Get your hairspray and eyeliner ready, becauseThis Is Spinal Tapis making a comeback. Longtime fans of the heavy metal spoof have been rewarded today, as it was announced by Castle Rock Entertainment that a long-awaited sequel to the cult classic film has been greenlit, withRob Reinerreturning as both the film’s real-life director and its fictional documentary counterpart, Marty Di Bergi. StarsMichael McKean,Harry Shearer, andChristopher Guestare also set to return as the members of the headbanging band.
“When it was announced thatSpinal Tapwould reunite for one final concert, Marty DeBergi saw this as a chance to make things right with the band who viewedThis is Spinal Tapas a hatchet job,” said Reiner of his character and of the film’s plot. “So he left his position as visiting adjunct teacher’s assistant at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts in pursuit of film history.”
The sequel is set to be released sometime in 2024, to coincide with the original film’s 40th anniversary. Guest, McKean, Reiner, and Shearer will “conceive” the new film — presumably that means sharing writing credits, though anything’s possible withSpinal Tap, andFrank Marshallwill produce, withMatthew George,Jonathan Fuhrman, andHernan Nareaserving as executive producers for Castle Rock as a part of the relaunch of their film division.
RELATED:Ric Parnell, ‘Spinal Tap’ Drummer, Dies at 70
The announcement also comes only weeks afterRic Parnell, the Atomic Rooster drummer who playedThis Is Spinal Tap’s ill-fated drummer Mick Shrimpton,passed awayat the age of 70. Though drummers inSpinal Tapseem to have a high turnover given the freak amount of accidents that seem to strike them down in the film — including Shrimpton spontaneously combusting onstage during the band’s Japanese tour — whether they will replace their drummer in the upcoming film has yet to be revealed.
The announcement of a sequel also comes in conjunction withThis Is Spinal Tap’s screening at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it will be shown as a part of the Cinema de la Plage sidebar on May 18th. The film is not only a cult classic, but was also preserved by the National Film Registry in 2002, having been deemed “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress, so celebrating the film at such a momentous festival feels appropriate — let’s hope they take it to eleven.
The sequel toThis Is Spinal Tapwill premiere sometime in 2024. Additional cast have yet to be announced.
