Rick Moranis on SPACEBALLS Sequel and GHOSTBUSTERS 3

It seems like it's been forever since we've heard anything from Rick Moranis. He was huge in the 80s and early 90s, making a bunch of great movies such as Ghostbusters, Little Shop of Horrors, Spaceballs, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Strange Brew, and more. He hasn't made a film since 1996. He just kind of stopped. Then word got out that he retired, but did he really?

During a recent interview with Heeb Magazine regarding a new album he made called My Mother’s Brisket, Moranis talked about how he was in talks at one point to make a Spaceballs sequel with Mel Brooks. He also discusses being approached about Ghostbusters 3 a few years ago and debunks the whole retirement thing. Here's the Q&A that went down: 

BA: Spaceballs II: The Search for More Money was a conversation?

RM: Mel wanted to do a sequel after it became a cult video hit. It wasn’t a box office hit. It was a cult video hit, and MGM wanted to do a sequel. And my idea for it was Spaceballs III: The Search for Spaceballs II. And I was unable to make a deal with Mel. I couldn’t make a deal.

BA: In terms of just getting enough money?

RM: I wasn’t privy to what the budget was or anything, but the deal he presented me, what he wanted me to do, was not workable. It was two or three years later. He wanted me to … it’s better if I don’t get into the particulars of it. Because it is so specific, it’s counter-productive to talk about it. But I was unable to make a deal, and it would have been something I would have wanted to do. But that ship has sailed. Then, there’s the perennial talk of another Ghostbusters, but that’s all talk and speculation.

BA: Have you been approached about it?

RM: I got a call three or four years ago from an associate of Aykroyd’s. Some sort of producer. And he said, “Listen, I gotta ask you something, because the Internet says you’re retired”—which is one of my favorites, by the way.

BA: When the Internet says you’re retired?

RM: I just love when the Internet is wrong. It’s the only thing that will save journalism. So he says, “I gotta ask, would you do it?” I said, “I don’t say no to anything until everything is presented to me.” What is it? Is it happening? Is there a script? What’s the part? Who else is in it? Where is it? How long is it gonna take? You know, I need a little bit more information. “But it’s something you would do?” he asks. Do I have to answer that?

BA: He needs that confirmation, so he can go back to people and make his deal.

RM: Yeah. That’s called “producing.” I got this, and I got this. Gimme some money.

In a separate interview with Empire, here's what the actor had to say about Ghostbusters 3.

"I haven't talked to Danny (Aykroyd) about it. Somebody he's associated with called me and I said, 'I wouldn't not do it, but it's got to be good.' You know, I'm not interested in doing anything I've already done, and I thought the second one was a disappointment."

"But I guess I'm interested in where that guy is now. I sort of see him as being Bernie Madoff's cellmate in jail. Both of them being so orderly that they race to get up and make their beds."

So, Moranis is not retired! That's good to know. Not sure how that wasn't cleared up over all these years. He hasn't been approached about Ghostbusters 3 yet, but maybe they are waiting to go to him until they have everything in the bag and ready to go. As for the Spaceballs sequel, it's a shame that didn't happen. It could have been amazing.