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While he didn’t play one of the lead characters, “Star Trek: Voyager” alum Tim Russ had one of the most memorable lines in 1987’s “Spaceballs,” and he might just be coming back for the sequel.
After Amazon MGM’s announcement about “Spaceballs 2”, Russ took to X and reposted the announcement teaser. Along with the link, he wrote, “I may be ….. combing the desert again..!!!”
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A scene in 1987’s “Spaceballs” has Lord Dark Helmet’s troops literally “combing” the desert in search of the heroes; i.e., using giant combs to rake the desert sands.
Different troops are asked if they’ve found anything. Russ, who is using a giant hair pick instead of a comb, yells back, “We ain’t found sh-t!”
Russ has often joked about the fact that, in spite of his body of work, that one line remains the one thing many fans remember him for. Indeed, on IMDb, “Spaceballs” is listed as one of the top four projects Russ is known for, in spite of how short a time he’s on screen.
As much as “Spaceballs” fans know him best for his one line in the film, “Star Trek” fans know Russ better as Security Chief Tuvok from “Star Trek: Voyager”, a Vulcan and close friend/confidant to Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew).
Russ played Tuvok for all seven seasons of “Star Trek: Voyager” along with a cameo as an alternate version of the character on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”. Decades later, he reprised the role in Season 3 of “Star Trek: Picard”.
Russ actually made a number of appearances across the franchise before finally being cast as Tuvok. He appeared as minor characters in “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, “Deep Space Nine”, and in the 1994 feature “Star Trek: Generations”.
He even auditioned for the part of Geordi La Forge on “The Next Generation”, though the role eventually went to LeVar Burton.
If Russ does return for “Spaceballs 2”, he’ll join a cast that includes Bill Pullman, Lewis Pullman, Mel Brooks, Daphne Zuniga, Rick Moranis, Josh Gad, and Keke Palmer.
Josh Greenbaum is directing the sequel, with a script from Benji Samit, Dan Hernandez, and Josh Gad.
There’s no word on exactly when “Spaceballs 2” is expected to bow, but it is scheduled to release in 2027.
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