‘This Is Spinal Tap’ Sequel Confirmed With Original Stars & Rob Reiner Directing

Along with the announcement that the classic 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap will be screening at 2022’s Cannes Film Festival as part of the Cinema de la plage side event, its also been confirmed that a sequel is officially in the works with the original cast of Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer all set to reprise their roles.

The first film’s director, Rob Reiner, will be returning not only to direct the sequel but also to continue his role as filmmaker Marty DeBergi. Reiner also provided a quote discussing his ideas for the sequel. “When it was announced that Spinal Tap would reunite for one final concert, Marty DeBergi saw this as a chance to make things right with the band who viewed This is Spinal Tap as a hatchet job. So he left his position as visiting adjunct teacher’s assistant at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts in pursuit of film history,” Reiner said. He also told Deadline that the film is set for release on March 19, 2024, which will be the year of the original film’s 40th anniversary.

It’s unclear what phase of development the film is in, but it is likely still in early conceptual periods and still has to be written. The original film is famous for having dialogue largely improvised by its stars, so Guest, Shearer and McKean will have an important hand in developing the film’s concept even if they don’t write even a clip of a screenplay page.

This is one of the first major projects for the recently-relaunched film arm of Reiner’s company Castle Rock Entertainment. Castle Rock was absorbed by Warner Bros for years beginning in the early 2000s and is now officially relaunched while still producing under a first-look deal with the studio.

You can watch the trailer for the original classic here: