The loudest and most punctual band in the biz is back! The first look at the sequel to the beloved mockumentary This is Spinal Tap was unveiled today and, from what we can tell, the sequel was worth the 40-plus year wait. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues reunites the comedic geniuses behind the 1984 hit film as the band Spinal Tap endeavors to put on one last concert. Rob Reiner is back to direct and as his on-screen role as documentarian Marty Di Bergi, while Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer both wrote and reprised their now-iconic characters too. The announcement comes at the perfect time since a remastered, remixed, and 4K version of This is Spinal Tap recently returned to theaters earlier this month.
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According to the film’s official description, the Spinal Tap sequel will force bandmates David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls (McKean, Guest, and Shearer) to play together once more after being estranged for 15 years. The sequel “also marks the resurrection of documentarian Marty Di Bergi (Reiner), who once again tries to capture his favorite metal gods as they contemplate mortality—and the hope that their 12th drummer doesn’t join them in The Great Beyond. Joined by music royalty Paul McCartney and Elton John, Spinal Tap wrestles with their checkered past to put on a concert that they hope will solidify their place in the pantheon of rock ’n’ roll.”
The first look images offer a glimpse of the band both behind the scenes and performing on stage, one with Elton John himself no less. And while the members of Spinal Tap are all pushing 80, St. Hubbins, Tufnel, and Smalls don’t seem to have missed a beat. Their hair is as long and feathered as ever, their outfits sufficiently ridiculous. It’s a promising sneak peek of the sequel, especially since This is Spinal Tap was such a critical success that it has earned a place in both the Library of Congress and the National Film Registry.
Spinal Tap II Director Rob Reiner Reveals a Real-Life Death and Stranger Things Inspired the Sequel
Earlier this summer, Reiner exclusively shared with ComicBook that although he, along with Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean were reticent to make a sequel for fear of sullying Spinal Tap‘s legacy, the real-life death of the actor who played the band’s fictional manager, Tony Hendra, changed their mind and gave them an idea for another movie.
“In reality, their manager…he actually died,” Reiner said, referring to the passing of actor Hendra in 2021. “So we thought, what if he bequeathed a contract to his daughter? And she had in this contract one last concert. But then what’s the point of it? It’s worthless because they hadn’t played in 15 years. Nobody knew about them. They’re done.”
That’s where Stranger Things comes in. Drawing inspiration from the resurgence around Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” on the Netflix series, Reiner and the other co-creators saw a way for the band to find themselves relevant to music lovers in the 21st century.
“We said, wait a minute…what if, one of their songs, some big rock star or big music star is screwing around at a soundcheck?” Reiner posited. “Does one of their songs, somebody films it on an iPhone, they throw them up on TikTok, goes viral, and all of a sudden they become viable again? That became the idea for the film.”
On paper, the idea sure seems like a winner, and the sequel is further bolstered by its returning creative team. Having Elton John and Paul McCartney cameo in the film doesn’t hurt Spinal Tap II either, but the final test will come when the movie releases in September. Will audiences embrace the band’s final chapter, or merely dismiss Spinal Tap as noise in an already crowded media landscape?
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues rocks into theaters September 12th.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
