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Spaceballs

Play trailer Poster for Spaceballs PG 1987 1h 36m Comedy Sci-Fi Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
53% Tomatometer 106 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
In a distant galaxy, planet Spaceball has depleted its air supply, leaving its citizens reliant on a product called "Perri-Air." In desperation, Spaceball's leader President Skroob (Mel Brooks) orders the evil Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) to kidnap Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) of oxygen-rich Druidia and hold her hostage in exchange for air. But help arrives for the Princess in the form of renegade space pilot Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his half-man, half-dog partner, Barf (John Candy).
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Critics Consensus

There's fine spoofery and amusing characters in Spaceballs, though it's a far cry from Mel Brooks' peak era.

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Critics Reviews

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Jay Carr Boston Globe Apr 12, 2024
Spaceballs has the happy air of a comic enterprise that knows it's going right. It just keeps spritzing the gags at us, Borscht Belt-style, confidently and rightly sensing that if we don't laugh at this one, we'll laugh at the next. And so we do. Go to Full Review Janet Maslin New York Times Apr 12, 2024
If it isn't likely to generate what Mr. Brooks himself refers to as 'Spaceballs II: The Search for More Money, neither is it anything less than gentle, harmless satire that occasionally has real bite. Go to Full Review Harper Barnes St. Louis Post-Dispatch Apr 12, 2024
It probably will do fairly well with kids and younger adolescents, who haven't heard the bad puns and seen the sight gags a thousand times before. Go to Full Review Peter McPhee Winnipeg Sun Jun 8, 2026
There are a few funny jokes and the humor isn't firmly planted in the toilet as most Brooks fare usually is, but, the talents of Candy, Rick Moranis and John Hurt are totally wasted here. Go to Full Review Katie Hogan FILMHOUNDS Magazine Mar 13, 2026
3/5
Though there are some genuine laughs, particularly when Dark Helmet and his crew are on screen, Spaceballs is a decent parody film, but is stifled by one too many clichéd jokes, too much of Brooks himself, and its genre. Go to Full Review Richard Freedman Newark Star-Ledger Jan 14, 2026
With his incomparably vulgar Borsht Belt sense of humor, leave it to Mel Brooks to kid the pants off such adolescent cosmic debris as the "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" epics in "Spaceballs." Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Eyrdie R Jul 2, 2026 I really enjoyed the film, it's got everything in it and more. what a classic! See more Paul W Jun 29, 2026 great to see it in theaters. one of my favorite movies See more Tim B Jun 29, 2026 So good to see it on the big screen again. See more Chris G Jun 24, 2026 That movie was hilarious. Legendary. Remarkable and extraordinary. Super comical & with character. Had a purpose. Mixed with reality & fantasy. Each scene had a double meaning if you have a healthy sense of humor. See more Joseph M Aug 4, 2025 Classic Mel Brooks comedy. One of his best. Any fans of comedy and or Star Wars this is a must-see. So many one-liners in references. Highly recommend seeing this in theaters if you have the chance during throwback showings..... LUDICROUS SPEED... GO! See more Rich Dec 3, 2024 Unquestionably the greatest movie of all time See more Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Mel Brooks

Director

Mel Brooks

President Skroob

John Candy

Barfolemew "Barf"

Rick Moranis

Lord Dark Helmet

Bill Pullman

Captain Lone Starr

Daphne Zuniga

Princess Vespa

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Spaceballs

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Spaceballs

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Movie Info

Synopsis In a distant galaxy, planet Spaceball has depleted its air supply, leaving its citizens reliant on a product called "Perri-Air." In desperation, Spaceball's leader President Skroob (Mel Brooks) orders the evil Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) to kidnap Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) of oxygen-rich Druidia and hold her hostage in exchange for air. But help arrives for the Princess in the form of renegade space pilot Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his half-man, half-dog partner, Barf (John Candy).
Director
Mel Brooks
Producer
Mel Brooks
Screenwriter
Mel Brooks, Thomas Meehan, Ronny Graham
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp.
Production Co
Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy, Sci-Fi, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 4, 1987, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 20, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$36.7M
Runtime
1h 36m
Sound Mix
Surround
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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