Rob Reiner To Direct ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ Sequel

A sequel to the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap is in the works, with Rob Reiner returning to direct along with the original cast members (i.e., Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer). Variety reports that the movie package sales will kick off at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. The film will be released on March 19, 2024, to coincide with This Is Spinal Tap‘s 40th anniversary. The sequel to This Is Spinal Tap will reportedly be made in the style of Martin Scorsese’s documentary The Last Waltz, which documented the farewell tour of the Canadian American music group The Band. Real-life musicians are reportedly appearing in the film, though no names have been revealed yet.

Rob Reiner Channels Scorsese For This Is Spinal Tap Sequel

Credit: MGM via Metro

This Is Spinal Tap was considered groundbreaking for its time, and it is widely considered to be the film that made way for mockumentaries like What We Do in the Shadows and the Borat movies. It was Reiner’s directorial debut, and it featured him portraying a documentary filmmaker following a fictional heavy metal band (McKean, Guest, and Shearer) during their American tour. McKean played lead singer and rhythm guitarist David St. Hubbins. Guest portrayed lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel. And Shearer, who is known for playing many characters on The Simpsons, played bassist Derek Smalls. Shearer and his movie bandmates portrayed their characters in an episode of The Simpsons in season three.

While This Is Spinal Tap fans have reason to celebrate with the sequel, this news does come only ten days after a tragedy. Ric Parnell, who played drummer Mick Shrimpton in the original film, passed away on May 2.

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