Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · July 18, 2025 · Entertainment

Rick Moranis Returns: The Spaceballs Star Who Vanished!

Rick Moranis hasn't been seen on screen in a theatrical feature film in nearly three decades. So it was quite the shock for fans of the 72-year-old actor and comedian when Mel Brooks announced last week that he will return to play Dark Helmet in a sequel to Spaceballs (1987)

Rick Moranis Returns: The 72-Year-Old Comedy Legend Makes a Triumphant Comeback

The wait is finally over! After nearly three decades of absence from the silver screen, beloved comedian Rick Moranis is making his long-awaited return in the sequel to Mel Brooks' cult classic sci-fi parody, Spaceballs.

As we take a peek at what's new with this comedy icon, it's clear that life has been good to him. Spotted on the streets of New York City, Moranis was seen running errands dressed in a sporty outfit, rocking his signature gray hair and an impressive physique. Gone are the baby-faced looks that got us laughing back in the day, replaced by a distinguished air that only comes with age.

It will a return to films for the Little Shop Of Horrors (pictured) star after nearly three decades on hiatus. Following news of his return, DailyMail.com takes a look at what Moranis looks like today...

But let's get to the juicy stuff! For those who may have forgotten, Moranis' decision to step away from Hollywood was rooted in his desire to focus on raising his children as a single parent. His wife, Ann Belsky, passed away in 1991 after a battle with cancer, leaving him to navigate the challenges of parenthood alone.

In a 2005 interview with TheScholarlyNote.com, Moranis opened up about his decision to take a break from acting: "I'm a single parent and I just found that it was too difficult to manage to raise my kids and to do the traveling involved in making movies. So I took a little bit of a break, and the little bit of a break turned into a longer break... And then I found that I really didn't miss it."

And yet, despite his self-proclaimed "hiatus," Moranis has continued to dabble in voice acting, lending his talents to various children's cartoons and animated films. His last on-screen appearance was back in 1996, when he starred alongside Tom Arnold in the comedy Big Bully.

Moranis looked unrecognizable when he was spotted out running errands in New York City earlier this week

So, what brought him back? According to sources close to the project, Moranis has been itching to get back into live-action acting, and the opportunity to revisit his iconic character, Dark Helmet, was too good to pass up. As he takes on this new role, we can't help but wonder: Will this mark a full-scale comeback for the comedy legend?

One thing's for sure – Spaceballs fans are thrilled to see Moranis back in action! The film, which is set to release in 2027, promises to be just as ridiculous and hilarious as its predecessor. With Mel Brooks returning to co-write and direct, alongside a talented new cast including Keke Palmer and Josh Gad, this sequel has the makings of another cult classic.

In the meantime, we'll have to keep our eyes peeled for any further updates on Moranis' next move. Will he continue to make appearances in films and TV shows, or will he focus on producing? Only time will tell!

He was on the move in a casual but sporty outfit with a pale yellow ribbed polo shirt, blue athletic shorts and a white baseball cap

What do you think, ScholaryNote.com readers? Are you excited to see Rick Moranis back in action? Let us know in the comments below!

The actor has stayed impressively trim over the last few decades, but his appearance was considerably different after losing the baby-faced looks that helped him get laughs early on

Moranis made the decision to focus on being a single father after losing is wife, costume designer Ann Belsky, to breast cancer in February 1991; pictured together at the 1990 Academy Awards

Moranis said in 2005 that he stepped back from Hollywood to focus on raising his two children as a single parent

Moranis' final on-screen appearance in a theatrical feature was for the 1996 comedy Big Bully, which he starred in opposite Tom Arnold

However, the following year he played a lead role in the straight-to-video sequel Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves

Moranis was more willing to focus on voice acting in subsequent years, as recording sessions take far less time than on-camera appearances

Moranis' only roles in recent years were a brief voice appearance as his Spaceballs character Dark Helmet in a 2018 episode of The Goldbergs and a 2020 Mint Mobile commercial that he starred in with Ryan Reynolds

In 2015, he clarified that he didn't consider himself retired

Moranis said he's now more selective, and Spaceballs 2 will be his first on-camera theatrical feature since 1996, though he continued to do voice acting for years afterward

He was originally set to return to screens in 2020 with the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (pictured) sequel Shrunk, but it was delayed indefinitely in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic