‘History of the World, Part II’: Wanda Sykes, Nick Kroll & Ike Barinholtz Star in Mel Brooks Series (PHOTOS)
The long awaited sequel to a Mel Brooks classic is coming as a Hulu series, and the streamer has shared the first photos of its History of the World, Part II cast. Brooks stars in the series with Wanda Sykes, Nick Kroll, and Ike Barinholtz, who are all featured in the images below. No photos of Brooks in the comedy have been shared just yet.
Brooks, Sykes, Kroll, and Barinholtz all write, star in, and executive produce the series. David Stassen, Kevin Salter, David Greenbaum, and Christie Smith also write and executive produce. There’s no History of the World, Part II release date just yet, but it’s slated to debut in Spring 2023, 42 years after the original film’s release.
The eight-part parody series is a production of Searchlight Television and 20th Television and will feature “a variety of sketches that take us through different periods of human history,” including the building of the pyramids, the American Civil War, the Russian Revolution, and more.
Among their several characters, Sykes will play U.S. congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, Barinholtz will play Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky, and Kroll will play a character named Schmuck Mudman in the series. There will also be a sketch in which Sykes, Kroll, and Barinholtz play commentators at an ice rink.
Despite its name, History of the World, Part I wasn’t made with a sequel in mind. The title was a bit poking fun at Sir Walter Raleigh’s The History of the World, Volume 1. The end of the beloved flick (which starred Brooks, Gene Wilder, Gregory Hines, Madeline Kahn, and more) promised there would be sketches called “Hitler on Ice,” “a Viking funeral,” and Star Wars parody “Jews in Space” in the sequel, but those too were a joke.
Perhaps the photo of the trio of commentators is part of “Hitler on Ice?” Based on photo captions in Entertainment Weekly, it seems likely. Per the caption, Kroll, Sykes, and Barinholtz play “figure skating commentators, who have strong thoughts on one of history’s most vile leaders (and his performance on the ice).”
Scroll through photos from History of the World, Part II below.
Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, & Ike Barinholtz as Sports Commentators — Episode 1
Could this be from “Hitler on Ice”?
Wanda Sykes as Shirley Chisholm — Episode 1
The first Black woman elected to the United States Congress rallies people to vote.
Nick Kroll as Schmuck Mudman — Episode 2
You know Postmates, but what about Putz Mates?
Ike Barinholtz as Leon Trotsky — Episode 2
The Russian revolutionary discusses the merit of a “crimson wave.”
