EXCLUSIVE: We have confirmed that the SCTV alum and comedy star of such hit pics as Ghostbusters, The Flintstones, Spaceballs, Parenthood has closed a deal to return to the next Honey, I Shrunk the Kids sequel Shrunk. The movie will be made for the theatrical side, not Disney+.
As previously reported, the pic’s original director Joe Johnston will be back with Josh Gad also starring. The movie centers around Gad’s character who is the son of Rick Moranis’ Wayne Szalinski. Son is aspiring to be a great scientist like his father, but accidentally shrinks the kids.
The Honey I Shrunk the Kids movies following the 1989 release spawned Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, the direct to video Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves. The first two movies collectively made over $281M at the global box office (unadjusted for inflation).
Hoberman and Todd Lieberman are producing through their Mandeville Films and Television banner, with Todd Rosenberg writing the screenplay.
In 1997, Moranis stepped away from on-screen acting work to raise his kids but continued to have voiceovers in such films as Disney’s Brother Bear movies and The Animated Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie during the early aughts. With his upcoming appearance in Netflix’s SCTV Martin Scorsese-directed documentary, An Afternoon With SCTV, he’s making a comeback, and what a way to do so with a cherished Disney classic franchise. That special was taped in 2018 at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre with Moranis joining SCTV alums Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Andrea Martin, Martin Short, and Dave Thomas. The special will be included in the Scorsese doc.
Moranis with Thomas created the drunk, parka-clad Canadian duo Bob and Doug McKenzie, which were two cult characters to come out of SCTV. The guys taped a comedy album with Rush’s Geddy Lee, but more so, Moranis directed them in the 1983 movie Strange Brew. The pic follows the McKenzie brothers as they get jobs at the Elsinore Brewery, only to learn that something is rotten with the state of it. The movie made $8.6M at the domestic box office, and wasn’t theatrically successful, however, it was an enormous cash cow on video during the 1980s and a must-watch for anyone in high school or college. Max Von Sydow starred as the villain.
Moranis is repped by Bailey Brand Management and Nelson Davis.