'Spinal Tap 2' — Everything We Know About the Long Awaited Sequel (original) (raw)
Published Mar 15, 2024, 4:30 PM EDT
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Almost 40 years to the day of the release of This is Spinal Tap, fans were delighted to hear that the (very) long-awaited sequel, Spinal Tap 2, is currently in production. With This is Spinal Tap's original director, Rob Reiner, returning to write and direct the film, and Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Reiner all reprising their roles, audiences are ready to see what their favorite heavy metal band has been up to for the last four decades.
This is Spinal Tap is a mockumentary-style film that premiered in 1984 and became a quotable cult classic, gaining die-hard fans who wish the band wasn't comprised of fictional characters. The movie follows the story of Rock n' Roll group "Spinal Tap" as they embark on a career-defining tour. Spinal Tap is made up of David St. Hubbins (McKean), Nigel Tufnel (Guest), and Derek Smalls (Shearer), three heavy metal musicians who are slowly realizing that they're not as popular as they once were. While their tour once seemed so life-changing that it attracted documentarian Marti DeBergi (Reiner), the trio soon finds themselves playing for smaller and smaller audiences, and wondering if this is the end of their careers.
Upon its theatrical release, This is Spinal Tap was widely regarded as one of the best films of 1984. Reiner did such a good job at making the film look like a real documentary, that many viewers believed that Spinal Tap was a real band, despite some of the big-name actors in the cast. The film was not only praised by critics like Roger Ebert but also by real-life rock stars who felt that the issues Spinal Tap faced were very relatable in the real Rock n' Roll world. In 2002, the film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Does 'Spinal Tap 2' Have a Release Date?
The band members of Spinal Tap performing on stage
Image via Embassy Pictures
Because Spinal Tap 2 has just begun filming in New Orleans, there is currently no release date for the film. However, the movie likely won't be released until late 2024 at the very earliest and will most likely hit the big screen until sometime in 2025.
Is There a Trailer for 'Spinal Tap 2'?
A trailer for Spinal Tap 2 isn't available yet, and we probably won't be getting one for a while. We likely won't get a trailer for the movie until filming has wrapped, and the movie has secured a distributor and a release date.
Who Will Star in 'Spinal Tap 2'?
Reprising their roles as the three members of Spinal Tap are Michael McKean as David, Christopher Guest as Nigel, and Harry Shearer as Derek. Spinal Tap 2's director, Rob Reiner, is returning to his role as filmmaker Marty DiBergi.
McKean, Guest, and Shearer have all crossed each other's paths throughout their careers, often on music-themed projects. The Christopher Guest-directed film, A Mighty Wind, starred Spinal Tap members McKean and Shearer, alongside Schitt's Creek's Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy. Guest collaborated with O'Hara and Levy again when he directed another music-centered film, Waiting for Guffman, in 1996, and when he directed and acted in the comedy **Best in Show**in 2000.
In addition to starring in Guest's film A Mighty Wind, Michael McKeen performed in 2005's The Producers with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, and most recently, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story starring Daniel Radcliffe.
Harry Shearer collaborated in the Guest-written and directed film For Your Consideration in 2006. Shearer is also a long-time voice actor on The Simpsons, where he plays the iconic characters of Mr. Burns, Smithers, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Dr. Hibbert, Kent Brockman, Lenny Leonard, and Reverend Lovejoy.
In addition to the returning actors, it was recently announced that music icons Elton John, Paul McCartney, Trisha Yearwood, Questlove, and Garth Brooks would be joining the cast. This won't be singer/songwriter Elton John's first time appearing in film, as he portrayed a kidnapped version of himself in the 2017 spy thriller, Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Beatles member Paul McCartney has also acted before, playing Captain Jack Sparrow's lookalike Uncle Jack in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Country singer Trisha Yearwood will be making her film acting debut, as will fellow country artist Garth Brooks. Producer, director, and musician Questlove has appeared in films like Disney Pixar's Soul, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, and Someone Great, and won his first Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature with Summer of Soul.
What Is 'Spinal Tap 2' About?
Spinal Tap 2's plot was developed by cast members Guest, Shearer, McKean, and Reiner, and will follow documentarian Marty DiBergi (Reiner) as he reunites with Spinal Tap for a reunion concert. The band has been on hiatus for fifteen years, and the reunion concert is slated to be their last performance.
Who Is Making 'Spinal Tap 2'?
Rob Reiner on the set of his movie The Magic of Belle Isle
Image via Magnolia Pictures
Spinal Tap 2 is being written and directed by This is Spinal Tap's original director and co-writer, Rob Reiner. This is Spinal Tap was Reiner's directorial debut, but not his only hit project. Reiner went on to direct iconic films like When Harry Met Sally, Misery, The Princess Bride, Stand By Me, and A Few Good Men. Reiner is also an accomplished actor, not only appearing in This is Spinal Tap as the mockumentary's director, but also in films like Mixed Nuts, The First Wives Club, Sleepless in Seattle, and The Wolf of Wall Street. Reiner has won two Primetime Emmy Awards for his acting skills, in addition to Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for his directing work.
Producing Spinal Tap 2 are Rob Reiner, Michele Reiner, and Matthew George. Executive producers for the film are Jonathan Fuhrman (The Informer), Frank Marshall (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Christopher H. Warner (Five Nights at Freddy's), and Hernan Narea (LBJ).
How To Watch the Original 'This Is Spinal Tap':
this-is-spinal-tap-social-feature
Image via Embassy Pictures
This is Spinal Tap tells the story of a British heavy metal band as they attempt a comeback in America. However, it doesn't take long before the three band members realize that their glory days might be behind them. Shot in a mockumentary style, This is Spinal Tap brings a unique blend of the fictional band's perspective, as well as that of the "documentarian," a Spinal Tap fan named Marty. Up against waning crowds, lackluster record sales, and creative differences, this music-loving trio and their crew attempt to overcome the odds and remind the world of the power of their music. Starring Michael McKeen, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, and Rob Rainer, the film is often hailed as one of the greatest satirical comedies of all time. For those who want to discover or revisit This is Spinal Tap, the movie is currently available to stream on AMC+.