Rick Moranis is a staple from our childhoods. The talented actor was the face of so many beloved ’80s and ’90s movies that it’s easy to take for granted just how iconic he is. Whether you know him best as Louis Tully in Ghostbusters, or Nathan Huffner in Parenthood, or Seymour Krelborn in Little Shop of Horrors, or Lord Dark Helmet in Spaceballs, there’s a Rick Moranis role for everyone.
Now, Moranis is returning to the screen for the first time in 23 years in another one of his famous roles, as Wayne Szalinski in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. According to an exclusive from Deadline, Moranis will appear in Shrunk, a sequel the original 1989 film, which spawned two sequels also starring Moranis: Honey, I Blew Up the Kid and Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves.
This return to live-action roles is a big deal, considering Moranis famously stepped away from Hollywood after the death of his wife, costume designer Ann Belsky, in 1991. Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, released in 1997, was his last live-action movie role. He spent the last few decades doing voiceover work and raising his two children.
Moranis also set to appear in Netflix’s upcoming SCTV documentary An Afternoon with SCTV, directed by Martin Scorsese. Are we in the midst of a Moranissance? It sure looks like it! Maybe we can expect a Ghostbusters cameo of some sort, too. Crazier things have happened, so we aren’t ruling it out.
According to Deadline, Shrunk will reunite Moranis with original Honey, I Shrunk the Kids director Joe Johnston. The movie follows Wayne Szalinski’s son Nick, played by Josh Gad, who aspires to be like his scientist dad. (He replaces Robert Oliveri, who originated the role in the 1989 film.) But like father like son, he winds up accidentally shrinking his kids. Can this family catch a break?
The film is written by Todd Rosenberg, with David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman producing through their Mandeville Films and Television banner.
Rumors of Moranis’ potential return to the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids universe have swirled for a while now, but this official confirmation means it’s actually—for real, this time—happening. Better yet, Deadline reports that the film will get a theatrical release, as opposed to debuting on Disney+, which is more typical of Disney releases these days. That probably means there’s a lot of confidence in this project.
And why shouldn’t there be? With Moranis and Johnston returning to the popular franchise, especially with Olaf himself Josh Gad involved, there’s a lot for audiences of every generation to get excited about.
Speaking of the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids films and Disney+, all three of the originals are available to stream on the direct-to-consumer platform. Whether you’re returning to the universe for the millionth time or delving in for the first time, now is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with the Szalinski family.
No further information—like a release date or additional casting—is available at this time, but we’ll be sure to update when it is.
Featured Image: Disney
