mel-brooks-classic-history-of-the-world-part-1-getting-sequel-series-40-years-later

Mel Brooks’ Classic ‘History of the World, Part 1’ Getting Sequel Series 40 Years Later

History of the World, fans are in for a treat! The Mel Brooks cult classic is getting a sequel series, just 40 years after the film’s initial release.

According to Variety, video streaming service Hulu has picked up the series, which Mel Brooks will write and executive produce. The series will obviously be called History of the World, Part II. Other producers will be Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen, and Kevin Salter. Searchlight Television and 20th Television will produce.

The media outlet also noted that there is no word yet as to which world events will be covered in the upcoming Mel Brooks series. But Hulu has ordered a total of eight episodes of the show. The writing will also begin this month and production is predicted to start in Spring 2022. No cast members have been announced for the sequel yet.

According to IMDb, History of the World, Part I  follows the history of mankind covering events from the Old Testament to the French Revolution in a series of episodic comedy vignettes. Mel Brooks starred as Moses in the film. Gregory Hines was Josephus, Dom DeLuise was Emperor Nero, Madeline Kahn was Empress Nympho and Harvey Korman was Count de Monet.

Speaking about the upcoming series, Mel Brooks shared, “I can’t wait to once more tell the real truth about all the phony-baloney stories the world has been conned into believing are History!”

Along with History of the World, Part 1, Mel Brooks has other cult classics, including Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, The Producers, and Spaceballs. 

Mel Brooks Revealed That ‘History of the World, Part I’ Was an Impossible Challenge 

In a piece he wrote for The New York Times in 1981, Mel Brooks revealed his thoughts about writing and directing History of the World, Part 1. He described the film as an impossible challenge. “Where do you start? Well, I guess you start where history starts – somewhere back in prehistoric times.” 

Mel Brooks then had to think about who lived in prehistoric times and what did they do. He goes on to question what he would write about after prehistoric times. “What parts of history should I do? Would the audience go for a film that had many stories rather than one? I needed mortar and glue to put the whole thing together. Something big. Orson Welles, I thought. He’s big! He’ll be the mortar – the narrator.”

In regards to his thoughts about whether or not there would be a sequel to History of the World, Part I, Mel Brooks didn’t seem actually interested in even thinking about a follow-up film. “Will there be a History of the World – Part 2? No. Maybe a Part 4, never a Part 2.