Beloved actor Rick Moranis was the victim of an unprovoked assault outside of his apartment building, and the incident was captured by surveillance video footage. Early on Thursday morning at around 7:30 a.m., Moranis was walking outside near his New York home in Central Park West when an unknown man approached from the opposite direction. For no apparent reason, the assailant struck Moranis in the head, taking the actor completely by surprise. Feeling pain in his head, back, and right hip, Moranis was treated at a local hospital before reporting the incident to authorities. The suspect is still at large as of Friday morning.

The video footage is difficult to watch. When Moranis is sucker punched by a man wearing a black "I Love New York" sweatshirt, he can be seen falling to the ground in great pain. Meanwhile, the attacker struts away on foot as if nothing had happened, leaving Moranis to take care of himself. Because the assailant is wearing a mask and the footage appears grainy, it's difficult to get a clear look at the man who struck Moranis. As police are actively investigating the incident, let's hope the attacker will ultimately be identified and charged.

Moranis' assault comes mere weeks after his return to the public eye, appearing in a Mint Mobile commercial alongside Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds. His appearance was significant, as Moranis has mostly led a very private life since stepping away from his career in Hollywood. In his younger years, Moranis became a household name by starring in movies like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Ghostbusters, Spaceballs, and The Flintstones. He virtually retired from acting in 1997 so he could focus on raising his children, following the passing of his wife. Though he'd do voice work on occasion, Moranis hasn't appeared in a live-action movie since.

Now, it's clear that Moranis will be back in movies soon enough. It has already been confirmed that he'll be reprising his role as Wayne Szalinski in Shrunk, a modern sequel to the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids series. This comes after voicing his Spaceballs character in a 2018 episode of The Goldbergs and appearing as himself on the Disney+ series Prop Culture. There was also a pitch at Adult Swim to bring back Moranis for an animated series, with the actor doubling as a demon slayer. Unfortunately, Adult Swim pulled the plug on the series before it could begin production.

In any case, it's been wonderful to see Moranis making his way back into Hollywood, as the fan favorite actor has been dearly missed. It's fortunate that his injuries weren't more severe from the despicable attack inflicted upon him this week. We wish Moranis the best with his continued recovery from the assault. If anyone has any information that can help identify the man who violently struck Moranis, you can anonymously provide a tip to the NYPD by visiting the official website for Crime Stoppers. You can also call 800-577-TIPS, and callers can remain completely anonymous. This news comes to us from the New York Post.