‘Spinal Tap II’ Release Date Announced
The sequel to This is Spinal Tap finally has a release date set for this fall.
Per Deadline, the film is set for wide release on Sept. 12, and it’s hilariously called Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. A brief teaser of the film can be viewed below, which features an amp knob that goes well past 11.
News of a long-awaited sequel to This is Spinal Tap was confirmed in May 2022 by Deadline. At that time, Spinal Tap II was slated for release in March 2024.
Rob Reiner confirmed he’d be reprising his role of Marty DiBergi. Additionally, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest are on board as David St. Hubbins, Derek Smalls and Nigel Tufnel, respectively. (No word yet on who has the unfortunate task of playing the drummer.)
As for the premise of the film, Reiner said it centers around a final concert of sorts. Spinal Tap’s manager, Ian Faith, passed away. His wife inherited a contract that stated the band still owed Faith one more concert. (In real life, actor Tony Hendra, who played Faith, died in March 2021 at age 79.)
Reiner’s DiBergi character documents the final concert, which is reportedly being shot in the style of Martin Scorsese’s The Last Waltz. In May 2022, Reiner told Deadline that DiBergi feels he owes it to Spinal Tap to capture this concert. He says the band was upset with the first film.
“When I heard they might get back together, I was a visiting adjunct teacher’s helper at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts,” said Reiner. “I drop everything to document this final concert.”
In November 2023, Reiner confirmed Paul McCartney, Elton John and Garth Brooks would be making cameos in the sequel film. In March 2024, it was confirmed that additional cameos included Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Paul Shaffer, and Fran Drescher, who will be reprising her role as publicist Bobbi Flekman.
