I’ve Struggled With How Spaceballs 2 Could Work Without John Candy, But These Josh Gad Comments Are Reassuring

I’ve always struggled to picture a Spaceballs sequel without John Candy. His role as Barf was the heart of the movie, and recasting that energy feels impossible. So when I heard about the upcoming Spaceballs: The New One, I wasn’t sold. After hearing Bill Pullman’s recent reassuring Josh Gad comments, I’m feeling a bit better about it.

In a recent interview clip shared by Fandango, Bill Pullman weighed in on Josh Gad and how he fits into this new version of the story. The way he framed it isn’t about replacing Candy, but about carrying something forward. He shared:

The biggest concern with something like a Spaceballs sequel isn’t just whether it can be funny. It's not just whether it can follow up one of the greatest parody movies of all time. Instead, it’s whether it can feel like it's still a Spaceballs film 40 years after the original's release, and without some of the people who made it what it was. Candy, in particular, brought a warmth that balanced out all the absurdity. He wasn’t just there for the jokes, but he grounded them. That’s where Gad becomes an interesting choice.

If you look at his past work, especially in comedies, there’s a similar kind of energy there. Not identical, and it shouldn’t be, but adjacent. He’s someone who can lean into the ridiculous while still making the character feel like a person you want to root for or hang out with. That’s not easy to pull off, especially in something as intentionally over-the-top as Spaceballs. Still, it sounds like the Olaf voice star has the best intentions, which is probably good considering he co-wrote the Spaceballs 2 screenplay.

Pullman’s comments also tap into something many reboots struggle with. You don’t need to recreate what came before beat for beat, but you do need a similar tone and feel. A lot of the sense of fun in original rested on John Candy’s comedic shoulders.

If Josh Gad really does bring that same kind of Candy joy to the set, that might be the closest thing you can get to honoring the late actor and what he brought to the big screen, without trying to imitate it. There’s still a lot we don’t know about Spaceballs: The New One. Details are pretty limited, and there’s always a risk when you revisit something this beloved. Comedy, especially, is tricky. What worked decades ago doesn’t always land the same way now, and the balance between nostalgia and something fresh is hard to get right.

This is the first time the project feels like it might truly grasp what made the original special. I suppose I’ll have to give the film a chance when it finally reaches theaters, not on the 2026 movie calendar, but on April 23, 2027. While we wait for the follow-up release, you can revisit the OG flick with an Amazon Prime Video Subscription.