Mel Brooks Prequel ‘Very Young Frankenstein’ Ordered to Series by FX

Mel Brooks turns 100 next month, and he’s delivered enough hilarious material throughout his career to make people laugh for another 100 years. The filmmaker doesn’t show much sign of slowing down, having produced History of the World, Part II, 40 years after History of the World, Part I hit theaters, and last month Brooks announced that the upcoming Spaceballs sequel earned the title Spaceballs: The New One. The upcoming Star Wars parody isn’t the only exciting continuation of his comedy, as another spin-off is gaining momentum.

Nearly a year ago, reports claimed that a new TV series inspired by Brooks’ 1974 Young Frankenstein was in the works. FX now confirms that the prequel, Very Young Frankenstein, has been ordered to series. The series will star Zach Galifianakis, Dolly Wells, and Spencer House and is developed by Stefani Robinson, Taika Waititi, and Garrett Basch. Brooks himself serves as a producer, while Waititi directed the pilot.

“Very Young Frankenstein blends inspiration from the fan-favorite movie with the inventive, irreverent spirit that has defined FX comedies over the years, making this a completely original take on the classic story,” Nick Grad, President, FX Entertainment, shared in a statement. “In the hands of FX veterans Stefani, Taika, and Garrett, alongside the iconic Mel Brooks, we know that fans will have as much fun watching this series as we’re having making it.”

1974 was a landmark year for Brooks, as it saw the release not only of Young Frankenstein, which parodied Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, but also Blazing Saddles, which parodied all corners of the Western genre. Each of those movies is considered a landmark achievement in comedy, which is especially impressive given that they were both released by the same filmmaker in one year. He continued his string of farces with titles like Silent Movie, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and Dracula: Dead and Loving It.

There’s no word yet on when Very Young Frankenstein could be heading into production or when it might release, as it’s unlikely to make it to FX before the end of the year. This means we’ll be getting a huge 2027, as Spaceballs: The New One is set to hit theaters on Apr. 23, 2027. That upcoming sci-fi sequel will bring back original stars like Brooks, Bill Pullman, George Wyner, and Daphne Zuniga. Most surprisingly, the sequel will also bring back Rick Moranis, who had essentially retired from Hollywood. Spaceballs: The New One marks the actor’s first movie since 2006’s Brother Bear 2. Joining the original stars will be Keke Palmer and Lewis Pullman.