“After 37 Years, He’s Back in the Desert: Tim Russ’ Return to Spaceballs 2 Will Make Every Sci-Fi Fan Lose Their Mind!”

 

The news broke quietly, but the internet exploded almost instantly.

Tim Russ Teases Possible Return In 'Spaceballs 2' – TrekMovie.com

After years of rumors and wishful thinking, Spaceballs 2 is finally happening — and it’s bringing back one of its most unexpected legends.

Tim Russ, the man behind the most famous “background joke” in sci-fi, is officially stepping back into the desert, helmet and all.

For longtime fans of the original Spaceballs, this is more than a cameo — it’s poetic.

In a movie filled with unforgettable moments, from Rick Moranis’ Darth Helmet meltdowns to the immortal “May the Schwartz be with you,” it was Russ’ deadpan delivery of that single line that carved out a life of its own.

His short scene — in which a platoon of Spaceball troopers “combs the desert” for the lost heroes, literally using giant hair combs — became the stuff of legend.

When Russ, playing a lone trooper with perfect comedic timing, declared, “We ain’t found sh*t!” he didn’t just get a laugh.

He made history.

When the cast gathered for Spaceballs 2, one of the most talked about  moments wasn't just the script it was the reunion of Rick Moranis and Bill  Pullman. Fans remembered them as

Now, after more than 35 years, he’s back to do it again.

Only this time, it’s personal.

In a recent interview, Russ admitted that he never expected the moment to follow him for the rest of his life.

“I thought it was just a day’s work,” he said, laughing.

“We were out in the middle of the desert in those ridiculous helmets, and I figured it’d get a chuckle and that would be it.

But here we are, decades later, and people still come up to me quoting that line.

Sometimes they don’t even know I was on Star Trek: Voyager.

I’m just the ‘We ain’t found sh*t’ guy to them.

The cult status of that line has only grown with time.

TIL The guy who says "We ain't found shit" in Spaceballs, is Tuvok from  Star Trek Voyager : r/startrek

It’s been referenced in countless memes, YouTube tributes, and even fan-made sequels.

For Mel Brooks — the mastermind behind Spaceballs, Blazing Saddles, and Young Frankenstein — that enduring popularity is exactly why he wanted Russ back.

“There’s a rhythm to comedy,” Brooks reportedly said on set.

“You can’t fake timing.

Tim Russ nailed that scene 37 years ago, and I knew if we were coming back to that desert, he had to be there.

No one combs the desert quite like him.

Production on Spaceballs 2 has been shrouded in secrecy, but insiders say Russ’ return isn’t just a one-line cameo.

His role, while still comedic, will reportedly serve as a meta callback to the original — a wink to fans who grew up quoting him.

One production assistant described the atmosphere on set as “pure electricity.

” “When Tim put that helmet back on, the entire crew stopped what they were doing,” they said.

“It was like a piece of cinematic history had just walked back into the room.

Russ himself described filming the scene as “surreal.

” Standing once again in the scorching sand, surrounded by a new generation of actors who grew up idolizing the original film, he felt the weight of nostalgia and legacy collide.

“There’s something magical about being back there,” he said.

“You look around and realize how much time has passed, but also how timeless that humor really is.

TIL the "We ain't found shit!" guy from Spaceballs was played by Tim Russ.  Who played Tuvok on Star Trek, Voyager. : r/todayilearned

The world’s changed a lot, but people still need to laugh.

Maybe now more than ever.

And if the early reports are true, fans will have plenty to laugh about.

Brooks, now in his late nineties, is said to be as sharp as ever — directing with the same chaotic genius that defined his career.

The script, co-written with longtime collaborator Nick Kroll, reportedly leans into modern parody, skewering everything from streaming culture to space epics like The Mandalorian and Dune.

But amid the new jokes and high-budget effects, there’s one constant: that perfect blend of silliness and sincerity that only Spaceballs can deliver.

For Russ, the experience has been emotional.

In between takes, he reportedly shared stories about filming the original scene — how the cast endured triple-digit heat in full costume, how Brooks kept improvising new lines between takes, and how no one realized they were making something immortal.

“Back then, it was just a day in the desert,” he said.

“Now, it feels like coming home.

Fans, of course, are already losing their minds.

Social media lit up with excitement the moment Russ confirmed his return.

One fan wrote, “If Tim Russ says ‘We ain’t found sh*t!’ again, I’ll stand up in the theater and cheer.

” Another joked, “They could make Spaceballs 2 just two hours of him combing the sand and I’d still buy a ticket.

But according to sources close to the production, Brooks and Russ have cooked up something new — a fresh twist on the classic scene that both honors the original and takes it to an absurd new level.

“Let’s just say,” one insider teased, “this time, he finds something.

And it’s not what anyone expects.

If that’s true, it would be the perfect full-circle moment for one of the most beloved gags in sci-fi history.

More than thirty years later, Tim Russ isn’t just returning to a role — he’s stepping back into a cultural time capsule, one that reminds us how powerful laughter can be.

In an age of CGI blockbusters and endless franchises, Spaceballs 2 might be the rare sequel that dares to be ridiculous — to celebrate comedy that’s fearless, physical, and wonderfully human.

As Russ put it best: “I’ve done Shakespeare, I’ve done Star Trek, I’ve done drama, but that one little line… that’s the one people never forgot.

And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So when Spaceballs 2 hits theaters, don’t be surprised if the loudest cheer doesn’t come for the hero, the villain, or even Mel Brooks himself — but for the man in the desert, holding a giant comb, grinning under that black helmet, ready to remind the galaxy once again…

“We STILL ain’t found sh*t.