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Spaceballs Animated Series in Production
Keith Russell writes "CNN is reporting that production has started on Spaceballs: The Animated Series, which will start a 13-episode run on G4 next year. Brooks himself will provide the voices of 'two characters', although they don't mention Yogurt or President Skroob by name." From the article: "Like the 1987 movie, which parodied well-known science-fiction movies, 'Spaceballs: The Animated Series' will spoof current blockbusters as well as every genre of entertainment from movies and reality TV to culture and politics. It is set to debut on cable network G4 in fall 2007. Production has already started on an initial batch of 13 episodes."
The search for more money?
But will it spoof the spoof genre? Or is that like crossing the streams?
I would say it's more like jumping the shark.
It's a little known bit of trivia, but when Mel Brooks went to George Lucas asking permission to make the parody (not required but all the cool guys do it) George said sure, on one condition: You can't make any Spaceballs merchandise. Why? Because as pointed out in the movie, "Merchandising, merchandising, where the real money from the movie is made." George didn't want to lose out on a Star Wars lightsaber sale for a Spaceballs-the lightsaber sale.
That's why it's so heavily referenced in the movie; Spaceballs-the T-shirt, Spaceballs-the Coloring Book, Spaceballs-the flame thrower, Spaceballs-the towel, Spaceballs-the etc. Because they can't (couldn't) actually make a single item.
So does that same limitation exist? Could "Spaceballs-the animated series" be considered merchandising? Or did they get a new deal for parodying "Star Wars, the animated series" without limitations?