40 years later Hulu brings sequel ‘History of the World, Part II’

Mel brooks’ film “History of the World, Part I” was sort of a joke and was never meant to get a part two. Joke’s on Mel because 40 years later Hulu is bringing us its sequel “History of the World, Part II.” The show’s bringing in a new cast, new stories, and tons of comedy while still poking fun at history.

Mel brooks is serving up comedy through the centuries in “History of the World, Part II.”

“As soon as he heard an idea, he would pitch jokes on it. I mean, that’s the kind of like giving, positive, like comedian he is, and he had jokes, he’d been waiting 40 years to tell. And so we put those in the show.”

The sequel series features a large ensemble cast which includes Mel returning as the narrator.

“It’s not just him sitting back and we’re doing a show for him. He’s part of this show, at this time, when we need desperately satire and parody and history.”

Working with Mel was a dream come true for actors Jay Ellis and Ike Barinholtz, who were fans of his film Blazing Saddles.

Jay Ellis: “Blazing saddles was the first film that I watched. I was like a seven-year-old kid with my dad sitting on the couch watching it, and remember just like loving how much he laughed and how much he loved it.”

Ike Barinholtz: “I mean, I remember as a very young boy, watching blazing saddles and watching mongo punch a horse in the face and knock it out, and thinking, like, yes, whatever business this is, I want to do this.”

For Josh Gad, it was brook’s movie Spaceballs, that got him on the comedy train.

Josh Gad: “Spaceballs was the first movie I remember seeing in the theater in 1987. And it was as significant to me as Star Wars, because it sort of tapped into a brand of comedy that would become so important to me.”

Part two is broken down into eight episodes, so audiences can enjoy the jokes as much as the cast did.

“It was so wonderful. I truly, truly had a phenomenal experience shooting this and being on set.”

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