover a loophole that will allow them to keep all the money raised for their new show if it’s a flop, the pair put together what could be the most egregious production of all time: “Springtime for Hitler.”

Since its release in 1967, Mel Brooks’ The Producers has gone on to become one of the funniest and most consequential musicals of all time, and has even been adapted multiple times, including a 2005 remake also directed by the comedy legend.

Rent The Producers (1967) on Amazon.
Also try: The Producers (2005) on Amazon.

The Twelve Chairs (1970)

Released in 1970, Mel Brooks’ adaptation of The Twelve Chairs follows Ippolit Matveyevich Vorobyaninov (Ron Moody), a former aristocrat whose fortunes went out the window during the Bolshevik Revolution, as he teams up with local conman, Ostap Bender (Frank Langella) to find his mother-in-law’s missing jewels that have been sewed into one of 12 chairs. But, the unlikely pair isn’t alone in the search, as a corruptible priest named Father Fyodor (Dom DeLuise) is also after the hidden treasure.

Buy The Twelve Chairs on DVD on Amazon.

Blazing Saddles (1974)

Mel Brooks’ all-time great parody movie, Blazing Saddles, pokes fun at anything and everything under the sun with its story about a railroad magnate (Harvey Korman) installing a black man (Cleavon Little) as sheriff of a small frontier town to cause chaos and make the community more easily destroyed for his new line. But, as the wild, wild story unfolds, getting the Johnsons of Rock Ridge to leave their homes, new sheriff, and his drunk gunman (Gene Wilder), is anything but an easy task.  

Nearly 50 years later, Blazing Saddles is just as controversial as the day it was released.

Rent/buy Blazing Saddles on Amazon.

Young Frankenstein (1974)

One of the best 20th Century Fox movies, Brooks’ 1974 horror comedy, Young Frankenstein, follows Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) as he discovers that he’s the heir to his grandfather’s estate, and everything that comes with it. Just like in Mary Shelly’s classic horror novel, this black-and-white romp sees the ambitious scientist bring the dead back to life, but this monster (Peter Boyle) is only keen for “puttin’ on the ritz.”

Stream Young Frankenstein on HBO Max.

Silent Movie (1976)

In 1976, Brooks went old school with his slapstick comedy, Silent Movie, which as the name implies, didn’t feature any dialogue. Don’t let the lack of his mastery of the spoken word dissuade you, though, for all his physical humor and incredibly crafted scenes are all here, and better than ever in the story about a once successful Hollywood director attempting to make a silent movie in 1970s Hollywood.

Buy Silent Movie on DVD on Amazon.

High Anxiety (1977) 

Psychoanalysis and Alfred Hitchcock movies become the target of his unique brand of satirical comedy in the 1977 parody film, High Anxiety. Brooks stars as Dr. Richard Thorndyke, an overly neurotic psychiatrist who begins to experience a series of increasingly troublesome occurrences after a recent promotion. Diagnosed with “high anxiety,” the hapless doctor finds himself in all kinds of danger as he attempts to figure out what is actually happening to him.

Rent/buy High Anxiety on Amazon.

History Of The World, Part I (1981)

Spanning from the dawn of man to the French Revolution, his 1981 comedy classic, History of the World, Part I, recounts some of civilization’s biggest, brightest, and most ridiculous moments, including what came of the other five Commandments, a song and dance number for the Spanish Inquisition, and so much more.

Stream History of the World, Part I on Hulu.
Rent/Buy History of the World, Part I on Amazon.

Spaceballs (1987)

What could very well be one of the best movies for each member of its cast, 1987’s Spaceballs saw Brooks do to Star Wars what he did to Westerns, horror films, and human history with this iconic space opera comedy. The movie follows space pilot Lone Star (Bill Pullman) and his human-dog hybrid companion, Barf (John Candy), as they attempt to save Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) from the clutches of Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis). And, seriously, can we finally get Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money?

Stream Spaceballs on AMC+.
Rent/Buy Spaceballs on Amazon.

Life Stinks (1991)

Successful businessman Goddard Bolt (Brooks) takes his feud with rival Vance Crasswell (Jeffrey Tambor) to the next level when he makes a bet that he could survive on the streets of Los Angeles for one month with nothing more than the clothes on his back. In Life Stinks, the arrogant and ungracious Bolt quickly finds out that he is not as well-equipped for the pauper life as he once thought.

Stream Life Stinks on Tubi.
Rent/buy Life Stinks on Amazon.

Robin Hood: Men In Tights (1993)

Even though it received poor reviews upon its initial release, his 1993 adventure parody comedy, Robin Hood: Men In Tights, has since become a cult classic with its story about Robin of Loxley (Cary Elwes) and his crusade to take back his family’s home from the clutches of Prince John (Richard Lewis). That may not be the biggest obstacle the returning nobleman will face, however, in his epic and hilarious journey.

Stream Robin Hood: Men in Tights on HBO Max.
Rent/buy Robin Hood: Men in Tights on Amazon.

Dracula: Dead And Loving It (1995)  

More than 20 years after poking fun at Frankenstein, Mel Brooks turned his attention to another horror icon in Dracula: Dead and Loving It. The movie follows Count Dracula (Leslie Nielsen) as he moves from his dreary castle and finds new life in Victorian Era London, where he also finds a new source of blood in the city’s hopping social scene. When the fiancé of one of his targets catches on, though, Dracula’s longtime nemesis, Van Helsing (Brooks) comes into the picture to settle things once and for all.

Stream Dracula: Dead and Loving It on Tubi.
Rent/buy Dracula: Dead and Loving It on Amazon.

Well, those are all of the movies either written or directed by Mel Brooks, as well as how to watch them. And while a lot of his acting roles were left off the list, maybe we’ll revisit the likes of The Little Rascals, Toy Story 4, the Hotel Transylvania movies, and countless others in the future.

While he may be known for putting his body and brain on the line for laughs amidst a group of fellow knuckleheads with the same passion for chaos, Johnny Knoxville has certainly proven himself to be more than just a target for hilarious self-abuse. Though the actor returned to his stunt-heavy roots for 2022’s Jackass Forever, which is still reportedly getting a TV follow-up, he’s also continued expanding his career in plenty of ways in the decade-plus between films. He was a blast in the sadly short-lived Reboot last year, but it was joining the star-studded cast of Mel Brooks’ long-awaited sequel History of the World, Part II that allowed him a personal and professional highlight involving the comedy legend. 

Almost always seen in clean-shaven mode (allowing for stubble), Johnny Knoxville went for a completely different look for History of the World, Part II, in which he plays historical holy man Grigori Rasputin, whose look is the equivalent of Amish Alan Moore. His storyline includes the family of Tsar Nicolas II, with the ruler being portrayed by It’s Always Sunny fan favorite Danny DeVito. And as one might imagine, working with DeVito was huge for Knoxville, especially with it happening on a TV show created by Mel flippin’ Brooks. Here’s how the Jackass vet described his glee while talking to EW:

Considering all the physical turmoil Johnny Knoxville has put himself through over the years, it’d be wild if he ended up suffering a career-altering injury from “getting up too fast to see Mel Brooks.” Certainly a more respectable injury to have compared to others. But that’s just the kind of enthusiasm the occasional WWE visitor has for the Young Frankenstein filmmaker. 

Some may be surprised to learn that Johnny Knoxville didn’t even actually get to hang out with Mel Brooks on the set at all. Although Brooks is currently 96 years old, so it’s perhaps not such a surprise that he wasn’t an on-set fixture. 

Because of that, Knoxville took his shot and asked if he could reach out to Mel Brooks to shower his respect onto the Spaceballs director, and permission was granted. Fans might not be able to fully relate to the actor’s ability to put himself through painful stunts for Jackass, but I think we can all connect with the unbridled glee on display as he talked about chatting Brooks up directly. 

Nobody should be too worried about Johnny Knoxville hanging his boots up in retirement mode. Even at 51 years old, he’s talked about potentially going forward with another Jackass project, though with necessary alterations at play. But before that, he’ll be having a bearded blast within History of the World, Part II, although it may not end well for him if the TV series reflects Rasputin’s real-world fate.

Now that we know what a huge fan Knoxville is, it’s probably time to start social media petitions for him to star in other hypothetical Mel Brooks sequels such as Dracula Still Dead And Still Loving It, Higher Anxiety, Yellowstone: Blazing Saddles, or whatever the genius comedian would actually come up with. Young Creature from the Black Lagoon, anyone?

Check out new episodes from the timeline-spanning History of the World, Part II, with two dropping each day this week, marking a shift in Hulu’s traditional variety of release patterns. Leave it to Mel Brooks to have the power to shake up streaming.

By our count, there are 97 famous faces in the massive, star-studded History of the World, Part II cast — all of whom would be just a little too difficult to cover in one article. So, we decided to narrow our breakdown of who is starring in Mel Brooks’ aptly titled series sequel to his 1981 film, History of the World, Part I, to just the 18 names confirmed in the trailer for the new comedy TV show streaming on Hulu now. Let’s begin with the man who started it all. 

Mel Brooks

We do not know who Mel Brooks is playing in History of the World, Part II, but hope he reprises some of his characters from the original (such as Moses and King Louis XVI), which is just one of the many classic spoof movies (such as Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and Spaceballs) that made him a legend. In more recent years, the Oscar winner (for writing 1967’s The Producers) has mostly done voice acting roles in movies like the Blue Sky favorite, Robots, the Hotel Transylvania movies was Vlad, Toy Story 4 as Melephant Brooks, and the Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank cast as The Shogun.

Ike Barinholtz

Portraying multiple historical figures (including Alexander Graham Bell) is executive producer and former MADtv star Ike Barinholtz, who has also starred in parody movies like Disaster Movie and Vampires Suck, as well as more grounded comedies like Blockers and Neighbors and nuanced, dark satires like The Oath, which he also wrote and directed. The Mindy Project cast member’s career has also grown more eclectic after appearing in thrillers like Suicide Squad (before voicing Two-Face on the DC-inspired podcast, Batman: The Audio Adventures), The Hunt, and Netflix’s fantasy crime drama, Bright.

Nick Kroll

Also taking on multiple roles (such as Judas, according to THR) and executive producing is comedian Nick Kroll, who had his own sketch series called Kroll Show, following his appearances in movies like I Love You, Man and Dinner with Schmucks and his starring role on one of the funniest shows on Hulu, The League. Outside of lending his voice to the new Addams Family movies and the Sing movies, the Emmy-nominated co-creator of Netflix’s Big Mouth has also led a more eclectic career lately that includes joining the Don’t Worry Darling cast and the 2018 historical drama, Operation Finale.

Wanda Sykes

Fellow History of the World, Part II headliner (appearing as Harriet Tubman in one sketch, for instance) and executive producer Wanda Sykes has one of the funniest stand-up specials on Paramount+, is a scene-stealer in movies like Down to Earth, Monster-in-Law, and Clerks II, and stars on a popular Netflix sitcom called The Upshaws. The recent Oscars host was also a highlight of other sitcoms like Curb Your Enthusiasm and The New Adventures of Old Christine and has leant her voice to movies like the Ice Age series and TV shows like Bob’s Burgers.

Pamela Adlon

Pamela Adlon’s career began with a role in 1982’s Grease 2, leading to guest spots in acclaimed sitcoms like Night Court and The Jeffersons, and parts in cinematic favorites like Say Anything… She is best known, however, for her various voice acting roles — such as her Emmy-winning work in the King of the Hill cast as Bobby Hill and Netflix’s Human Resources cast with Kroll — and leading the FX dramedy, Better Things, which she also co-created. 

Zazie Beetz

Appearing as Mary Magdalene (according to Time) is Zazie Beetz, who rose to fame as one of the four main stars of FX’s Atlanta in her Emmy-nominated role as Vanessa. Soon after, the German-American actor earned comic book movie roles (Domino in Deadpool 2 and Joaquin Phoenix’s love interest in Joker), leant her voice to a comic book TV show (Amazon Prime’s Invincible cast), played a disguised assassin in the Bullet Train cast, and is set to appear on Black Mirror Season 6, next.

Jack Black

Jack Black once paid tribute to Mel Brooks at the Kennedy Center Honors by performing a song from Robin Hood: Men in Tights and earned the chance to do so by being one of the most popular comedic actors of his time after starring in movies like High Fidelity and School of Rock — the latter of which earned him his first Golden Globe nomination — to name a few. Some of the actor and musician’s best-known work also includes Peter Jackson’s King Kong remake, director Ben Stiller’s Tropic Thunder, voicing Po in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, and the last couple of Jumanji movies.

Quinta Brunson

Jack Black’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story co-star, Quinta Brunson (she played Oprah), has quickly become one of the most prominent faces in comedy following her Emmy-winning work as the creator and star of Abbott Elementary. Prior to that, she appeared alongside Seth Rogen (more on him later) in HBO Max’s An American Pickle, parodied another era of history on TBS’ third season of Miracle Workers, and also leant her voice to a few episodes of Big Mouth.

Dove Cameron

As Princess Anastasia, we have former Disney Channel star Dove Cameron, who has come quite a long way since rising to fame as both titular roles on Liv and Maddie and Maleficent’s daughter in the Descendants franchise. The star of Vengeance and Good Mourning more recently utilized her talents for acting and singing in Apple TV+’s Schmigadoon! cast.

Danny DeVito

One of the biggest living legends in History of the World, Part II is Danny DeVito, whose eclectic film career includes One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Twins, and Batman Returns (as one of the most iconic Penguin portrayals) — and that is not counting what he has directed, such as Matilda and Death to Smoochy. He is just as much of an icon on TV, having earned an Emmy for playing Louie de Palma on Taxi and starring as Frank Reynolds in the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast for 15 seasons so far.

Jay Ellis

Starring as Jesus is Insecure cast member Jay Ellis, who had previously landed his first starring role on a TV series with BET’s The Game. That would lead to an impressive resume of feature-length hits like 2019’s Escape Room, playing Payback in the Top Gun: Maverick cast, and Alison Brie’s love interest in Amazon’s Somebody I Used to Know.

Josh Gad

Starring as William Shakespeare is Josh Gad, who last worked with Mel Brooks on FX’s mockuseries The Comedians, on which he poked fun at his meteoric fame following his Tony-nominated performance in Broadway’s The Book of Mormon and scene-stealing role as Olaf in the Frozen frozen. The star and co-creator of Apple TV+’s Central Park also had a big year in 2017 with Murder on the Orient Express, Marshall, and playing LeFou in the live-action Beauty and the Beast remake, before playing Muncher in Ghostbusters: Afterlife and starring on Avenue Q for HBO.

Johnny Knoxville

After MTV’s Jackass and its subsequent movie spin-offs made him a star, Johnny Knoxville (who plays Rasputin in History of the World, Part II) went on to star in comedies like The Dukes of Hazzard and The Ringer and action movies like Dwayne Johnson’s Walking Tall. More recently, the prankster — also known for voicing Leonardo in the new, live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies — landed his first starring role on a TV series when he joined Hulu’s Reboot cast in 2022.  

Kumail Nanjiani

As the creator of the “Kama Soup-tra,” we have Kumail Nanjiani, who was already well on his way to becoming one of comedy’s biggest names (as co-host of Comedy Central’s The Meltdown) before he and spouse Emily V. Gordon earned Oscar nominations for writing The Big Sick. The Pakistani-born actor and Welcome to Chippendales cast lead has since joined the MCU (he was Kingo in the Eternals cast) and the Star Wars universe (played Haja Estree in the Obi-Wan Kenobi cast).

Seth Rogen

Playing Noah is Seth Rogen, who has previously crossed paths with most of his History of the World, Part II co-stars at least once since breaking out in the Freaks and Geeks cast (his first of many collaborations with Judd Apatow), such as Nick Kroll in Sausage Party and Big Mouth, Zazie Beetz on Invincible, and Ike Barinholtz in The Disaster Artist. The writer, director, producer, and actor has expanded his horizons wonderfully in recent years with more serious roles in films like Steve Jobs and Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, and TV shows like Pam & Tommy. 

Sarah Silverman

Rogen’s Funny People and Santa Inc. co-star and Jack Black’s School of Rock co-star, two-time Emmy-winner Sarah Silverman, had a short SNL stint and guest-starred on Seinfeld before becoming one of the most acclaimed comedians of her generation. Some of her best-known roles include Vanellope in the Wreck-It Ralph movies, Gladys Heldman in Battle of the Sexes, various characters on Bob’s Burgers, and fictionalized versions of herself on many occasions.  

J.B. Smoove

Seemingly poking fun at his Curb Your Enthusiasm character, Leon, in a History of the World, Part II segment called “Curb Your Judaism” (according to IGN’s review) is former SNL writer J.B. Smoove, who has appeared as a guest star or main player on numerous sitcoms over the years — most recently when he joined the Blockbuster cast for Netflix. In addition to memorable roles in movies like Pootie Tang and Date Night, he is also part of the MCU (having appeared in two Spider-Man movies).

Taika Waititi

Another an MCU star (from both in front of and behind the camera) in the History of the World, Part II cast (as Sigmund Freud) is Taika Waititi, who previously poked fun at history by playing an imaginary Hitler in Jojo Rabbit, which also earned him a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar, and Blackbeard in HBO’s Our Flag Means Death. He is also part of the Star Wars universe, having played a droid on The Mandalorian (which he also directed an episode of), the DC Extended Universe after playing the original Ratcatcher in The Suicide Squad, and more recently leant his voice to Pixar’s Lightyear cast as Mo.

Look out for other cast members — such as Seinfeld’s Jason Alexander, Emily Ratajkowski, Big Mouth’s Jason Mantzoukas, Jillian Bell, Jack White, and so many more — when you stream History of the World, Part II on Hulu. Be sure to do your homework by also checking out History of the World, Part I on Hulu, too.

In 1981, EGOT winner Mel Brooks released one of his most well-remembered movies, The History of the Earth, Part I, an anthology comedy film that parodied some of human civilization’s biggest figures and accomplishments from the Stone Age up to the French Revolution, with the comedian’s signature bite and social commentary throughout. Though there was never an intention of making the star-studded comedy into a franchise of sorts, 42 years later, the property is returning in the form of History of the World, Part II, a Hulu original series.

Below we will break down when one of the most promising comedies on the 2023 TV schedule will premiere, who is going to be appearing throughout its duration, and what fans of the original film, as well as Mel Brooks’ body of work, can expect. Here are a few things we know about History of the World, Part II.

History Of The World Part II Premieres March 6th On Hulu

While it may be true that Blazing Saddles couldn’t be made today, the same can’t be said for History of the World, Part I, as the follow-up to Mel Brooks’ 1981 classic is right around the corner. Hulu has announced that the four-night comedy event will kick off Monday, March 6, 2023, welcoming fans, specifically those with a Hulu subscription, back for another round of historical comedy bits poking fun at some of the most powerful world leaders, religious figures, and everything else under the sun.

The History Of The World Part II Cast Includes Mel Brooks, Ike Barinholtz, Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes And More

History of the World, Part I featured a cast that included comedy legends like Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn, Carl Reiner, Sid Caesar, Cloris Leachman, and a few dozen other stars of the time in addition to Mel Brooks. Although many of the original stars have since passed on, the upcoming Hulu series is loaded with some of today’s brightest and funniest actors and comedians.

When the series was announced, it was revealed that the History of the World, Part II cast would be headlined by Ike Barinholtz, Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, and a returning Mel Brooks, who will hopefully reprise some of those classic characters from the original. But those four aren’t the only members of the show’s cast, as Zazie Beetz, Danny DeVito, Taika Waititi, Tyler James Williams, Johnny Knoxville, David Duchovny, Sarah Silverman, Josh Gad, J.B. Smoove, Ken Marino, Reggie Watts, Jillian Bell, Sam Richardson, and multiple others will appear in varying capacities throughout the four-night event. 

Like Its Predecessor, History Of The World Part II Will Parody Different Periods Of Human Civilization

When History of the World, Part II premieres this March on Hulu, the long overdue parody series will take viewers on a millennia-spanning journey showcasing the ups and downs of human civilization through a variety of sketches. However, it has yet to be confirmed if any of the clips featured in the fake trailer at the end of History of the World, Part I will be brought to life during the series.

The Trailer Offers A Look At The Absurdly Stacked Cast And Some Of The Stories That Will Be Explored

In January 2023, a little less than two months before the show’s debut, Hulu released the first trailer for History of the World, Part II, a nearly two-minute video showcasing just some of the stories that will be explored, and the actors and comedians who will be telling them. And starting it off is Mel Brooks, who just can’t stop himself from sneaking in a few jokes about himself and the series’ title.

And good thing History of the World, Part II is going to be streaming, because there’s a good chance we’ll all have to pause and rewind to catch the jokes we miss on account of laughing so hard. I mean, Seth Rogen as Noah, Ike Barinholtz’s Alexander Graham Bell being prank-called, and what looks like the return of “Jews in Space" (one of the sketches featured in the fake trailer that followed History of the World Part I)  just seem too good to be true.

History Of The World Part II Will Consist Of Eight Episodes

Back when History of the World, Part II was first announced in October 2021, Deadline revealed that Hulu series would consist of eight episodes, though the length of each installment was not specified. If there are a total of chapters in the variety series, this means we’ll get to watch two episodes each night during the four-night event. 

To get a better picture of how much material will be played throughout the upcoming comedy series, History of the World, Part I had a run-time of just over 90 minutes, compared to what could be four hours of historical parodies if each episode is 30 minutes in length.

Nick Kroll And Other Writers Found A Way To Continue Mel Brooks’ Goal Of ‘Poking Fun At Those In Power’

A lot has changed since Mel Brooks released movies like Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and History of the World, Part I, especially when it comes to what is and what isn’t acceptable in terms of language, but that doesn’t appear to be a problem for the writing staff on the new series. When speaking with the TCA in January 2023 (via IndieWire), Nick Kroll said that he and the other writers working on the show were still going after Brooks’ targets, stating:

Adding onto those comments, Kroll explained that he and his fellow writers, producers, and co-stars worked to create an “open and honest” environment where they could figure out if something was being overly offensive. And while he thinks you can still do “insane things” in comedy, people just need to be more thoughtful about “how and why” those things are being said and done. 

History of the World, Part II will kick off Monday, March 6th on Hulu. But if you want to check out some side-splitting humor, take a look at our list of the best 2022 comedy movies. 

Many consider Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles one of the greatest satirical comedies of all time. Though the movie was a box office hit upon release, a lot has changed since 1974, and many have pointed out that the biting and nontraditional western couldn’t be made today due to its subject matter. According to the writer and director of the movie (Brooks), Blazing Saddles likely couldn’t be released today-- not because of racism, but due to the political climate. While many critics have levied accusations of racism towards Saddles, one Hollywood star has come out supporting the nearly half-a-century-old film, none other than the Academy Award-winning actress and The View co-host, Whoopi Goldberg. 

Whoopi Goldberg pushed back on claims that the Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder-starring film is racist. She told her The View co-hosts that those criticizing Blazing Saddles for being racist are missing the point. The actress points out that Brooks’ satire goes at racism and all other “isms” equally and with comedy, which is one of the film’s greatest strengths. Goldberg said it would still work with today’s audiences because it’s a great comedy. She also has some choice words for recent comedy releases. She said: 

Later in the panel discussion, Goldberg tries to convince her fellow co-host Sunny Hostin, who has never seen Saddles, to do herself a favor and watch the film. The View moderator then turned to the audience while addressing the film’s critics. Goldberg continued:

No one tell Whoopi that Blazing Saddles received a bizarro remake in the form of an animated family film centering around a dog named Hank. The movie, titled Paws of Furry, was helmed by first-time feature directors Chris Bailey (who served as an animation supervisor on the first two Alvin and the Chipmunks movies) and Mark Koetsier (a story artist on Kung Fu Panda and How To Train Your Dragon) tells the story of a dog named Hank living in a town called Kakamucho. For an unknown reason, he is put front and center in a fight against a “nefarious feline warlord” and must find a way to save his town, becoming a samurai along the way. If you think that sounds weird, you should hear Mel Brooks’ hilarious response to the adaptation of his controversial classic. 

Even though it has often gotten her in trouble, Goldberg isn’t a stranger to speaking her mind. The actress came under fire earlier this year for her views and comments regarding the Holocaust during the Hot Topic section of ABC’s long-running talk show. The EGOT winner eventually apologized for her remarks after receiving severe and swift backlash.

While her comments might not change everyone’s opinion about Blazing Saddles, perhaps Whoopi Goldberg will spark a larger conversation on satire’s role in dealing with racism and other hot-topic issues. How this discourse will play out or impact the film’s longevity is yet to be seen. In the meantime, The View can be seen live on your local ABC station every weekday at 11 AM ET as part of the  2022 TV schedule. 

You can make up your mind regarding Blazing Saddles by watching it streaming with your Hulu subscription. Or you can plan your next theater trip by checking out CinemaBlend’s schedule for upcoming new movies coming soon to theaters.

Every major award show honors a fairly large number of creatives who all boast a wide range of talents, with dozens (or even hundreds) of nominees each year across the Emmys, the Grammys, the Oscars, and the Tonys, respectively. Yet somehow, despite all those awards up for grabs, the list of celebs who have attained all four honors is surprisingly short, relatively speaking. As of February 2026, a mere 22 EGOT winners exist.

Many performers have come close to achieving EGOT status, and some are just one award away from it. But esteemed filmmaker Steven Spielberg is no longer among those in waiting, as he can now be counted among other culture icons whose efforts have stood, and will continue to stand, the test of time. Let's start with the latest winner before looking back at the full history of past winners.

Steven Spielberg (Achieved EGOT: 2026)

A name that's as synonymous with Hollywood as anyone else currently in the business, Steven Spielberg has been inching his way towards EGOT status for longer than some other winners have been alive, though he only started racking up the awards starting in the '90s. Here's a closer look at his multiple honors.

• ACADEMY AWARDS = 3
  • Best Director: Shindler's List (1994), Saving Private Ryan (1999)
  • Best Picture: Shindler's List (1994)
• EMMY AWARDS = 13
  • 4 Primetime: 3 Outstanding Limited Series, 1 Outstanding Animated Program
  • 7 Daytime Emmys, 1 Sports Emmy, 1 Founders Honorary Award at International Emmys
• TONY AWARDS = 1
  • 2022 Best Musical: A Strange Loop
• GRAMMY AWARDS = 1
  • 2026 Best Music Film: Music By John Williams as producer

It's likely he won't be in the running for any other Grammy Awards in the near future, barring any musical projects we're unaware of. But there's always room on his shelf for more Emmys and Oscars, so don't be surprised if he continues building up that side of his EGOT winnings in the future.

Richard Rodgers (Achieved EGOT: 1962)

Richard Rodgers became the first EGOT winner in 1962. Richard Rodgers is the famous Rodgers of the Rodgers and Hammerstein duo. His most well-known work includes composing music for The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!, South Pacific, The King and I, and many other musicals. Richard Rodgers won five Tony awards and two Grammy awards for his work on South Pacific, No Strings, and The Sound of Music. He also received multiple special lifetime achievement awards at the Tony Awards.

Richard Rodgers won an Academy Award in 1946 for Best Original Song for “It Might As Well Be Spring” from State Fair. His Emmy award completed his EGOT. He received it for his work on Winston Churchill-The Valiant Years and in the category Outstanding Achievement in Composing Original Music for Television.

Helen Hayes (Achieved EGOT: 1977)

Helen Hayes’s acting career spanned eight decades. She gained her EGOT in 1977 with a Grammy win. Helen Hayes is best known for her roles in Caesar and Cleopatra, Mary of Scotland, A Farewell to Arms, and Airport. Hayes received nine Emmy award nominations and won one in 1953 for Best Actress for her role in Schlitz Playhouse of Stars.

Helen Hayes won two Academy Awards in 1932 and 1971 for supporting and lead roles in Airport and The Sin of Madelon Claudet. She won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Recording for Great American Documents. Hayes shared this award with several famous artists. She won two Tony Awards for Time Remembered and Happy Birthday. She also received a Tony lifetime achievement award in 1980.

Rita Moreno (Achieved EGOT: 1977)

Rita Moreno won an Emmy in 1977 to complete her EGOT. She won her first Emmy for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program in The Muppet Show. Moreno is best known for her role as Anita in West Side Story and as Lydia in One Day at a Time, a shortlived reboot but beloved revival. 

Moreno won the Academy Award for Best Supporting actress for her role in West Side Story. She has won two Emmys for appearances in The Muppet Show (1977) and the Rockford Files (1978). She secured a Grammy win for Best Recording for Children in 1972 for The Electric Company. And she got her Tony for The Ritz. Rita Moreno has been acting since the 1950s, and she shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

John Gielgud (Achieved EGOT: 1991)

John Gielgud is an English actor and director. He achieved most of his fame from his performances in theater and movies. He received an Emmy in 1991 for Summer's Lease to complete his EGOT. His long list of acting credits include The Importance of Being Earnest, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, and Arthur.

John Gielgud won Tony awards for The Importance Of Being Earnest and Big Fish, Little Fish. He won one Grammy for Spoken Word Album for Ages of Man. He won his Oscar in 1981 for supporting role in Arthur.

Audrey Hepburn (Achieved EGOT: 1994)

Audrey Hepburn is one of the most famous actresses of all time. Her most known works are My Fair Lady, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Sabrina, and Roman Holiday. She completed her EGOT when she received a Grammy in 1994 for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for Audrey Hepburn’s Enchanted Tales.

The year prior, Audrey Hepburn won her first and only Emmy in 1993 for Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn. She won her first Tony for Best Actress in a Play for Ondine in 1954, and she later received a special Tony in 1968. Hepburn won her only competitive Oscar in 1954 for Best Actress in Roman Holiday. She received a humanitarian Oscar in 1993.

Marvin Hamlisch (Achieved EGOT: 1995)

Marvin Hamlisch is an American composer. He’s best known for his work in the movies The Sting, The Way We Were, Sophie’s Choice, and The Spy Who Loved Me. His last award to complete his EGOT was an Emmy in 1995 for Barbra: The Concert.

He then won another Emmy in 2001 for another Barbra Streisand live concert album. He also won an Emmy for his work on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies. Marvin Hamlisch won four Grammy awards in 1975, including one for Best Song for "The Way We Were." In 1976, he won a Tony Award for Best Original Score for A Chorus Line. As for his Oscars, 1974 was a big year, as Marvin Hamlisch won three Academy Awards for his work on The Way We Were and The Sting.

Jonathan Tunick (Achieved EGOT: 1997)

Jonathan Tunick is a composer and conductor whose most famous works include A Chorus Line, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Oklahoma! and Carousel. He completed his EGOT in 1997 with a Tony Award for his work on the Broadway production, Titanic.

Jonathan Tunick has won one Grammy (in 1989 for "No one is Alone"), one Oscar, one Emmy, and one Tony award. His most recent award nomination was in 2018 for the Carousel revival, and his first win for the EGOT categories was an Academy Award in 1978 for A Little Night Music.

Mel Brooks (Achieved EGOT: 2001)

Mel Brooks is a famous writer, actor, producer, and director. Some of his most known works are Young Frankenstein, which was set to become a live broadcast in 2020, Blazing Saddles, High Anxiety, and The Producers. It's The Producers that rounded out his EGOT status, as he won the Oscar for writing the film, and decades later, would go on to win multiple Tony Awards for the stage production. He completed his EGOT in 2001 when he took home three Tony awards that night for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score.

Mel Brooks has won three Grammy awards (two of which were for The Producers), four Emmy awards (three for guest starring on Mad About You between 1997 and 1999), and the mentioned Academy Award in 1969 for his writing on The Producers. 

Mike Nichols (Achieved EGOT: 2001)

Before his death in 2014, Mike Nichols completed his EGOT. He completed it in 2001 with two Emmy awards for Wit. Mike Nichols is best known for his directing work in the theater and on the silver screen. He has directed Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Graduate, Catch-22, The Birdcage, and Charlie Wilson’s War.

Mike Nichols has one Academy Award for Best Director for The Graduate. He won one Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May. He has won nine Tony awards. His first for Best Direction of A Play for Barefoot in the Park in 1964, and his last Tony for Best Direction of a Play for Death of a Salesman in 2012. He has won four Emmy awards in total. He won two Emmy Awards for his work on Wit and the other two for his work on Angels in America.

Whoopi Goldberg (Achieved EGOT: 2002)

Whoopi Goldberg is an actress, writer, and television host. She currently co-hosts The View, but many of her fans know her from her roles in The Color Purple, Ghost, Sister Act, and Girl, Interrupted. The Tony award was the last one she needed to complete the EGOT. Whoopi Goldberg received it in 2002 for Thoroughly Modern Millie, which she produced and it won the Tony for Best Musical.

Goldberg has won two Daytime Emmys, one in 2002 (for hosting Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel) and another in 2009 (The View). She won her Academy Award in 1991 for Best Supporting Actress in Ghost. She won her Grammy in 1986 for Best Comedy Recording.

Scott Rudin (Achieved EGOT: 2012)

Scott Rudin is best known for producing No Country for Old Men, Lady Bird, Fences, and The Social Network. He completed his EGOT in 2012 with a Grammy award win for The Book of Mormon.

He won one Academy Award for No Country for Old Men, and one Emmy award for He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin’. He has won 17 Tony Awards, his first in 1994 for the Passion musical.

Robert Lopez (Achieved EGOT: 2014)

Robert Lopez is the youngest and quickest person to earn EGOT status. He co-created The Book of Mormon and Avenue Q, as well as composed music for Frozen, Frozen II, and Coco. He completed his EGOT in 2014 with his Oscar win for Best Original song with “Let it Go” from Frozen. Robert Lopez is also the only double EGOT winner, meaning he has won at least two awards in each category.

Robert Lopez is on his way to a triple EGOT. He has three Grammys, three Tony Awards, and three Emmy awards. He only needs another Academy Award to become a triple EGOT.  He would have achieved this if he won the Academy Award for “Into the Unknown” from Frozen II, which was nominated for Best Original Song in 2020.

John Legend (Achieved EGOT: 2018)

John Legend is a singer, composer, and producer. He has also been a coach on The Voice for several seasons. He gained his EGOT status in 2018 when he won a Primetime Emmy for producing Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. In 2019, he also won a Daytime Emmy for producing Crow: The Legend.

Legend won a Tony in 2017 for co-producing the Jitney revival. As for the Grammys, naturally, he has a lot. Legend won 11 Grammy Awards. The most recent win was in 2019 and the first was in 2006, when he won for Best New Artist. John Legend won an Academy Award in 2015 for Best Original Song for “Glory” from Selma.

Andrew Lloyd Webber (Achieved EGOT: 2018)

Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the most famous musical theatre composers and producers. He composed Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Cats, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He gained his EGOT rank in 2018 with an Emmy award for producing Jesus Christ Superstar in Concert.

Andrew Lloyd Webber has won one Oscar for Best Original Song for Evita, and he has won three Grammy awards (for Evita, Cats and Requiem). Andrew Lloyd Webber won six competition Tony awards and one lifetime achievement Tony in 2018.

Tim Rice (Achieved EGOT: 2018)

Tim Rice is a lyricist and author who often collaborates with Andrew Lloyd Webber. He has contributed lyrics to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. He wrote lyrics for both the animated and live action versions of The Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast. He completed his EGOT alongside Andrew Lloyd Webber and John Legend in 2018 for producing Jesus Christ Superstar in Concert.

Tim Rice has won three Academy Awards for Best Original Song (for Aladdin, The Lion King, and Evita). It was his work on the Broadway musical Evita that earned him his first Tony Award in 1980, and then his first Grammy in 1981.

Alan Menken (Achieved EGOT: 2020)

Alan Menken is a world renowned composer who is best known for his work on Walt Disney animated films. Menken’s scores and songs can be heard in The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Hercules, and many others. 

His lifetime achievements include eight Academy Awards. All these Oscars are from his music in Disney animated films. Menken received his first Emmy in 1990 for a special Emmy award for Outstanding contribution to the success of the Academy’s anti-drug special for children. 

He received a Daytime Emmy in 2020 for Outstanding Original Song in a Children’s, Young Adult, or Animated Program for his song “Waiting in the Wings” from Tangled: The Series. Menken received multiple Grammy Awards, including ones for The Little Mermaid: Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack and Aladdin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. He won a Tony Award in 2012 for Newsies. 

Jennifer Hudson (Achieved EGOT: 2022)

Jennifer Hudson started her career as a contestant on American Idol. She didn’t win the Idol crown but soon shot to stardom in the film world. She received her first part of the EGOT in 2007 with her breakout role in Dreamgirls. Hudson won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. She won a Grammy the following year for her album Jennifer Hudson. It received the award for Best R&B Album.

Hudson also won a Grammy in 2017 for her work on The Color Purple album. She won her Daytime Emmy Award for producing Baba Yaga in 2021. She also won a Tony award in 2022 for producing A Strange Loop. 

Viola Davis (Achieved EGOT: 2023)

Viola Davis is a celebrated screen and stage star. Many fans may best know her for her role in How to Get Away with Murder as Annalise Keating. A character she played from 2014 to 2020. Davis has also been in many critically acclaimed and popular movies, including Fences, Widows, The Woman King, and Doubt. 

She received the first award of her eventual EGOT win (a Tony) in 2001 for her role in King Hedley II. Viola Davis then became a double Tony winner in 2010 for her role in Fences. In 2015, she won an Emmy award for playing Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder. Next came her Golden Globe and Oscar in 2017 for her role in Fences. Viola Davis became a Grammy winner in 2023 by winning Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording for her memoir Finding Me. 

Elton John (Achieved EGOT: 2024)

One of the most iconic and celebrated musicians for over half a century, Elton John is one of the most natural entries for this list, despite not actually finding his way onto it until 2024. That's when he earned his first Emmy Award (from his first nomination) for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for his concert Elton John: Farewell from Dodger Stadium.

It was a long time coming, as John earned his first Grammy Award back in 1987 (after not winning 15+ prior nominations), before picking up another 4 awards and a Grammy Legend honor. He also performed one of Disney's biggest soundtrack hits in The Lion King's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" which won the Best Original Song Oscar, while Rocketman's "I'm Gonna Love Me Again" secured his second one. On the Tony's side, his musical creations for 2000's Aida secured his lone (to date) award.

Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (Achieved EGOT: 2024)

Easily the fastest to reach the upper echelon are songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, whose career arc from first win to EGOT status spans a mere eight years! 2017 was quite the banner year for the duo, who earned not only the Tony for Best Original Score for Dear Evan Hansen, but also the Oscar for Best Music (Original Song) for La La Land's "City of Stars."

Pasek and Paul only had to wait a single year to net the third entry, joining the crew of Best Musical Theater Album winners for Dear Evan Hansen. Then, in 2023, they were brought into the wacky world of Only Murders in the Building for its musical-themed third season, where the earworm track "Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?" won the 2024 Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.

With so many of Hollywood’s elite only one or two awards away from achieving an EGOT, we’re sure that many more will join this list soon.

Academy Award-winning comedy legend Mel Brooks is still working at 96 years of age. His latest film, Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, is loosely based on one of his most iconic flicks, Blazing Saddles. Obviously those behind the animated movie approached Brooks for his stamp of approval, and apparently he responded in the most Mel Brooks way possible.

We recently spoke with one of Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank's directors, Rob Minkoff, and when we asked how Brooks responded to the idea of a Blazing Saddles adaptation in the early stages, Minkoff retold the story with the following:

So even though Rob Minkoff hadn’t yet been hired to take the reins, by the time he came on board, there were still stories floating around about how Mel Brooks responded to the idea of one of his most successful films being adapted. He may have thought it was crazy, but in an exciting way, as he was the first person signed on to join the cast. After that, the dominoes fell pretty fast, as Brooks was followed by Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Cera, Ricky Gervais, George Takei and plenty of other comedic talent. 

Although its fair to say that the adaptation is “loose,” Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank is very much based on Blazing Saddles. The original title of the production was even Blazing Samurai, though they likely realized that one was a little on the nose. The way that Blazing Saddles featured a Black sheriff being set up for failure in a white town, Paws of Fury is about a dog who is assigned to be the samurai for a town of cats. It’s also full of references to the classic film, including the iconic horse-punching scene. 

It’s crazy that the 96-year-old actor, writer, director and producer is still working, and on feature-length projects that go far beyond Coronavirus PSAs he filmed with his son. Mel Brooks was involved in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank during the majority of the film’s seven-year production, and there’s more to come. Namely, he’s in an upcoming TV project called Fairy Tale Forrest alongside Jane Lynch and Matt Lucas. We’ll certainly keep you updated as to when a release date for that show is announced. 

Given the ridiculous premise of the film and the absurd Paws of Fury trailer, you can imagine that the film is quite a wild ride. If you’re on the fence, you can check out our CinemaBlend's official review and a roundup of other reviews for the animated movie. You can see Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank in theaters right now! As for everything else that’s coming to theaters this year, check out our 2022 movie release schedule.

Moviegoers love underdog stories because it is easier to relate to an otherwise extraordinary situation when it is told from the perspective of an average person much like them. The animated film, Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank is, very literally, an underdog tale about a meek canine who wants to be a samurai and seeks training from a wise, old feline in a town entirely populated by cats.

Originally titled Blazing Samurai, this new movie from The Lion King director Rob Minkoff looks like it could be the most entertaining animated feature inspired by classic Japanese action films and featuring anthropomorphic animals since Kung Fu Panda. Check out the stars behind these charming, funny characters in our following guide to see who plays whom in the Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank voice cast - starting with the unlikely main hero.

Michael Cera (Hank)

Voicing Hank - the titular Beagle and aspiring samurai - is Michael Cera, whose last time playing a “dog” in an animated film was in 2016’s Sausage Party as a frankfurter named Barry. For a while, the Canadian actor’s main gig was playing non-literal underdogs - such as on Arrested Development as George-Michael Bluth, in 2007’s one-two-punch of hit coming-of-age comedies Juno and Superbad, and in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (also in the title role) to name a few. 

Cera, who also voiced Robin in 2017’s The LEGO Batman Movie, has also played characters that defy this reputation - such as a creepy, young sadist in 2013’s Magic Magic, Player X in Molly’s Game, and an extremely crude version of himself in This is the End. More recently, he acted alongside creator and star Amy Schumer on Hulu’s Life & Beth and has joined Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie cast in an undisclosed role.

Samuel L. Jackson (Jimbo)

As Hank’s mentor, a cat samurai named Jimbo, we have Samuel L. Jackson, who has played the mentor to several heroes (such as Nick Fury in the MCU or Mace Windu in the Star Wars universe). He has also played many straight-up heroes (like Frozone in The Incredibles and its sequel), some villains (like Elijah Price in Unbreakable and its 2019 sequel), some guys in between (like in The Hitman's Bodyguard and its sequel) and even another animated samurai (in the 2007 miniseries, Afro Samurai, and its sequel).

The Academy Award nominee’s lengthy filmography also includes countless cinematic classics like Coming to America, Goodfellas, Die Hard with a Vengeance, or Jurassic Park, and, also, more recent favorites like Black Snake Moan, Snakes on a Plane, or Kong: Skull Island. Also, you could name almost any one of Quentin Tarantino’s movies or any one of Spike Lee’s movies and there is a good chance that Jackson is in it.

Ricky Gervais (Ika Chu)

As Ika Chu - a greedy feline who wants to destroy the film’s central village setting - we have Ricky Gervais, who previously voiced a pigeon in Valiant, an invasive dolphin on Family Guy, a hedgehog on Bojack Horseman, himself on a few notable occasions (such as on Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?), and another cat in The Willoughbys cast for Netflix. He has also starred in a few live-action family-friendly films like 2014’s Muppets: Most Wanted and the Night of the Museum movies (which actually have an animated follow-up in the works).

Of course, the British comedian and host of some memorable Golden Globes ceremonies is even better known for less-family-friendly movies like For Your Consideration, The Invention of Lying (which he also co-wrote and co-directed), or Ghost Town. Yet, Gervais is even more famous for the TV shows he has created and starred in, like the original UK version of The Office, HBO’s Extras, or, most recently, the Netflix-original dramedy, After Life.

George Takei (Ohga)

Playing Ika Chu’s chief guard, Ohga, is George Takei, who is nothing short of a legend in the world of acting. His first screen credit was actually a Godzilla movie (1955’s Godzilla Raids Again), which led to roles in other films like The Green Berets and, of course, his best known role as Sulu in the original Star Trek cast in the 1960s and in many subsequent Star Trek movies, too. 

The LGBTQ+ activist has several notable recent TV roles, such as on AMC's horror anthology The Terror, and also makes many appearances as himself, such as on The Big Bang Theory. Takei has a large number of voice acting credits to his name, from First Ancestor in 1998’s Mulan, Hosato in 2016’s Kubo and the Two Strings, and Shinji Yokohama on Hulu’s animated Marvel series, Hit-Monkey.

Kylie Kuoika (Emiko)

Playing Emiko - an adorable, young cat with her own heroic aspirations - is Kylie Kuoika, a Hawaiian-born actor who is not only making her voice acting debut, but also her theatrically released feature film debut with Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank. Her official feature-length movie debut was the Disney+ exclusive Better Nate Than Ever earlier in 2022.

The young Broadway performer's first real screen acting debut was in the 2021 short horror movie, Harom. In 2022, she also starred in a more grounded and dramatic short film called Removable.

Michelle Yeoh (Yuki)

Emiko’s mother, Yuki, is voiced by Michelle Yeoh, whose last animated kung-fu movie was the 2011 sequel to the aforementioned Kung Fu Panda. She first tore up the screen in live-action alongside Jackie Chan in 1992’s Supercop before teaming up with Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies and defying gravity in Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000 - which are only some of Yeoh's best movies. 

The Malaysian-born actor is almost more popular than ever these days, having appeared in two Marvel movies (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and in the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast), a few hit rom-coms (the Crazy Rich Asians cast and Last Christmas), and leading the highly acclaimed, indescribably unique crowd-pleaser, Everything Everywhere All At Once, in 2022. Yeoh also has a recurring role on Star Trek: Discovery and her most recent animated film before Paws of Fury is Minions: The Rise of Gru.

Gabriel Iglesias (Chuck)

As a fluffy cat name Chuck, we have the self-proclaimed “fluffy” stand-up star Gabriel Iglesias, who has many, many other notable voice acting credits under his belt. He played both Ned and Zed in Pixar’s Planes, Pepe Rodriguez in The Book of Life, Jimmy in both of The Nut Job movies, an afterlife clerk in Coco, Cuatro in Ferdinand, and Speedy Gonzales in Space Jam: A New Legacy - which, seriously, barely scratches the surface of that particular list.

You may have seen the Latino comedian in live-action near the end of All That’s original run on Nickelodeon, playing Tobias in the Magic Mike cast, and in A Haunted House 2 with Marlon Wayans. Iglesias also had a major role on Cristela Alonso’s self-titled sitcom before landing his own self-titled sitcom on Netflix with Mr. Iglesias.

Aasif Mandvi (Ichiro)

As another feline villager named Ichiro, we have Aasif Mandvi, who actually made his film debut opposite co-star Samuel L. Jackson with a brief appearance as a cab driver in Die Hard with a Vengeance and reunited with him in 2006 in the crime thriller Freedomland. He was also in Ghost Town with Ricky Gervais, when his best known movie role at the time might have been Mr. Aziz in Spider-Man 2. 

The former Daily Show correspondent would later land considerably larger parts in movies like The Proposal, M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender as Commander Zhao, The Internship with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, and Million Dollar Arm with Jon Hamm. Mandvi’s most notable TV roles include Rafiq Massoud in HBO’s short-lived satire, The Brink, Uncle Monty on Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Ben Shakir in Paramount+’s Evil cast, most recently.

Djimon Hounsou (Sumo)

Voicing the intimidatingly large cat aptly named Sumo is Djimon Hounsou - who is, like co-star Samuel L. Jackson, an MCU star (he appeared in two Marvel movies and lent his voice to the What If…? cast as Korath). However, he also has a few DC movies under his belt - namely 2005’s Constantine and DCEU movies Aquaman and Shazam!

The former model received his first Academy Award nomination for Steven Spielberg’s Amistad before going on to star in more classics like the Best Picture Oscar winner, Gladiator, and later earning his second nod in 2007 for Blood Diamond. In addition to joining other big franchises like the Fast and Furious movies and 2021's A Quiet Place sequel, the King’s Man cast member has also previously leant his voce to How to Train Your Dragon 2 and an animated miniseries adaptation of Black Panther from 2010 as T’Challa. 

Cathy Shim (Little Mama)

As the Grand Dame of the town being fought over, Kakamucho, Little Mama, we have Cathy Shim, who made her uncredited feature film debut alongside co-star Michelle Yeoh in 2005’s Memoirs of a Geisha. By then, she had already made some of her first appearances with the Reno 911! cast as various characters - such as Miss Junior, whom she would reprise in the Emmy-nominated, feature-length Paramount+ exclusive, Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon, in 2021.

She also had a small role in 2007’s Balls of Fury (which has absolutely no relation to this new animated film), was in the 2009 horror-comedy, The Revenant (which has absolutely nothing to do with the 2015 Leonardo DiCaprio film), and also had a few small roles in comedies like 2012’s The Watch and Hell Baby from 2013. Shim also had a recurring spot on L.A.’s Finest and was in the 2019 romantic drama, The Sun is Also a Star. 

Mel Brooks (Shogun)

Last, but certainly no least, we have Mel Brooks as The Shogun - the latest voice acting role of the 96-year-old comedy legend. He previously played Bigweld in 2005’s Blue Sky movie, Robots, Albert Einstein in 2014’s Mr. Peabody & Sherman, Vlad in the Hotel Transylvania movies, and Melephant Brooks in Toy Story 4. 

Of course, Brooks is just as famous for his acting as he is for writing, producing, and directing - such as his 1967 directorial debut, The Producers, which earned him his sole Oscar and was later adapted into a Tony-winning stage musical. Other classics of his include B-movie parody, Young Frankenstein, Star Wars parody, Spaceballs, medieval adventure parody, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and western parody, Blazing Saddles.

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank is actually loosely inspired by Blazing Saddles, so it must be quite an honor for the creators to have gotten the man behind the comedy classic to star in the film. Then again, it would be an honor to work with every member of this talented voice cast.

Summer is in full swing at the box office, and another family friendly option is set to hit theaters this week with Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank. Boasting an impressive cast that includes Michael Cera as the titular Hank, Paws of Fury is the story about a dog who travels to a town full of cats who are in need of a hero to save them from the warmongering Ika Chu (Ricky Gervais). Reviews are in, so let’s see what the critics have to say about this offering from Paramount.

Loosely based on the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Blazing Saddles, the PG-rated Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank is completely safe for the little ones, even with its “mother-father-cocker-spaniel” exclamation from Samuel L. Jackson’s Jimbo. This flick appears to be jam-packed with pop culture references, and the critics are here to tell us more of what to expect. Let’s start with the CinemaBlend review of Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank. Dirk Libbey rates the movie 2 stars out of 5, saying while the concept is creative enough, the jokes and references often feel like they’re geared more toward adults:

Katie Walsh of The Wrap, however, thinks the movie pulled off a good balance between entertaining kids and their parents, even saying Paws of Fury makes an argument for more classics-inspired family films. The movie lacks any semblance of depth, but there are worse ways to spend a hot summer day, this review states:

Owen Gleiberman of Variety says along with Blazing Saddles, the Michael Cera film also evokes the spirit of Kung Fu Panda. However, this movie lacks what made those movies great, and Paws of Fury is neither fun nor funny, he says:

Like the other critics, Frank Scheck of THR says adult chaperones might get a kick out of the myriad pop culture references. However, the movie doesn’t offer much more for its audience than bathroom jokes, proving that vulgar humor will score laughs regardless of decade or target audience, the review states:

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank garnered a grade of F from Martin Tsai of AV Club. He says the movie takes Mel Brooks’ controversial racial satire and pumps it full of Asian clichés. Even more, it seems the filmmakers made little or no attempt to educate themselves on Asian culture, this review says:

It’s an interesting idea to use a comedy like Blazing Saddles as inspiration for a children’s animated movie, but it looks like most of the critics think the execution was lacking. However, audiences should always feel free to judge for themselves, and the movies are often a great way to escape the summer heat with the kids. If you want to check out Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, you can do so starting Friday, July 15. Be sure to also check out our 2022 Movie Release Schedule to see what other films are hitting theaters soon.

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the 1931 horror classic Frankenstein, but let us not forget his grandson Young Frankenstein, or Fronkensteen as he sometimes prefers.

Young Frankenstein from Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder is one of the funniest movies ever made while also being an incredible homage to the James Whale film that it spoofs. It is a blend of brilliant wit and physical comedy with an incredible cast of Wilder, Marty Feldman, Teri Garr, Peter Boyle, Cloris Leachman and Madeline Kahn that has stood the test of time. It even made it to the Great White Way, as a musical version hit Broadway in 2007 (ABC is planning on doing a live production of it for television).

But the 1974 film is the one we all come back to with countless rewatches. And it has plenty more to give as evidenced by the behind-the-scenes facts you can read about below. So let’s throw the switch and get into these Young Frankenstein behind-the-scenes facts.

Brooks' First Payment For Young Frankenstein Was $57

Mel Brook is typically the creative force behind all his movies, but Young Frankenstein was actually an idea born of Gene Wilder. While Wilder said he wanted Brooks to direct Young Frankenstein from the start, Brooks has told the story on multiple occasions, including in the official Young Frankenstein: The Story of the Making of the Film book, as noted by Newsweek, on how he first became involved and his first payment for his work.

Brooks and Wilder were working on the irreverent western Blazing Saddles when one day when they weren’t filming Brooks noticed Wilder writing on a legal pad and saw the title Young Frankenstein. Brooks asked his star what he was working on and Wilder gave him the pitch, saying that it would be his dream for Brooks to write the movie with him and then direct it. Brooks asked if Wilder had any money on him. When the star said he had $57, Brooks said "It's a start,” and that he'd take it. The rest, as they say, is cinematic history.

Gene Wilder Was Insistent Mel Brooks Not Appear in Young Frankenstein

Apparently during that same make-shift negotiation on the set of Blazing Saddles, Wilder had one condition for Brooks to start working on the film: he could not appear in the film.

In an interview with Parade, Brooks recalls the request by Wilder:

Of course, Brooks does find his way into the movie, if only providing some off-screen voices, including the werewolf, a cart hit by a dart and Victor Frankenstein.

Brooks And Wilder Clashed Over ‘Puttin On The Ritz’ Scene

One of the most iconic scenes in Young Frankenstein is when the bold scientist shows the monster (played by Peter Boyle) to a group of distinguished scientists. To prove that he has control over his creation, Dr. Frankenstein and the monster do a song and dance number of Irving Berlin’s “Puttin on the Ritz.” However, it almost never made it into the movie as the scene put Brooks and Wilder were at odds.

As Wilder told Conan O’Brien in an interview from 2005, he would write during the day and Brooks would come over and look at pages at night and give him notes. When he came to the “Puttin on the Ritz” scene he had some notes, and Wilder was ready to fight back.

Wilder told O’Brien:

Wilder would go on to say that it is the only argument that the life-long friends ever had.

Columbia Said No To Black And White, So Brooks Went To Fox

Here’s a Hollywood deal making story that is the stuff of legends. Young Frankenstein originally had a development deal at Columbia Pictures, with a deal to make and distribute the movie ready to go essentially finalized. However, before the ink could dry, Brooks sticks his head back into the room and adds that they were going to make the movie in black and white before quickly exiting. As Brooks recalled to Jimmy Kimmel in 2014, they followed after him crying, "No, Peru just got color!” 

Columbia tried to compromise with Brooks to show the film in black in white in some markets, but color in others. Brooks said no dice.

Fortunately, he found a willing partner in Alan Ladd Jr. over at 20th Century Fox, who famously would also give another landmark film a break (Star Wars). He agreed they could make the film in black and white and Young Frankenstein officially became a 20th Century Fox movie.

The Production Crew Tracked Down The Original Frankenstein Lab Equipment

As much as Young Frankenstein is a parody of its classic horror film namesake, Brooks and Wilder had great affection for the 1931 film and wanted to do right by it. This was why they pushed to make it in black and white, as well as had their production designer use Charles D. Hall’s original designs for Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein for the set.

As luck would have it, they wouldn’t need to recreate a few pieces of the iconic Frankenstein set. In a Los Angeles Times feature, it was revealed that Brooks and his crew were able to track down Kenneth Strickfaden, who created the original electrical equipment used in Frankenstein’s laboratory and still had them in a garage in Santa Monica.

Amazingly, after more than 40 years, when Strickfaden threw the switch, the equipment still worked as it had in the original movie.

Peter Boyle’s Monster Found Love On The Set Of Young Frankenstein

The monster, as he is called in all iterations of Frankenstein, really just wants to be loved. Fittingly, that’s just what happened to Boyle when he was playing the monster in Young Frankenstein.

The Washington Post recounted in its obituary for Boyle that while on set for Young Frankenstein he met Rolling Stone reporter Loraine Alterman, who was there to do an interview with Mel Brooks. Still wearing his monster makeup, Boyle asked Alterman out and she said yes. They were married in 1977 and remained so for his entire life.

The Crew Used White Handkerchiefs To Stifle Laughs During Filming

Brooks employed an unusual tactic during the filming of Young Frankenstein that has rarely (if ever) been repeated in Hollywood history. He handed out white handkerchiefs to his entire crew and instructed them to put it in their mouths if they were going to laugh so as to stifle it and not ruin the shot. According to what Brooks said to the LA Times (in the previously mentioned article):

He took a different approach when instructing the extras not to break during the filming of the “Puttin on the Ritz” scene, apparently warning them that anyone who laughed would be arrested.

One Scene In Particular Kept Making Gene Wilder Crack Up

Unfortunately, Brooks couldn’t use his white handkerchief strategy with his actors, most notably Gene Wilder. According to co-star Cloris Leachman, Wilder was notorious for breaking during scenes, with one in particular being difficult for the famed comic actor to get through.

In an interview with Jake Hamilton, Leachman recalls the scene where her character Frau Blücher (horses whinny) leads Dr. Frankenstein and Inga up the stairs. She turns to the two guests to warn them, “Stay close to the candles, the staircase can be treacherous.” Leachman went on to say: 

She said that it took them 15 takes to get the shot, and also fondly recalled how everything she did in the movie "just tickled Gene to pieces."

Gene Hackman Landed His Cameo While Playing Tennis With Gene Wilder

In addition to the cast, Gene Hackman has a memorable cameo in the movie playing a blind hermit who attempts to befriend the monster while he is out rampaging. Of course, because he is blind he doesn’t realize when he pours hot soup on the monster and lights his finger on fire, causing the monster to run away (Where are you going? I was going to make espresso).

Though according to Brooks, the only reason Hackman is in the movie was because he played tennis with Gene Wilder. Brooks told Yahoo Movies that Hackman wanted to give comedy a try and asked Wilder, who starred with him in Bonnie and Clyde, if there was a part in “that crazy movie.” Wilder mentioned the blind priest and he said he was in.

Brooks says that the espresso line was improvised by Hackman.

Brooks Is The Last Filmmaker To Have Two Year-End Top-Five Box Office Films

In the 47 years since Mel Brooks had the one-two punch of Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein in 1974, no other filmmaker has been able to pull off what he did - having both of his films finish in the top-five for box office for the entire year. Blazing Saddles finished with $119.6 million and Young Frankenstein finished with $86.3 million, per Box Office Mojo.

In a year that included The Towering Inferno, The Longest Yard and The Godfather Part II, that was good enough for first (Blazing Saddles) and fourth (Young Frankenstein), according to the-numbers.com.

Some of you may be thinking, what about Steven Spielberg? What about 1993 with Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List? Jurassic Park was the top grossing film of 1993 with $338.9 million, but Schindler’s List topped out at $96 million, more than $10 million shy of what Mrs. Doubtfire finished at in the fifth spot for 1993.

Young Frankenstein is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

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What happens when you put together a master of comedy, and a master of viral suspense? You get Mel Brooks and his son, Max, combining their talents to create one of the best coronavirus PSAs to hit the internet since those Wu-Tang Clan flyers! Check out their collaboration, in the video shared below:

Naturally, Max Brooks would know a thing or two about pandemics, as his novel turned film World War Z depicted the societal breakdown, and eventual rebuilding, after a nasty strain of bug turns most of the world into the undead. But what makes this video even more poignant is that Mel Brooks, Max’s father and comedy icon, is a young and healthy 93 years old; which puts him into one of the age groups most vulnerable to COVID-19.

Leave it to the Brooks boys to tackle this subject with the right amount of humor and insight, as Max Brooks made this short video and posted it on his own Twitter feed to show the world just how serious this crisis is, with a morbidly funny example.

Detailing just how easily this virus could be spread, even by those who are asymptomatic, Max talks about how if he were infected, he’d more than likely be fine. But if he passed the coronavirus along to his father, then he could pass it to friend and collaborator Carl Reiner, who could then pass it to The Dick Van Dyke Show collaborator/dear friend/national treasure, Dick Van Dyke.

So to recap, if Max Brooks was wild and reckless, he could wipe out three national comedy treasures. But, as we’ve seen in this video, he’s not the careless type, and he insists the world take proper precautions to avoid the spread of this heinous bio organism. Which, of course, includes such practices as social distancing, washing your hands at regular intervals, and staying home when possible, while watching only the finest of Mel Brooks’ canon.

Ok, so that last bit is optional, but in a world where fellow celebrities like Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, as well as Idris Elba and Olga Kurylenko, are finding themselves positive for the COVID-19 virus, that part about staying home is more vital than ever. Still, you’re sitting around on the couch for a while, so isn’t it about time you watched The Producers again?

While it’s sad to report that there are no new Mel Brooks movies on the horizon, and World War Z’s sequel has yet to resurrect itself, there’s still some good news. If you’re a fan of Mel Brooks, you can hear him reunite with Carl Reiner, Carol Burnett, and Betty White in their vocal cameos for Toy Story 4, which is currently available on Digital HD, as well as all physical media formats. Oh, and it recently went to Disney+ too, so if you want to catch that action, you can do so with a free 7-day trial!

As for Max Brooks, his next novel, Devolution, will be available digitally/in stores on May 12th. If you thought the man did something fresh with zombies, he's targeting Bigfoot as his next source of thrills. Last, but not least, that Wu Tang Clan flyer is totally real, and here’s the link to prove it.

NBC may have kicked off the recent spate of live television musicals, but that doesn't mean that other networks can't get in on the fun. And, that's just what happened when Fox and, last year, ABC stepped up to the plate. ABC gave us The Little Mermaid Live! early last November, and the Disney-affiliated network has already decided on what its next project will be: the very unexpected Young Frankenstein.

The news about Young Frankenstein came out of the Television Critics Association winter press tour, which is going on right now, and, if you're a fan of the classic Mel Brooks movie or live TV musicals in general, you'll be glad to know that we don't have to wait a full year until we get to feast our eyes on the production. Young Frankenstein will hit ABC sometime this fall, and will be produced by original mastermind Brooks. This version of the story will be based on the Broadway musical and feature the songs that Brooks wrote for the play.

If you're in the dark on all things Young Frankenstein, no worries, that's why we're here! Mel Brooks' film was released in 1974 and starred Gene Wilder as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, a lecturing professor at an American medical school who's trying to distance himself from his infamous grandfather, Victor, who created the well-known monster many years prior. But, after he inherits his family's estate in Transylvania, he decides to carry on his grandfather's legacy and create his own re-animated man.

Mel Brooks' horror comedy serves as a parody of both the classic horror movies of the 1930s and the previous film adaptations of Mary Shelley's novel. Young Frankenstein was even filmed in black and white, and used some of the same props that had been created for the 1931 film version of the story, as well as having a period-style score and using opening credit and scene transition styles that were employed back then.

As you can probably tell, Young Frankenstein made quite an impact when it was released. The movie was an unquestionable hit, garnering much critical acclaim and making over $86 million against a $2.78 million budget. Young Frankenstein has gone on to grace many top movie lists and is widely considered one of the funniest films ever made. So, it shouldn't surprise you to know that Mel Brooks turned his own film into a musical.

Young Frankenstein opened on Broadway in November 2007 and ran through January 2009, and while that's certainly not the longest run of any Broadway musical, the production was nominated for three Tony Awards and starred well-known performers such as Megan Mullally, Andrea Martin, Sutton Foster and Tony winner Roger Bart.

Considering ABC's connection with Disney, and the success that came with The Little Mermaid Live!, it's rather surprising that those at the network didn't decide to go with another animated film to live musical story. I have to say, though, that I like the different tack that's being taken with this one. There's no reason why every live TV musical needs to cater so obviously to kids and families.

There will surely be more information to come about ABC's Young Frankenstein Live! before much longer, so be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest. For more on what you can watch early this year, check out our 2020 winter / spring premiere guide and Netflix premiere schedule.

Toy Story 4 already had a stacked cast, from Tom Hanks and Tim Allen obviously reprising Woody and Buzz Lightyear, respectively, to newcomers like Keanu Reeves and Christina Hendricks jumping in as new toys the main characters meet during their latest adventure. But with less than two weeks to go until Toy Story 4 hits theaters, it’s been revealed that comedy icons Mel Brooks, Betty White, Carl Reiner and Carol Burnett will also be lending their talents to the latest Pixar movie.

So how are these legends participating in Toy Story 4? Well, as it most often the case with this franchise, they’ll be voicing toys, specifically ones belonging to Bonnie, just like Woody, Buzz and the gang. However, in the case of this quartet, while they were Bonnie’s favorite toys when she was a baby, as the girl’s gotten older, they’ve fallen out of favor, which is what’s happened to Woody at the start of the movie.

These already sound like worthwhile characters to bring in, but what makes them even better is their punny names. Mel Brooks is voicing a blue elephant named Melephant Brooks, Betty White is voicing an orange tiger named Bitey White, Carl Reiner is voicing a pink rhino named Carl Reineroceros and Carol Burnett is voicing a green chair named Chairol Burnett. All these toys also have a “natural personality” fitting the actor voicing them.

Here’s what director Josh Cooley told USA Today how these characters fit into Toy Story 4:

Josh Cooley also mentioned that he recorded Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner’s lines while the two longtime friends were together in Reiner’s living room, which the director described as “so surreal and so awesome.” He added that Brooks and Reiner did an excellent job riffing off each other, and Brooks humorously reminded Cooley that he’s directed films too.

Toy Story 3 explored people outgrowing their toys with Andy having left his playthings in the toy chest years earlier and him going to college marking his first steps into adulthood. Now, through Mel Brooks, Betty White, Carl Reiner and Carol Burnett’s characters, Toy Story 4 offers a look at the toys we leave behind even as we’re still young and our tastes change.

Since it looks like Toy Story 4 could be the last film entry in this franchise, it’s great to hear that all four of these comedy talents were able to lend their voices to it, though we’ll have to wait and see how much screen time they have. It’s also worth mentioning that Mel Brooks was good friends with Don Rickles, who passed away in 2017, but will still be heard as Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story 4 thanks to archival audio.

Toy Story 4 opens on June 14, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more coverage. Don’t forget to also visit our 2019 release schedule to find out what other movies come out later this year.

Mel Brooks' classic cowboy comedy, Blazing Saddles, was a trailblazer in parody comedy, as well as social issues being addressed through that very same lens. On top of all of that, it's one of the funniest comedies that's ever existed, and for that reason alone, it should never be remade. But say that the film did not exist back then, and was a project that existed as a fresh take on comedy today? According to Mel Brooks, that'd never happen, for one simple reason: political correctness. He said as much during a recent radio interview, as the legendary comedian explained his feelings as follows:

It's not hard to see why Brooks, the man behind such films as The Producers or History of the World: Part I would consider the current climate of the world to be adverse towards such a film as Blazing Saddles. With everything from casting decisions to entire concepts of TV and film projects under scrutiny, there would always be a chance that something similar to the original intent of the Mel Brooks classic would be protested by a number of groups that feel it represents one group or another unfairly.

Blazing Saddles does feature jokes against everyone from the KKK and the Nazi party to the people of the Western frontier, and even African Americans, government officials, women, and the LGBTQ community, and in today's context some of those may not land as easily as they did back in 1974. The fact that Mel Brooks was the writer and director who took on such edgy and complicated material probably makes it less likely it would get made today too. The studio would likely be really nervous about how it would turn out and be received. That being said, it's not an entirely certain proposition that a new version of Blazing Saddles would be written off as a project really trying to offend any particular group. But you could definitely see where the cracks in the film's armor would be in a more modern context.

It's hard to tell if a new version of Blazing Saddles would suffer as horrible a fate as Mel Brooks told the BBC program Best of Today that it would. But the take away from this whole discussion really should be that while social discourse is always evolving, so is the true nature of comedy. If Blazing Saddles existed today, it wouldn't be the same film, as it would be born out of a different source of social satire. While the "lecherous elf" of comedy is always going to have something to say, what it has to say is usually informed by the current times. There will always be voices to walk that thin edge between insult and insight in the world of comedy, and the movie-going public will always be there to keep a watchful eye on what they feel the difference to be, according to the modern litmus test.

Whether or not you enjoy Blazing Saddles, it's still available for you to watch through various platforms. And that's something we can definitely tell you with authority.

A long time ago (1987) in a galaxy far, far away (a Hollywood film set), the wise and powerful Yogurt expressed hope that he would reunite with Lone Starr and his friends in Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money. It was a funny, fourth wall-breaking line to drop into Spaceballs, but an actual sequel has never progressed much further than the conceptual stages. However, with the resurgence of the Star Wars franchise, Mel Brooks has revealed that there's renewed interest in making Spaceballs 2 happening. He stated:

During a recent screening of his 1974 hit Young Frankenstein (via njpac), Mel Brooks provided the above update on Spaceballs 2 to the audience. Evidently the success of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has led MGM to talk with the legendary comedy actor, writer and director about revisiting the world of Spaceballs, which was primarily a satire of George Lucas' creation, but also took aim at plenty of other popular sci-fi properties.

This isn't the first time Me Brooks has expressed interest in making Spaceballs 2. He said a few years ago that a sequel "is actually going to happen," and last year he wisely noted in late 2015 that making it now in the midst of all these Star Wars movies coming out would likely be profitable. How fitting given the title Yogurt pitched for the follow-up all those years ago. Of course, assuming that Spaceballs 2 is eventually greenlit, it wouldn't be the only Star Wars spoof movie coming down the pipeline, as the guys behind Scary Movie announced in February that they're making Star Worlds Episode XXXIVE=MC2: The Force Awakens The Last Jedi Who Went Rogue.

Although Spaceballs 2 has never gotten off the ground, Mel Brooks did return to his laugh-packed sci-fi world last decade with Spaceballs: The Animated Series, which aired 13 episodes on G4 from late 2008 to early 2009. Spaceballs 2 would certainly face an uphill battle being made. Since Spaceballs' release, John Candy (Barf), Joan Rivers (Dot Matrix), Dom and Dick van Patten (King Roland) have passed away. Rick Moranis (Dark Helmet) has also been on an extended hiatus from acting since 1997, only taking on select voice roles in the years since. No doubt Mel Brooks would do his best to bring back Moranis, Bill Pullman (Lone Starr), Daphne Zuniga (Princess Vespa) and George Wyner (Colonel Sandurz), but just like Star Wars: The Force Awakens did, Spaceballs 2 will have to introduce a lot of new faces to fill out the main cast and set up the "next generation."

For now, Spaceballs 2 remains in the "talks" phase, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for any updates that may come in concerning the sequel.

2016 has been a pretty rough year for celebrity deaths. We have seen the passing of both young talent and legendary figures in the film industry, and now it appears that the latter has tragically struck again. This week we bid goodbye to the comedy legend Gene Wilder, who delighted audiences with his fearless performances and frequent collaborations with director/writer Mel Brooks. The two clearly had a great professional and personal relationship, and Brooks recently spoke up regarding how he's feeling in the wake of Wilder's tragic death.

Mel Brooks just did an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he opened up about how he's mourning his late friend Gene Wilder. He said the following:

How touching. We can glean a few things from this interview, and it's all positive and heartwarming.

For one, it appears that Gene Wilder's loved ones were not quite as surprised by this death as the public was. Social media and the internet basically exploded at the news of Wilder's death, but now it appears that those close to the late actor were a bit more mentally and emotionally prepared for his passing. He had been apparently struggling for quite some time, so it may be possible that his loved ones are actually relieved that he no longer had to suffer.

It's also touching to see just how close Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder remained throughout the decades. The comedy duo's work has entertained audiences for years, and it's clear that they found each other just as delightful in person. Mel Brook's comments make it seem like the two were in constant communication, calling each other regularly. That appears to be one of the hardest aspects of Brook's grief: the sudden lack of communication with his dear friend.

You can check out Mel Brook's full interview with Jimmy Fallon regarding Gene Wilder below.

Even more touching in video, right?

Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks' collaborations are far reaching and feature some of the most hilarious comedy films of all time. Young Frankenstein, The Producers, and Blazing Saddles are all legendary comedies that will live on even though Gene Wilder will not. Our thoughts are with his loves ones at this time.

This fall, Dracula, Frankenstein and the rest of the gang are back in Hotel Transylvania 2, and the movie promises all kinds of monster hijinks, as well as some brand new and exciting characters and locations. We got our first look at the film back in March, but now the full theatrical trailer is online and ready to entertain you:

Sony Pictures Animation launched this brand new trailer on their YouTube channel today, and it does a solid job of not only setting up the film's plot, but also introducing a few characters whom we're very excited to see join the ensemble. Without question, our most anticipated new addition is Mel Brooks as Vlad, who gets a dark, weird intro in this new spot as the father of Adam Sandler's Dracula...

But weirdly enough it's actually a pair of human characters we glimpse in the trailer that also ups our interest level in the animated sequel. In the movie, Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally (who are actually married in real life) are teamed up to play the parents of Andy Samberg's character Jonathan, Mike and Linda, and they're drawn into the story because they're also brand new grandparents of the child that Jonathan had with Selina Gomez's Mavis.

Based on a script by Adam Sandler and Robert Smigel, and picking up after the events of the first movie, Hotel Transylvania 2 picks up with Dracula being concerned that his new grandson isn't showing any signs of becoming a vampire, and is afraid that this fact is going to drive his daughter away from home. In trying to fix this problem, he decides to once again team up with Frank (Kevin James), Murray (Keegan-Michael Key), Wayne (Steve Buscemi) and Griffin (David Spade) to try and put the young child through early monster training.

In addition to all of the names mentioned above, the film will also feature the return of Fran Drescher as Eunice, the Bride of Frankenstein, and Chris Kattan, who is credited as playing a character named "Cakie." Sony Pictures will be releasing the film on September 25th. Following the release of this trailer, would you say that your ticket is already sold?

As far as hilarious genre parodies go, you probably won’t be able to find a more beloved film than Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs. (Perhaps, with the exception of Brooks’ Blazing Saddles or Young Frankenstein.) The 1987 Star Wars satire gloriously took the then-recently-concluded Original Trilogy and mashed it up with a healthy dash of pop-culture lampooning into a heaping helping of hilarity. While rumors of a potential sequel have been floating around ever since, it seems that Brooks’ latest comments on the matter show that he remains committed to using The Schwartz to make the film a reality and SOON.

On a recent appearance on comedian Adam Corolla’s Take a Knee podcast (recounted on Reddit), Brooks would confirm to the audience that a Spaceballs sequel "is actually going to happen." The comedy icon further expressed that he "really wants to do it", with plans to ask back Rick Moranis and the other members of the original cast. (Obviously, minus John Candy and now, recently, Joan Rivers, who have passed.) It is apparently Brooks’ intent to start filming after the ever-impending release of this December’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In other words, filming for this nearly-three-decades-in-the-making project could be just under a year away!

As a joke in the film famously hinted, the sequel’s title would be, Spaceballs: The Search for More Money. While timely lampooning of the Prequel Trilogy would not get to happen during the contemporaneous period of those films, Brooks did put together Spaceballs: The Animated Series, which had a brief run in 2008 and did tackle some Prequel-related ribbing. However, it will be interesting to see exactly who Brooks would bring on to this project. The man is currently 88 years old and while his contributions to the comedic world have been vast, a fresh new take on Spaceballs with writing and directorial recruits who actually grew up laughing hysterically at the first film would probably be necessary. Such candidates not only need to understand Star Wars and its culture, but the deep, complex meta level of humor that Brooks brought to the table, like this famous scene provided below.

The original Spaceballs featured characters who were amusingly absurd amalgams of the Star Wars primary cast. Bill Pullman’s Lone Starr was something almost straight out of a Ralph McQuarrie early concept sketch of a Luke Skywalker/Han Solo nascent hybrid. Daphne Zuniga’s Princess Vespa was Princess Leia put through the ringer of Brooks’ signature self-deprecating humor. John Candy’s Barf and Joan Rivers’ Dot Matrix served as combinations of Chewbacca and C-3PO and the actors’ signature comedic personas. Rick Moranis’ Dark Helmet served up a scrawny Darth Vader, over-compensating with an obscenely large helmet, whose whiny nature almost foreshadowed the Anakin Skywalker character we’d get in the Star Wars prequels. (Burn!)

Even Brooks himself had a duel role as a non-Star Wars inspired bureaucratic nincompoop, President Skroob, and the wise, kosher-ized version of Yoda in Yogurt. The mere thought of seeing newer Star Wars concepts similarly put through the Brooks bonanza of satire is exciting.

Spaceballs: The Search for More Money (please, please call it that) still has no confirmed shooting date, much less a release date. However, the word from some folks who have nabbed the "Instant Cassette" thought it was an amazing return to form.

For decades, Mel Brooks has been making people laugh with his films, and based on the preview we have to show you from the upcoming special Mel Brooks Strikes Back, he's making people laugh just talking about the movies he's made and his long career in the entertainment industry.

HBO has Mel Brooks Strikes Back! set to debut next month. The special features the legendary film director, who brought us Blazing Saddles, The Producers, Young Frankenstein and Spaceballs, Mel Brooks as he sits with BBC's Alan Yentob on stage at the Geffen theater in California to talk about his work. The preview below gives us a glimpse of Brooks as he speaks and jokes about his life and career.

In addition to Brooks reflecting on his work, Mel Brooks Strikes Back! will also include clips from his movies and TV work.

Mel Brooks is a film legend with a list of memorable, classic films to his name. He's also one of eleven people to EGOT (win a Tony, a Grammy, an Oscar and an Emmy), so even without the preview to remind us of how funny he is, this special sounds like a must-watch for anyone who admires his work.

Mel Brooks Strikes Back! will premiere Monday, December 10 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

This past June 24th marked the 25th anniversary of what is arguably Mel Brooks' last top-notch comedy, a final hurrah before we were subjected to the mediocre Men in Tights and the downright depressing Dracula: Dead and Loving It. It's only appropriate that a movie featuring an ode to merchandising would line up a new release to celebrate the quarter-century mark, even if they did miss releasing it on the actual anniversary by a month or so. Yes, the Spaceballs: 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray is set to hit shelves on August 7th, and we've got a trailer to get you in the mood.

The 25th Anniversary Edition features over five hours of bonus features, including a new "Spaceballs and the Skroobing of Sci-Fi" featurette, a Mel Brooks commentary, costume and art galleries, and the inevitable bloopers. The disc retails for $19.99, but it's still available for pre-order over at Amazon for a mere $14.99. That's a deal even Skroob could appreciate.

Believe it or not, it's been a full quarter century since Mel Brooks' Spaceballs hit theaters back in the summer of 1987. It was a simpler time, when Brooks had yet to conquer Broadway with The Producers and the parody genre had yet to descend into the purgatory of Scary/Epic/Disaster Movies. Now Brooks fans will be able to celebrate the good old days with a 25th anniversary Blu-ray release of Spaceballs set to arrive on August 7th.

This isn't Spaceballs' first foray onto the high-def format, but the new edition does include a new featurette. Only one, however, so this probably isn't worth the upgrade if you already own the previously released Spaceballs Blu-ray. Unless, of course, you're a die-hard Brooks fanboy or have some pressing urge to own multiple editions. Of course, if that's the case, you probably already own this.

Here's the full rundown of the Blu-ray's five hours of bonus features.

• NEW!! "Farce Yourself! Spaceballs and the Skroobing of Sci-Fi" featurette
• Commentary by Mel Brooks
• Additional Commentary Tracks: Mawgese, Dinkese
• "Spaceballs: The Documentary" featurette
• "In Conversation: Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan featurette"
• "John Candy: Comic Spirit" featurette
• "Watch the Movie in Ludicrous Speed" featurette
• The Behind-the-Movie Photos
• Spaceballs: The Costume Gallery
• Spaceballs: The Art Gallery
• Trailers: Exhibitor Trailer with Mel Brooks Introduction and Theatrical Trailer
• Storyboards-to-Film Comparison
• Film Flubs: Edge of the Mirror, Grabs Himself Early, The Magic Reappearing Ring, More Than His Head, No End in Sight, and Track Behind Dot

The existing Spaceballs Blu-ray was already pretty packed with goodies, but it still seems a shame that the set isn't getting more new material for this anniversary release. Sure, a new featurette is nice, but it hardly seems to be taking full advantage of the marketing potential that Skroob would prefer. If nothing else, how about a couple of isolated audio tracks where Brooks mocks the Star Wars prequels? Or maybe just a looping video of Skroob punching Jar-Jar Binks in the babymaker over and over? It's not like we're asking for a full Spaceballs sequel or anything…

Welcome back to FlixWorthy, your weekly guide to Netflix streaming. Yet again we're bringing you a handful of new or notable selections from Netflix's streaming catalogue. Some will be classics, some will be little-seen gems, some will be shows you might have missed, and some...some will be crap so awful they simply has to be seen to be believed. Here's what's FlixWorthy this week, kids.

Session 9

(2001, Rated R, 100 min.)

Session 9 is the most frightening movie I've ever seen, and one of the best psychological horror films ever made. Despite having earned a devoted following over the years, co-writer/director Brad Anderson's spare, claustrophobic mindfuck remains an underseen gem. The premise is as simple as can be: a small crew is hired to strip asbestos out of an abandoned psychiatric hospital. They've got one week, and all of them need the money the job will provide. As the week stretches on, they begin to delve into the asylum's dark past, and their own inner demons begin to rise to the surface. And that's absolutely all I'm going to tell you, because every moment of this movie should be savored unprepared, preferably alone in a pitch-black room. The cast, including David Caruso and Josh Lucas, give decent to excellent performances, but the real stars of the show are Anderson's masterful pacing and the haunted, decaying atmosphere of the asylum itself. This isn't a movie that relies on cheap jump scares or masked psychos. Session 9 simply drops you into a place corroded by the darkest impulses of the human soul and dares you to come away untouched.

Double-Feature It With:

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

(1975, Rated R, 133 min., HD)

I couldn't help keeping the asylum theme rolling, but it should tell you something that I truly believe One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest will be an uplifting refresher after surviving Session 9.

Capitalism: A Love Story

(2009, Rated R, 127 min.)

Love him or hate him, there's no question that Michael Moore's films tend to stir up plenty of controversy and conversation. Even though I might have agreed with some of the points he was making, he lost me back during the Fahrenheit 9/11/Bowling for Columbine period. Thankfully, he seems to have dialed back on the partisan smear films in recent years, instead making documentaries that focus on specific problems, such health care (Sicko) or the excess and abuses of, well, capitalism. Moore's film turns his usual mixture of humor and indignation on those who have profited the most from the economic crises that have made life miserable for the rest of us. This is the sort of stuff that made Moore's TV Nation so entertaining, because it's always fun to see an out-of-touch corporate fat cat on the receiving end of Moore's particular brand of harassment and annoyance. Granted, Moore is still as divisive a figure as pop culture has to offer, so your enjoyment will largely depend on whether you can watch footage of the man without wanting to punch him in the face.

Double-Feature It With:

Maxed Out

(2006, Not Rated, 87 min.)

Continuing the financial theme, Maxed Out takes a look at our culture's unhealthy relationship with debt -- individual, national, and systemic. The documentary is the first (and thus far only) full-length feature from director James D. Shurlock, but it earned generally favorable reviews across the board.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

(2009, Rated R, 152 min.)

Based on Stieg Larsson's best-selling novel, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo teams a journalist (Michael Nyqvist) with a young computer hacker (Noomi Rapace) to investigate the disappearance of a wealthy executive's niece 40 years earlier. The former CEO (Sven-Bertil Taube) believes the girl was murdered, and he wants the journalist to discover the truth. The film has an American remake in the works, with David Fincher rumored to be circling it, but here's your chance to see the first attempt at bringing Larsson's thriller to the big screen -- so long as you don't mind subtitles. Brian Holcomb reviewed the recent DVD release for us this very week, and you can check out his thoughts right here. If you like the cut of its jib, Larsson's novel has two follow-ups: The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, which just got its American publication this past May.

Double-Feature It With...

M

(1931, Not Rated, 110 min.)

Fritz Lang's classic was the German director's first "talkie" movie, and gave Peter Lorre one of his most iconic roles as child-killer Hans Beckert.

The Damned United

(2008, Rated R, 97 min.)

If my Facebook news feed is to be believed, there's been some sort of big soccer event going on these past few weeks. I'm not sure what it all means, but John Oliver from The Daily Show has been very incensed. In the spirit of planetary unity involving a sport I couldn't care less about, I throw out this bone. Honestly, I'd be hard pressed to name a single memorable soccer movie off the top of my head -- wait: Bend It Like Beckham -- but I'm willing to recommend this one sight-unseen just based on the 96% fresh Top Critic Rating on RT and the presence of Peter Morgan's name in the credits. The British screenwriter's resume over the past five years boasts a damned impressive pedigree (The Last King of Scotland, The Queen, Frost/Nixon), and even his weakest recent credit still had its moments (The Other Boleyn Girl). If Peter Morgan felt compelled to write a soccer drama, there's a good chance it's a soccer drama worth watching. But I still refuse to call it "football."

Double-Feature It With:

Fever Pitch

(1997, Rated R, 102 min.)

No, this isn't the eminently forgettable 2005 American version that replaced soccer with baseball and Colin Firth with Jimmy Fallon. I don't need to tell you how lopsided that particular trade was. While both versions were based on lad-lit legend Nick Hornby's autobiographical book, Hornby actually wrote the screenplay for this decade-earlier British version.

Surrogates

(2009, Rated PG-13, 89 min.)

File this one under "Promising Concept; Mediocre Execution." Terminator: Salvation screenwriters Michael Ferris and John Brancato spin this tale of a near-future world where the bulk of mankind live out their lives via robotic versions of themselves. Without the dangers of personal risk, people are free to live out any fantasy they can imagine: skydiving without fear of death, casual sex without fear of disease. But when two people are killed via feedback loop when their surrogates are attacked, FBI Agent Greer (Bruce Willis) is called in to solve a pair of murders in a world where the crime has become virtually unheard of. Things only get worse when Greer's surrogate is destroyed, forcing him to face the real world for the first time in years. Surrogates is a sort of spiritual companion piece to Avatar, with both examining the relationship between our physical form and our inner selves, and like Blade Runner, it uses a very particular future world as a frame for an old-fashioned detective story. Sadly, its promise is far greater than its execution, and while there are plenty of fascinating ideas in play, the script doesn't take them much beyond the usual, predictable action beats.

Double-Feature It With...

The Sixth Sense

(1999, Rated PG-13, 106 min.)

Remember when M. Night Shyamalan was being touted as the most promising new director of our generation? Remember when the presence of Bruce Willis was a guarantee of monster box-office success? Now we've got Surrogates and The Last Airbender. Sigh...

Last Chance Theater -- Expiring Soon!

Leverage: Season 1 (Expires 7/15)

Con men use their conning powers for good.

Scanners (Expires 7/16)

Psychics make people's heads 'splode.

Silent Movie (Expires 7/16)

...

To read the FlixWorthy archives, click here!

Mel Brooks may not be the comedic institution he once was (Spaceballs: The Animated Series doesn't count), but this December you'll get to remember the golden years with nine of his best films in one Blu-Ray collection. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release The Mel Brooks Collection on December 15th for $139.99.

It's a hefty price tag, but not a bad deal considering you're getting nine movies on Blu-ray, including pretty much all the Brooks highlights: Blazing Saddles, High Anxiety, History of the World Part I, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Silent Movie, Spaceballs, To Be Or Not To Be, Twelve Chairs, and Young Frankenstein. In other words, pretty much every Brooks movie anybody would have any desire to own other than maybe -- maybe -- The Producers. The set also includes an exclusive book about Mel Brooks' life, and a ludicrous (speed) amount of special features.

Disc One

• Blazing Saddles – feature film
• Additional Scenes
• Scene-Specific Commentary by Mel Brooks
• Back in the Saddle
• Intimate Portrait: Madeline Kahn (Excerpt)
• Black Bart: 1975 Pilot Episode of the Proposed TV Series Spinoff
• Theatrical Trailer

Disc Two

• Spaceballs – feature film
• Commentary by Mel Brooks
• Spaceballs: The Documentary
• In Conversation: Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan
• John Candy: Comic Spirit
• Watch the movie in Ludicrous Speed
• Still Galleries
• Film Flubs
• Storyboards-to-Film Comparison

Disc Three

• Young Frankenstein – feature film
• Commentary by Mel Brooks
• Inside The Lab: Secret Formulas in the Making of Young Frankenstein
• Deleted Scenes
• It’s Alive! Creating A Monster Classic
• Making FrankenSense of Young Frankenstein
• Transylvanian Lullaby: The Music of John Morris
• The Franken-Track: A Monstrous Conglomeration of Trivia -- Trivia Track
• Blucher Button
• Outtakes
• Isolated Score Track (DTS MA)

Disc Four

• High Anxiety – feature film
• Hitchcock and Mel: Spoofing the Master of Suspense
• Dr. Thorndyke’s Ink Blot Test
• How Anxious Am I?
• Don’t Get Anxious! The Trivia of Hitchcock -- Trivia Track
• Isolated Score Track (DTS MA)

Disc Five

• History of the World Part 1 – feature film
• Musical Mel: Inventing “The Inquisition”
• Making History: Mel Brooks on Creating the World
• The Real History of the World -- Trivia Track
• Isolated Score Track (DTS MA)

Disc Six

• Robin Hood: Men In Tights – feature film
• Funny Men In Tights: Three Generations of Comedy
• HBO Special: Robin Hood: Men In Tights -- “The Legend Had It Coming”
• LaserDisc Commentary by Mel Brooks
• Isolated Score Track (DTS MA)

Disc Seven

• Silent Movie – feature film
• Silent Laughter: The Reel Inspirations of Silent Movie
• Speak Up! Historical Hollywood -- Trivia Track

Disc Eight

• To Be Or Not To Be – feature film
• Brooks and Bancroft: A Perfect Pair
• How Serious Can Mel Brooks Really Get?
• Profiles of Mel Brooks, Anne Bancroft, and Charles Durning
• To Be Or Not To Be: That Is The Trivia! -- Trivia Track
• Isolated Score Track (DTS MA)

Disc Nine

• Twelve Chairs – feature film

Remember spoofs before the Wayans brothers? It’s time to remember the good old days of, er...slightly more respectable parodies like the 1987 film Spaceballs, in which Mel Brooks, Rick Moranis, and John Candy poke fun at beloved sci-fi films like Star Wars and Star Trek. In an effort to keep the twisted adventures alive, Brooks created Spaceballs: The Animated Series. The show premiered on G4 in 2008 and goofed on modern films including The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Titanic. The series even branches out to tackle other forms of entertainment, like the game Grand Theft Auto or American Idol.

For some reason, the DVD only includes four of the 13 episodes but has intermission shorts between each. Here’s the lineup:

• The Moron’s Guide
• Episode I – “Outbreak”
• Intermission – “Satisfied Customers”
• Episode II – “Skroobinator”
• Intermission – “Thanks For Your Order”
• Episode III – “The Deep Ship”
• Intermission – “Sing Along With Skroob”
• Episode IV – “Grand Theft Starship”
• And That’s Not All
• One More Goodie

The lists comes to a total of 93 minutes of material. If you’re interested in Spaceballs: The Totally Warped Animated Adventures, the disc streets on December 29th and will run you $19.98.

Spaceballs is one of those movies that I watched endlessly as a kid (like, to the point of knowing it practically by heart - I know I'm not alone there) and that’s probably why it’s been years since I’ve even thought of rewatching it. I haven’t even seen it playing on TV in a long time but it looks like G4 is giving us an opportunity not only to revisit the film but also to check out the new series, Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs: The Animated Series.

Spaceballs, the hilarious Mel Brooks spoof of the Star Wars films (for those of you who weren’t around back then), will air on Sunday, September 21st at 3:00 p.m. ET/PT on G4. Following the film, four back to back episodes of Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs: The Animated Series will begin airing at 5:00 p.m. ET/PT. Mel Brooks, Daphne Zuniga and Joan Rivers will all return to lending their voices to their characters in animated form.

Check out BounceYourSpaceBalls.com and watch the preview below for a little taste of what the animated series is all about (boobs… and phallic symbols mostly, I’m guessing):

May the Schwartz be with you!!!