A Spinal Tap sequel has been confirmed, featuring Paul McCartney, Elton John and Garth Brooks
Director Rob Reiner reveals that production is planned to start early next year for the mockumentary
A sequel to the 1984 music mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap has been confirmed.
Announced by director Rob Reiner, who returns after directing the 1984 original film, it will feature appearances from Paul McCartney, Elton John and Garth Brooks.
Revealing the news on Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast, Rob Reiner explained: “We’re going to start shooting in the end of February.”
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The original mockumentary followed a struggling band through their highs and lows and starred Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer.
Reiner adds: “Everybody’s back. Paul McCartney is joining us, and Elton John. And a few other surprises, Garth Brooks.”
When asked about the original film, Reiner tells Herring: “When we first previewed it, we previewed it in a theatre in Dallas, Texas, and people … they didn’t know what the heck they were looking at.”
“They came up to me afterwards and said, ‘I don’t understand. Why would you make a movie about a band that nobody’s ever heard of? And they’re so bad! Why would you do that?’” Reiner added. “They said, ‘You should make a movie about the Beatles or the Rolling Stones.’”
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In an interview with NME last year, Reiner said: “We never thought we would do a sequel. It was only because we started to talk to each other and we came up with an idea we think might work – we don’t know it will. We’re going to try.”
He continues: "The bar is incredibly high. We debated whether or not we should do it… I said, ‘Look at us, we’re all in our 70s. How much time are we going to have [left] to have some fun?’”
The sequel was initally slated to release in March 2024 to coincide with the original’s 40th anniversary, however it doesn't appear this will happen as production starts in February. A release date for the film is currently unknown.
Becky Buckle is Mixmag's Multimedia Editor, follow her on Twitter